Learn more about the symptoms of high testosterone and how it's treated. Men behaving badly — can we blame it on excess testosterone? Could behaviors like aggressive sexuality, the need for power, volatility, and competitiveness be symptoms of high testosterone? Known as the "male hormone," testosterone is produced primarily by the testicles.
Strong bones help support your muscles and internal organs, which can boost athletic performance. Research shows that bone density increases with testosterone treatment as long as the dose is high enough.
Clinical trials on the effect of testosterone on bone density found increases in spinal and hip bone density. Another study of females transitioning into males found that testosterone increased bone mineral density.
Testosterone treatment for men 34 to 70 years old has shown an improvement in spatial memory. Testosterone levels naturally rise in response to sexual arousal and activity. Men with higher levels of testosterone usually have greater sexual activity. Older men need more testosterone for libido and erectile function. Studies show that testosterone therapy can benefit your sexual health and performance. Read more: Can testosterone supplements increase your sex drive? Lower testosterone levels are associated with poorer quality of life.
Some of the symptoms of low testosterone levels include depression, fatigue, and irritability. But some research shows that this may only be for men with hypogonadism. The effects of testosterone replacement therapy on mood can vary. Men with hypogonadism reported improved mood and well-being, and reduced fatigue and irritability.
Research suggests that this treatment may also be an effective anti-depressant treatment. Prescription testosterone treatments are available as gels, skin patches, and intramuscular injections. Each comes with potential side effects. Patches can irritate skin. Intramuscular injections may cause mood swings. In the brain, the hypothalamus tells the pituitary gland how much testosterone is needed, and the pituitary relays that information to the testicles. Testosterone plays a role in certain behaviors, including aggression and dominance.
It also helps to spark competitiveness and boost self-esteem. Low testosterone may result in a loss of confidence and lack of motivation. Low testosterone can cause sleep disturbances and lack of energy.
Other biological and environmental factors are also involved. As a man transitions from childhood to adulthood, testosterone spurs the growth of hair on the face, in the armpits, and around the genitals.
Hair also may grow on the arms, legs, and chest. A man with shrinking levels of testosterone actually may lose some body hair. Testosterone replacement therapy comes with a few potential side effects, including acne and breast enlargement. Testosterone patches may cause minor skin irritation. Topical gels may be easier to use, but great care must be taken to avoid transferring testosterone to someone else though skin-to-skin contact.
Testosterone is one of many factors involved in the development of muscle bulk and strength. Testosterone increases neurotransmitters, which encourage tissue growth. It also interacts with nuclear receptors in DNA, which causes protein synthesis. Testosterone increases levels of growth hormone. That makes exercise more likely to build muscle.
Testosterone increases bone density and tells the bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells. Men with very low levels of testosterone are more likely to suffer from bone fractures and breaks. Testosterone also plays a role in fat metabolism, helping men to burn fat more efficiently.
Dropping levels of testosterone can cause an increase in body fat. Therefore, ongoing inadequate sleep, interrupted sleep, and irregular sleep all interfere with the release cycle and lead to lower testosterone levels. While developing good sleep habits will not boost testosterone much beyond the average healthy value, it will keep it from dipping below this value.
Losing weight and eating a healthy diet does boost long-term testosterone levels. In addition to a host of other health benefits, losing excess body weight and eating a nutritious, balanced diet indeed increases long-term testosterone levels.
Eating too much sugar has been found to reduce testosterone levels, as has obesity in general. A review article by Giovanni Corona and his collaborators, published in the European Journal of Endocrinology , presents their compilation of the results of 24 research studies. Androgen rise is greater in those patients who lose more weight Reducing stress does boost long-term testosterone levels.
Ongoing psychological stress has been found to lower testosterone levels. Ongoing stress induces the body to release elevated amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which signals to the body to make changes allowing it to better cope with the stress.
One of these changes is the reduction of testosterone. The body makes this change so that energy and attention can be devoted to surviving the stress instead of building up body mass and enabling reproduction.
Therefore, reducing the level of ongoing stress in a man's life can boost long-term testosterone levels. Note that over-exercising is a type of stress. Taking vitamin D supplements and zinc supplements can boost long-term testosterone levels. For those who aren't getting enough vitamin D or zinc, returning the amounts of these nutrients in the body to normal levels can indeed increase long-term testosterone levels.
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