Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays an important role in the human body. It is also known as androgens produced by the testicles. The ovaries and adrenal glands also have a minimal amount of testosterone for women.
It is an essential hormone responsible for regulating sex drive, muscle mass, energy, strength, fat distribution, sperm, and red blood cell production in men.
A moderate level of testosterone in the body provides sound mental health and general well-being.
The testosterone levels are at a peak during adolescence and start decreasing after 40.
Testosterone plays a vital role in your:
- Sex drive (libido)
- Mood and quality of life
- Body’s development of more profound voices
- Facial and pubic hair
- Verbal memory and thinking ability
- Bones and muscle mass
- Sperm production
- Fat distribution and
- Red blood cells
Did you know?
Testosterone is synthesized in the body from cholesterol. But producing high cholesterol doesn’t indicate your testosterone will increase. The pituitary gland cautiously controls testosterone levels in the brain.
Effects of Testosterone in the human body:
When your body stops producing enough testosterone, the receptors remain inactive and keeps your body in a catabolic state. At this point, your body begins to break down muscle tissue, increased fat storage in the body, resulting in a slower metabolism, and stops building muscle.
Testosterone level affects everything in men, from sexuality to the reproductive system and muscle mass and bone density.
Testosterone combats depression:
The deficiency of testosterone in your body may be the cause of depression. You may not know it, but men also experience a specific condition that many thought only women experiences. This state of affairs can get someone depressed and which can result in a loss of interest in sex. This condition is called male menopause.
Male menopause occurs when a man reaches a certain age. One of the known symptoms of male menopause is depression. Males who experience this condition will always be sad, anxious, and depressed.
A moderate or regulated level of testosterone helps to fight against depression. Testosterone is essential to maintain a balanced body system.
Fat reducer:
Testosterone helps in regulating glucose, fat metabolism, and insulin. So as the T level decreases, your body fails to regulate fat metabolism, insulin, and glucose, resulting in adipose to accumulate around your body.
The higher T level burns fatty tissue and prevents the creation of new fat cells.
Reproductive system:
About seven weeks after fertilization, testosterone triggers nursing male genitals. The testicles generate a regular stream of testosterone and make a fresh supply of sperm every day.
At puberty, testosterone production outpours and help the testicles and penis grow.
Stronger or powerful bones:
Testosterone is not only a sex hormone but also plays a vital role in bone health. It strengthens bone mass and density avoiding the risk of osteoporosis.
Hiking, running, and weightlifting helps in bone improvement and increases testosterone levels in the body, and, at the same time, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
To have healthy and strong bones after 50 years, take steps to enhance your testosterone levels from the beginning.
Testosterone strengthens your heart:
A healthy heart controls and pumps the organs with oxygen and secures decent blood flow to the heart. But low T levels are a possible warning or threat to health, prompting various cardiovascular risks. On the other hand, a high T level helps produce red blood cells through the bone marrow.
Scientists have discovered that men who have higher testosterone levels have an increased risk of heart disease, but recent studies have found that men with low T levels are merely more at risk for heart problems.
Sexuality:
During adolescence, testosterone enhances the penis, testicles, pubic hair, improves the sex drive (libido), and acts as a mood enhancer.
A man with low T levels may lose his sexual desire. Moderate or regulated levels of testosterone will give you a healthy sex life and an enhanced lifestyle. If you experience low interest in sex, you might have a deficiency of testosterone.
Low T can also result in erectile dysfunction. Testosterone promotes natural sexual energy in men. A higher T-Levels often highlight the masculine or strong presence and increase sexual vitality.
Testosterone increases muscles mass:
Testosterone can increase strength and muscle mass. It helps in bodybuilding and increases neurotransmitters, which stimulate or helps tissue growth. It boosts hormone growth levels and makes exercise more liable to build muscle.
Testosterone develops bone density and directs the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Men with deficient levels of testosterone are expected to suffer from bone fractures and breaks.
Testosterone helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease, maintain lower cholesterol, improve memory and thinking ability, and increase dominance and desire for more power.
The risk of having too much testosterone:
The excess of anything is terrible. Having too much testosterone could be a threat or warning to serious health issues.
Problems with abnormally high testosterone levels in men include:
- Low sperm counts and shrinking of the testicles
- Fluid retention with swelling of the legs and feet
- Liver problem
- Restlessness or insomnia
- Developed risk of blood clots
- High blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol
- Prostate enlargement with difficulty urinating.
- Headaches and acne
The risk associated with a deficient level of testosterone:
Our body needs an optimal amount of testosterone, so a very high or deficient testosterone level could be dangerous to our health.
Low testosterone affects your sex drive and your ability to have sex and causes other symptoms.
- Weight gain
- Low energy
- Reduced muscle mass and increased body fat
- Mood swings
- Feeling depressed
Did you know?
Testosterone therapy can be an effective and attractive solution to weight gain and muscle loss. The treatment refills the supply of testosterone, transforming your body back to an anabolic state (muscle building). Testosterone therapy kick-starts your muscle growth, metabolism, supporting weight loss, and improves overall body composition.
The Bottom Line:
Testosterone has so many captivating purposes beyond the sexual, and it’s not always a matter of the more, the better.
While low T can create problems, including bone weakness, sexual dysfunction, and fat gain, very high testosterone creates its own set of questions – which is why you should never seek to medicate low testosterone without consulting a doctor.
If you’re experiencing low testosterone, always consult a doctor, start regular exercise, and eat foods rich in testosterone.
