What are the real effects of testosterone? Discover the surprising roles this hormone plays in men and women’s health, from prostate cancer to bone strength. Get the facts about the myths and realities of testosterone.

Testosterone’s Vital Roles

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, playing crucial roles in the development and function of the male reproductive system, as well as influencing various other aspects of health and well-being. Some of the key functions of testosterone include:

• Development of the penis and testes
• Deepening of the voice during puberty
• Growth of facial and pubic hair
• Increasing muscle size and strength
• Promoting bone growth and strength
• Regulating sex drive (libido)
• Stimulating sperm production

Testosterone is also produced in smaller amounts in women, where it helps maintain ovarian function, bone strength, and sexual behavior. The proper balance between testosterone and other hormones like estrogen is important for overall health and well-being in both men and women.

Testosterone Production and Regulation

The production of testosterone is controlled by a feedback loop involving the brain, pituitary gland, and testes (in men) or ovaries (in women). The brain sends signals to the pituitary gland, which then relays messages to the testes or ovaries to produce testosterone. When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends signals to the pituitary to reduce production and maintain the proper balance.

Interestingly, having high cholesterol does not automatically mean a person will have high testosterone levels, as the body tightly regulates testosterone production through this feedback mechanism.

The Myth of Testosterone-Fueled Aggression

Contrary to popular belief, the link between high testosterone and aggressive, “macho” behavior is largely a myth. While testosterone does play a role in aspects of male behavior and psychology, the relationship is complex and not as straightforward as is often assumed.

In fact, most of what we know about the effects of abnormally high testosterone levels comes from studies of athletes who use anabolic steroids or other testosterone-boosting supplements, rather than from research on naturally occurring variations in testosterone.

The Potential Downsides of Too Much Testosterone

While high testosterone is not a common problem in men, there can be various negative health consequences associated with having excessively high levels of the hormone, including:

• Reduced sperm count and impotence
• Heart muscle damage and increased risk of heart attack
• Prostate enlargement and difficulty urinating
• Liver disease
• Acne
• Fluid retention and swelling
• Weight gain and increased appetite
• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Insomnia and headaches
• Increased risk of blood clots
• Stunted growth in adolescents
• Mood swings, euphoria, irritability, and impaired judgment

Testosterone and Women’s Health

While testosterone is often thought of as a male-specific hormone, women also produce small amounts of testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands. This testosterone, along with other androgens, plays an important role in various aspects of women’s health, including:

• Ovarian function
• Bone strength
• Sexual behavior and libido

One of the most common causes of elevated testosterone in women is a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects an estimated 6-10% of premenopausal women. Symptoms of PCOS can include irregular periods, excess hair growth, male-pattern baldness, and weight gain.

Testosterone and Health Conditions

In addition to its roles in sexual and reproductive health, testosterone has been found to have important connections to other health conditions, both in men and women. For example:

• Testosterone may be a key player in the development and progression of prostate cancer in men.
• Maintaining proper testosterone levels may be important for normal brain function, including mood, sex drive, and cognitive abilities.

While the full extent of testosterone’s influence on health is still being explored, it’s clear that this hormone has a complex and multifaceted role that goes far beyond the common stereotypes of “macho” behavior.

Testosterone — What It Does And Doesn’t Do

When you think of testosterone, what comes to mind? Macho men? Aggressive, impatient, type A behavior? Road rage? Violence?

Testosterone’s role in bad behavior is largely a myth. What’s more, testosterone plays other important roles in health and disease that may surprise you. For example, did you know that testosterone is a key player in prostate cancer? Or, that women need testosterone, too? There’s more to testosterone than guys behaving badly.

Testosterone’s Role

Testosterone is the major sex hormone in males and plays a number of important roles, such as:

• The development of the penis and testes
• The deepening of the voice during puberty
• The appearance of facial and pubic hair starting at puberty; later in life, it may play a role in balding
• Muscle size and strength
• Bone growth and strength
• Sex drive (libido)
• Sperm production

Adolescent boys with too little testosterone may not experience normal masculinization. For example, the genitals may not enlarge, facial and body hair may be scant and the voice may not deepen normally.

Testosterone may also help maintain normal mood. There may be other important functions of this hormone that have not yet been discovered.

Signals sent from the brain to the pituitary gland at the base of the brain control the production of testosterone in men. The pituitary gland then relays signals to the testes to produce testosterone. A “feedback loop” closely regulates the amount of hormone in the blood. When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends signals to the pituitary to reduce production.

If you thought testosterone was only important in men, you’d be mistaken. Testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal gland. It’s one of several androgens (male sex hormones) in females. These hormones are thought to have important effects on:

• Ovarian function
• Bone strength
• Sexual behavior, including normal libido (although evidence is not conclusive)

The proper balance between testosterone (along with other androgens) and estrogen is important for the ovaries to work normally. While the specifics are uncertain, it’s possible that androgens also play an important role in normal brain function (including mood, sex drive and cognitive function).

The Perils of Too Much Testosterone

Having too much naturally-occurring testosterone is not a common problem among men. That may surprise you given what people might consider obvious evidence of testosterone excess: road rage, fighting among fathers at Little League games and sexual promiscuity.

Part of this may be due to the difficulty defining “normal” testosterone levels and “normal” behavior. Blood levels of testosterone vary dramatically over time and even during the course of a day. In addition, what may seem like a symptom of testosterone excess (see below) may actually be unrelated to this hormone.

In fact, most of what we know about  abnormally high testosterone levels in men comes from athletes who use anabolic steroids, testosterone or related hormones to increase muscle mass and athletic performance.

Problems associated with abnormally high testosterone levels in men include:

• Low sperm counts, shrinking of the testicles and impotence (seems odd, doesn’t it?)
• Heart muscle damage and increased risk of heart attack
• Prostate enlargement with difficulty urinating
• Liver disease
• Acne
• Fluid retention with swelling of the legs and feet
• Weight gain, perhaps related in part to increased appetite
• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Increased muscle mass
• Increased risk of blood clots
• Stunted growth in adolescents
• Uncharacteristically aggressive behavior (although not well studied or clearly proven)
• Mood swings, euphoria, irritability, impaired judgment, delusions

Among women, perhaps the most common cause of a high testosterone level is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This disease is common. It affects 6% to 10% of premenopausal women.

The ovaries of women with PCOS contain multiple cysts. Symptoms include irregular periods, reduced fertility, excess or coarse hair on the face, extremities, trunk and pubic area, male-pattern baldness, darkened, thick skin, weight gain, depression and anxiety. One treatment available for many of these problems is spironolactone, a diuretic (water pill) that blocks the action of male sex hormones.

Women with high testosterone levels, due to either disease or drug use, may experience a decrease in breast size and deepening of the voice, in addition to many of the problems men may have.

Too Little Testosterone

In recent years, researchers (and pharmaceutical companies) have focused on the effects of testosterone deficiency, especially among men. In fact, as men age, testosterone levels drop very gradually, about 1% to 2% each year — unlike the relatively rapid drop in estrogen that causes menopause. The testes produces less testosterone, there are fewer signals from the pituitary telling the testes to make testosterone, and a protein (called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) increases with age. All of this reduces the active (free) form of testosterone in the body. More than a third of men over age 45 may have reduced levels of testosterone than might be considered normal (though, as mentioned, defining optimal levels of testosterone is tricky and somewhat controversial).

Symptoms of testosterone deficiency in adult men include:

• Reduced body and facial hair
• Loss of muscle mass
• Low libido, impotence, small testicles, reduced sperm count and infertility
• Increased breast size
• Hot flashes
• Irritability, poor concentration and depression
• Loss of body hair
• Brittle bones and an increased risk of fracture

Some men who have a testosterone deficiency have symptoms or conditions related to their low testosterone that will improve when they take testosterone replacement. For example, a man with osteoporosis and low testosterone can increase bone strength and reduce his fracture risk with testosterone replacement.

As surprising as it may be, women can also be bothered by symptoms of testosterone deficiency. For example, disease in the pituitary gland may lead to reduced testosterone production from the adrenal glands disease. They may experience low libido, reduced bone strength, poor concentration or depression.

Diseases and Conditions That Affect Testosterone

Men can experience a drop in testosterone due to conditions or diseases affecting the:

• Testes – direct injury, castration, infection, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, tumors
• Pituitary and hypothalamus glands – tumors, medications (especially steroids, morphine or related drugs and major tranquilizers, such as haloperidol), HIV/AIDS, certain infections and autoimmune conditions

Genetic diseases, such as Klinefelter syndrome (in which a man has an extra x-chromosome) and hemochromatosis (in which an abnormal gene causes excessive iron to accumulate throughout the body, including the pituitary gland) can also affect testosterone.

Women may have a testosterone deficiency due to diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus or adrenal glands, in addition to removal of the ovaries. Estrogen therapy increases sex hormone binding globulin and, like aging men, this reduces the amount of free, active testosterone in the body.

Testosterone Therapy

Currently, testosterone therapy is approved primarily for the treatment of delayed male puberty, low production of testosterone (whether due to failure of the testes, pituitary or hypothalamus function) and certain inoperable female breast cancers.

However, it is quite possible that testosterone treatment can improve symptoms in men with significantly low levels of active (free) testosterone, such as:

• Generalized weakness
• Low energy
• Disabling frailty
• Depression
• Problems with sexual function
• Problems with cognition.

However, many men with normal testosterone levels have similar symptoms so a direct connection between testosterone levels and symptoms is not always clear. As a result, there is some controversy about which men should be treated with supplemental testosterone.

Testosterone therapy may make sense for women who have low testosterone levels and symptoms that might be due to testosterone deficiency. (It’s not clear if low levels without symptoms are meaningful; treatment risks may outweigh benefits.) However, the wisdom and effectiveness of testosterone treatment to improve sexual function or cognitive function among postmenopausal women is unclear.

People with normal testosterone levels are sometimes treated with testosterone at the recommendation of their doctors or they obtain the medication on their own. Some have recommended it as a “remedy” for aging. For example, a study from Harvard Medical School in 2003 found that even among men who started out with normal testosterone results noted loss of fat, increased muscle mass, better mood, and less anxiety when receiving testosterone therapy. Similar observations have been noted among women. However, the risks and side effects of taking testosterone when the body is already making enough still discourages widespread use.

The Bottom Line

Testosterone is so much more than its reputation would suggest. Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally. However, the optimal amount of testosterone is far from clear.

Checking testosterone levels is as easy as having a blood test. The difficult part is interpreting the result. Levels vary over the course of the day. A single low level may be meaningless in the absence of symptoms, especially if it was normal at another time. We need more research to know when to measure testosterone, how best to respond to the results and when it’s worthwhile to accept the risks of treatment.

Image: Zerbor/Dreamstime

High testosterone in men: Signs and symptoms

High testosterone levels can cause various symptoms including, body hair growth, mood disturbances, and acne. They can result from some medical conditions and the use of medications or anabolic steroids.

High testosterone levels can cause serious problems in males, such as an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

In males, testosterone functions include the regulation of libido, bone and muscle mass, and the production of sperm. Females also have some testosterone, but less. In females, testosterone assists in the growth and maintenance of female reproductive tissue and bone mass.

Testosterone is essential for health, but too much may increase the risk of health problems, such as an enlarged prostate gland.

In this article, we discuss the signs of high testosterone, also called hyperandrogenism, in males.

A note about sex and gender

Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms “male,” “female,” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. Click here to learn more.

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Testosterone is a hormone. It is produced in the testes in people assigned male sex at birth and in the ovaries in people assigned female sex at birth. Additionally, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a precursor to testosterone is produced in the adrenal glands.

People can also take testosterone synthetically as medication. The effects of high testosterone levels will usually only be apparent with synthetic sources.

A 2017 study involving more than 9,000 men living in Europe and the United States found that the total testosterone range for males aged 19–39 years is 264–916 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Levels above this are considered high.

The American Urological Association considers 450—600 ng/dl to be a normal range.

High levels of synthetic testosterone may lead to:

• hepatic adenoma, a tumor on the liver
• cholestatic jaundice
• BPH

The authors of a 2021 study noted that males with high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — a substance that works with testosterone — may have a higher chance of acne and hair loss. However, they did not link this effect directly to high testosterone levels.

Testosterone may also play a role in the development of prostate cancer. Experts note that testosterone does not cause prostate cancer, but it can help fuel it once it appears. Reducing testosterone levels may help lower the risk of it returning or progressing. There may be a link with testosterone replacement therapy and the development of prostate cancer.

Men with very high testosterone levels may experience:

• acne
• aggressive or risk-taking behaviors
• excessive body hair
• headaches
• heart or liver problems
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• high sex drive (libido)
• increased appetite
• infertility
• insomnia
• low sperm count
• mood swings
• prostate enlargement, which may cause difficulty passing urine
• swelling of the legs and feet
• unexplained weight gain

High testosterone levels can be a sign of an underlying health condition that increases levels of circulating testosterone on the body.

Factors that can raise testosterone levels include:

• acromegaly or Cushing syndrome, which affect the pituitary gland
• benign or cancerous adrenal tumors
• congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• the use of certain medications, such as fluoxymesterone (Halotestin)
• using anabolic steroids
• testosterone supplementation

Athletes and bodybuilders sometimes use anabolic steroids to improve athletic performance and build muscle mass. Testosterone replacement therapy can treat low testosterone levels.

What causes high testosterone in females, and what are the symptoms?

Doctors typically use the following procedures to diagnose high testosterone in males:

A physical examination

A doctor may check for signs and symptoms of high testosterone, including acne and increased muscle mass. They will also ask about a person’s libido and mood.

Blood tests

A doctor may order blood tests to check the person’s testosterone hormone levels. They may also check their glucose and cholesterol, as testosterone levels can affect them.

As testosterone secretion is typically highest in the early morning hours, the doctor will often draw blood for the tests in the morning.

The type of treatment for high testosterone will depend on the underlying cause of the imbalance.

Stopping steroid or medication use

Where high testosterone levels result from anabolic steroid use or testosterone supplementation, discontinuing these substances will usually resolve the issue.

In one study, 88.4% of the male participants taking testosterone supplements did not produce sperm. However, 6 months after stopping the use of the supplements, 65% of these individuals began to produce sperm again.

Treatment for tumors

In rare cases, a tumor can produce sex hormones, which can increase the levels of testosterone. If a tumor is contributing to high testosterone levels, the person may need surgery.

If the tumor is cancerous, the person may need other treatments, including:

• surgery
• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy

Medication

Medications can help lower high testosterone levels for people with underlying conditions.

They include:

• steroid synthesis inhibitors, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), to treat Cushing disease
• alpha reductase inhibitors, for instance finasteride (Proscar), to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia
• gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs, such as degarelix (Firmagon) to reduce testosterone levels in people receiving treatment for prostate cancer

Anyone who experiences symptoms while using testosterone replacement therapy should speak with a doctor. People who are using testosterone replacement therapy will usually have regular appointments, as the doctor will need to monitor their progress.

Individuals who believe they may have high testosterone levels should talk with a doctor. They may need treatment to address an underlying health issue or reduce the risk of complications such as liver problems and osteoporosis.

Here are some questions people often ask about high testosterone in males.

What happens when a man’s testosterone levels are too high?

High testosterone levels are known as hyperandrogenism. In adults, there are few noticeable signs. But, there may be a risk of complications such as a liver tumor, jaundice, and an enlarged prostate gland.

What happens when a man’s testosterone levels are too low?

Low testosterone levels are known as hypogonadism. An adult male with low testosterone levels may have:

• small testes
• enlarged breasts, known as gynecomastia
• difficulty gaining muscle mass
• low sperm count
• low energy
• low libido
• osteoporosis
• hot flashes, in severe cases
• anemia

As men get older, testosterone levels tend to fall, which may lead to these symptoms.

How can exercise help build muscle mass?

What is a normal testosterone level in an adult male?

The American Urological Association considers a normal range to be 450—600 ng/dL. If levels fall below 300 ng/dl, a doctor may diagnose a deficiency and prescribe testosterone replacement therapy.

Levels vary by age groups and can fluctuate throughout the day. The most accurate readings will be in the early morning.

Is there such a thing as the male menopause?

High testosterone in males can cause a variety of symptoms, including excessive facial and body hair, aggression, and infertility.

In males, high testosterone is most frequently due to anabolic steroid use or testosterone supplementation.

People who show symptoms associated with high testosterone should see their doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Untreated high testosterone levels can raise the risk of infertility, cancer, and other problems.

All about testosterone for men

No meat. The best way to tame the flesh has always been considered a vegetarian diet. It is devoid of cholesterol, without which the hormone cannot be produced. Of course, the observance of Orthodox fasts will not make a man a eunuch, but long-term strict vegetarianism reduces the aggressiveness of a man, and at the same time his sexual desire. In other words, “meat warms the blood.”

Female hormones. Alas, men are literally drowning in a sea of ​​estrogens – female sex hormones. And the meat of animals grown on hormonal supplements, as well as the passion for beer rich in phytoestrogens (vegetable analogues of female hormones), will not add male strength. And some experts do not even recommend eating soy products for pregnant women: if there is a boy in the womb, his development may suffer. There are many chemicals that have a similar effect, and in the environment they are contained, for example, plastic and pesticides.

Climate. Here, the inhabitants of the northern latitudes are not very lucky. The sun’s rays stimulate the production of male hormones. Therefore, in resorts, a person feels a sexual surge, and residents of hot countries are considered the hottest in love – this is testosterone raging.

Alcohol. A real poison for the testicles. With an increase in the level of alcohol in the blood, the amount of testosterone simultaneously decreases. No wonder they say: “Alcoholic drinks cause desire, but do not give stamina in its execution” (these words belong to Shakespeare). Drinking alcohol in quantities that can cause a hangover reduces testosterone levels by 20% within 12-20 hours. Moreover, the testicles affected by the “degree” never fully recover. The liver can still regenerate, while the testicles hatch plans for revenge, so today’s healthy men, who live through life at the bar, tomorrow turn into infirm patients.

Stress. Divorce, unresolved problems, financial losses, unemployment – all this leads to the suppression of testosterone production. In one study, it was found that the noise of aircraft turbines in close proximity, the level of testosterone in the blood of young men is halved! Serious overload, protracted stress, and even more so depression shorten the age of the active life of men.

Overtemperature. Prolonged overheating of the testicles can make a man sterile for a certain time.

Crowded. Italian researchers have shown that men wearing elastic synthetic underwear are twice as likely to experience infertility. Among those who prefer tight jeans, there are one and a half times more infertile ones. And since the production of testosterone and sperm are closely related, we can say: “families”, or, in the European manner, “boxers”, are the choice of a true macho.

Infections. Mumps virus (mumps), infectious mononucleosis (inflammation of the tonsils), hepatitis, urethritis and sexually transmitted diseases can interfere with testosterone production and provoke the premature onset of andropause.

Surgery and certain medications can also reduce testosterone production.

Personal care: Self care: Lenta.ru

It is difficult to overestimate the influence of sex hormones on mood, endocrine processes and sexual desire. At the same time, many believe that testosterone is an exclusively male hormone. However, it is also produced in women, albeit in smaller quantities. Lenta.ru tried to answer why both sexes need testosterone and why its deficiency and excess are dangerous.

What is testosterone

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. It plays a key role in the development and maintenance of sexual function in both sexes, and in men is directly related to reproductive function.

In the male body, this hormone is produced by the testicles and adrenal glands, in the female body – by the ovaries and adrenal glands. In both those and others, it is formed from cholesterol, and its production is regulated by the pituitary gland.

Male testosterone

In men, testosterone is involved in the development of secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive organs. It is because of him that during puberty, the voice changes in boys, the growth of hair on the body begins. Also, this hormone contributes to an increase in muscle mass, affects the amount of fat and bone density.

Mood, vitality, intelligence, good sleep are associated with testosterone. Sexual desire, erection are also the effect of testosterone

Alexander Lubennikovurologist, andrologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences

Testosterone in women

In women, this hormone is synthesized in a smaller amount, but it is also very important. It is involved in the processes of maturation of the egg, is responsible for the formation of the skeleton and regeneration of bone tissue, and regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands. In addition, testosterone helps control stress and has a beneficial effect on mood.

In women, testosterone ensures the normal functioning of physiological processes in the central nervous system, mammary glands and ovaries

Tamara Nuraeva obstetrician-gynecologist at L7 Breast Center

Photo: Taisiia Shestopal / Unsplash

Testosterone affects potency

It is testosterone that largely determines the level of male libido. A significant deficiency of this hormone (up to 80 percent of the norm) can lead to erectile dysfunction.

With low testosterone levels, sexual activity decreases, the number of erections decreases

At the same time, this is not the only factor that determines sexual desire. It can be affected, for example, by stress or depression, which can completely discourage interest in sex even with a normal level of male hormones in the body.

Libido also depends on testosterone in women

Testosterone is involved in the regulation of sexual desire in women along with estradiol, the main female sex hormone from the estrogen group.

Sexual activity, as well as the frequency and severity of orgasms in women depends on testosterone

At the same time, the results of scientific studies related to the study of the relationship between testosterone and women’s interest in intimacy are ambiguous. Some experts believe that the exacerbation of sexual desires during the period of ovulation is due to the highest level of testosterone in the body, others are sure that this effect is caused by estrogen, which prevails in the body until the middle of the menstrual cycle.

Testosterone causes aggression

Testosterone also affects behavior. It is widely believed that an increased level of this hormone makes a man more aggressive and risk-averse. Experts have different opinions about whether this is true. According to andrologist Georgy Mskhalay, a man with a high level of testosterone has more needs, more self-confidence, he is more striving for success.

I have a patient who, after normalizing testosterone levels, defended his doctoral thesis, which he could not defend before, and was still wondering if he needed it

Georgiy Mskhalayaandrologist, endocrinologist of the European Medical Center

Testosterone in bodybuilding

Testosterone accelerates the growth of muscle mass, so preparations based on it are often taken by bodybuilders. However, experts believe that this can lead to serious health problems. Unpleasant side effects are possible even after stopping the use of such drugs.

According to the therapist Elena Tikhomirova, testosterone abuse significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. And after the rejection of drugs with testosterone, a withdrawal syndrome occurs, against which depression can begin. Infertility is also possible.

There are men who inject themselves with additional injections, use illegal drugs and raise testosterone levels five, ten times the norm. Of course, their aggression is higher

Georgy Mskhalayaandrologist, endocrinologist of the European Medical Center

Photo: Steven Erixon / Unsplash

Blood testosterone level

Testosterone level depends on gender, age, time of day, physical activity and many other factors. After the age of 30, the level of this hormone in the blood in men drops by one to two percent per year. By the age of 50, testosterone deficiency reaches 25-30 percent, and this begins to affect health and cognitive abilities.

Experts recommend taking blood tests to determine testosterone levels between 7 am and 11 am, on an empty stomach, since sex hormone secretion is highest in the morning.

Testosterone begins to be produced at night, during the phase of non-REM sleep, and the longer the rest, the stronger its production. Under normal sleep and wakefulness, the concentration of the hormone reaches its maximum by 5-6 o’clock in the morning

Vera BarinovaHead of the NACFF Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory

Men’s testosterone levels

Men’s testosterone levels are 20 times higher than those of women and children, ranging from 12.15 to 37.48 nanomoles/liter.

A drop in total testosterone below 12.1 nanomoles/liter is cause for concern. In such cases, an additional analysis for free testosterone should be taken.

Norm of testosterone in women

The level of testosterone in women is much lower. Between the ages of 18 and 49, values ​​from 0.31 to 3.78 nanomoles / liter are considered normal. During pregnancy, this figure may increase several times, but then falls again.

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What happens when there is a lack of testosterone in childhood

In boys, low testosterone levels are associated with some congenital disorders, underdevelopment or undescended testicles. As you grow older, its deficiency is manifested by a number of characteristic symptoms: eunuchoid proportions of the body (long limbs, shortened torso), poorly developed muscles, and pale skin.

According to andrologist Alexander Lubennikov, boys with low testosterone also have breast enlargement, no pubic hair, a high pitched voice, a penis less than five centimeters long, and very small testicles.

What are the signs of a lack of testosterone

With a lack of testosterone in men, sexual desire decreases, erection problems begin, and muscle mass decreases. Up to 90 percent of men who have this problem suffer from baldness.

Here are some typical signs of testosterone deficiency:

• decreased libido,
• reduced sperm count,
• erection problems,
• body hair reduction,
• breast augmentation,
• decrease in muscle mass,
• increased risk of fractures,
• frequent mood swings,
• high fatigue,
• irritability,
• sleep disorders,
• cognitive decline,
• alopecia.

If the testosterone level goes below normal, irritability, nervousness, and internal tension begin to rise. A man becomes more capricious, irritated more easily

Georgy Mskhalayaandrologist, endocrinologist of the European Medical Center

Why testosterone levels fall

In addition to age, in adult men, testosterone levels are reduced by:

• obesity,
• testicular injury or inflammation,
• diabetes,
• chronic diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems,
• chronic kidney pathologies,
• diseases or injuries of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland,
• taking steroids,
• alcoholism and drug use.

Low testosterone can be seen in testicular and pituitary disorders such as Klinefelter’s syndrome, Kallman’s syndrome, and in men with idiopathic, metabolic, or iatrogenic disorders leading to androgen deficiency

Alexander Sysoevdoctor urologist-andrologist of the highest category “SM-Clinic”

Lack of testosterone in women

Testosterone levels in women can fall during menopause, with diseases of the ovaries, pituitary and adrenal glands, various pathologies of the thyroid gland, with bulimia and anorexia, when switching to a low-fat diet or taking certain medications, such as glucocorticoids.

Women with low testosterone may experience:

• insomnia,
• fatigue,
• pain in bones and muscles,
• abdominal obesity,
• decreased libido,
• menstrual disorders,
• cognitive decline,
• depression.

The main manifestations of testosterone deficiency in women are a general deterioration in well-being and a decrease in sexual desire. Vaginal dryness may also appear, the menstrual cycle is disturbed. Due to the lack of a male hormone, a woman becomes less resilient, her cognitive abilities decrease, and depression may develop

Tamara Nuraeva obstetrician-gynecologist at the L7 Breast Center

Photo: Klara Kulikova / Unsplash

How to increase testosterone

If the deviation from the norm is insignificant, testosterone levels can be increased simply by changing lifestyle. According to andrologist Alexander Sysoev, there are several simple means to eliminate the lack of this hormone in one to three months.

• Regular sleep for at least seven hours a day, and it is important to learn to go to bed and wake up at the same time
• Moderate and regular exercise. It is better to do gymnastics or run for half an hour every day than to do four hours of strength training once a week
• Stop smoking and alcohol, stop taking steroid supplements
• Refusal of fatty, smoked and fried foods. Also, do not get carried away with sweet desserts
• Eating fresh marine fish, seaweed or other seafood containing zinc

Increased physical activity can lead to increased androgen levels in both men and women, as proven by numerous studies. At the same time, strength training is considered the most effective. Treatment of concomitant diseases, weight loss and dietary review will also help to adjust the level of androgens

Tamara Nuraeva obstetrician-gynecologist at L7 Breast Center

You need to understand that such methods work only in cases where testosterone deficiency is caused by temporary problems – for example, a sharp change in the daily routine and lifestyle, stress, strong feelings.