The male sex hormone, Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced in the testis which comes with many functions, not just the sexual functions. Our expert andrologist Dr. Rahul Reddy adds more information on the male sex hormone Testosterone.
Testosterone for Body Development
This hormone is responsible for maintaining muscle growth, bone strength, and also for stimulating male hair growth - beard, mustache, and chest hair. It also helps in defining the male voice. This hormone is also responsible for baldness in men when its levels are low. This hormone is also responsible for blood cell production. Read further to know what changes occur in a male’s body, when these hormone levels are low.
Testosterone for Sexual Functions
This hormone testosterone is known to define one’s sex drive, sperm count, and fertility. The sexual behavior and the formation of the genital organs are a few of this hormone’s sexual functions. This hormone also stimulates the prostate and genital organs, improves one’s sexual behavior, and also maintains fertility.
Testosterone for Mind
- It influences cognition skills in males. It increases aggression in males (when the testosterone levels are normal) and may cause depression and anxiety (if the levels are low). This hormone also is responsible for maintaining a feeling of well-being. It also modulates general mood and behavior.
- The desired levels for this hormone in males is 2.8-8 ng/dl. This is age dependant. For an 18-year-old boy, the testosterone level should be 7-8 ng/dl. For a 60-year-old person, it should be around 2.8 ng/dl. Between 25 years and 45 years, it should be between 4-6 ng/dl.
Testosterone for Memory Function
- Testosterone improves one’s memory. People with low levels forget matters, which is seen in older people.
- When the levels are low in males, it results in hair loss and slow hair growth, muscles tend to be a week and they may have depression or sadness. Lack of libido and losing muscle strength, where their bones become fragile are also the effects of having a low testosterone level. Reduced sperm count and low fertility level are few other effects of low testosterone levels.
- A person with a high testosterone level will have severe aggression and abnormal sexual urge. This is where we hear of many crimes against women and children.
- There are various factors that affect to low testosterone levels and of which alcohol and sedentary lifestyles hit the list. Vitamin D deficiency and lack of proper sleep are a few other factors. This hormone helps a male’s body are numerous ways of which sexual functioning is the main function. In order to maintain a healthy sexual life, it’s important that one’s testosterone levels are proper.
