The word testosterone is not new to many

Testosterone is the so-called male sex hormone. Although it is produced in women, not only in men.

Male and female hormones

Hormones are biologically active chemical compounds that have high biological activity and carry out humoral (using chemicals) regulation of the activity of a living organism. Due to different hormones, in particular, men and women are different, they look different, have different appearance and character traits. Female sex hormones ensure the formation of female secondary sexual characteristics in girls, control the processes of egg maturation, conception, gestation, and then the release of milk for feeding the baby, as well as other processes. The female hormones are estrogens (estradiol, estrone) and progestins (progesterone).

Male sex hormones stimulate the transformation of a boy into a man, are responsible for spermatogenesis, sexual reactions, determine the appropriate behavior in a man, etc. Male sex hormones (androgens), in addition to testosterone, include dihydrotestosterone, androsterone, androstenediol, androstenedione. We will talk about what testosterone is responsible for in men. Let's dwell on the meaning of dihydrotestosterone.

Where does testosterone come from in the body?

In a man's body, testosterone is produced in the adrenal glands and testes (testes). It is synthesized from cholesterol in the Leydig cells of the testicles or from androstenediol in the adrenal cortex.

In men, about 6-7 mg of testosterone is synthesized in the body per day. The production of this hormone is regulated by the pituitary luteinizing hormone, and the pituitary gland, in turn, controls one of the hypothalamic releasing hormones. Interestingly, estradiol is synthesized from testosterone in the female body. The male hormone is destroyed in the liver and then excreted in the urine. Its half-life is only 60-100 minutes. This is the time during which exactly half of the amount of the hormone synthesized by the body remains.

The biological role of testosterone

It is considered the main male hormone. This is both true and not quite true. Testosterone takes an active part in the formation, and then the development of male genital organs, starting from the period of intrauterine development. He is responsible for the manifestation of secondary sexual characteristics in boys. Body hair in men, a low voice, more aggressive behavior, sexual desire, all of this is manifested due to the action of this hormone in the body of a man.

In addition, testosterone has an effect on phosphorus and nitrogen metabolism. It contributes to the increase in muscle mass (anabolic effect) and muscle strength, which is why it is used by athletes. This is now prohibited for those participating in major competitions. Anabolics are classified as doping. The highest concentration of testosterone in men is observed in target tissues, where the body actually needs it: in the seminiferous tubules, seminal vesicles, epididymis, prostate gland.

The level of the male hormone rises sharply during puberty and begins to fall after 45-50 years. There are also daily and seasonal fluctuations. Its greatest concentration accumulates by 7-9 o'clock in the morning. In terms of seasons, the peak is in the spring, after which testosterone levels gradually decline.

Is testosterone the main one?

The question is absolutely reasonable. Since everyone praises and talks about testosterone. He's the most male hormone? It turns out that not everything is right. In fact, testosterone is not really an active substance. Under the action of an enzyme called 5α-reductase, it is converted into an active substance in dihydrotestosterone, which, in fact, is, in fact, the most important male hormone.

DHT accumulates in the skin of the genitals, as well as in the scalp. That is why men go bald. And it is also dihydrotestosterone that is responsible for the occurrence of acne (acne) on the skin.

If we return to testosterone, then up to 90% of it in the blood is in the form associated with proteins, and is not active. Some of the protein-bound testosterone under certain conditions, under the influence of drugs, can be released and become active. In fact, these free 10% are converted into active dihydrotestosterone. Its blood level is more than 10 times lower than the level of testosterone.

What are the risks of deviations from the norm of testosterone

The content of testosterone in the blood from 11 to 33 nmol / l is considered normal for men. However, it still depends on the method for determining this hormone in the laboratory. And they are different. The production of this hormone and, accordingly, its content in the blood decreases with age.

With a low testosterone concentration in men, the number of sperm produced decreases, and with it the possibility of conceiving a child, there are erectile dysfunctions up to impotence. In men, sexual desire is suppressed, there is a loss of muscle mass, even the bones may become less strong.

Irritability and depressive states appear. The lower the testosterone level, the more severe these symptoms will be. Although, according to the researchers, they are more often manifested if the level of testosterone is critically low. The increased concentration of testosterone in men does not cause any special pathological changes. Perhaps hypersexuality may appear.

Testosterone in women

This hormone is produced not only in men, but also in women. Its concentration in the weak half of humanity is 10-20 times lower than that of the strong, but without it and the woman, oddly enough, nowhere. First, the male hormone is an intermediate in the synthesis of female estrogens in the body. It is synthesized, as in men, in the adrenal cortex, as well as in the ovarian follicles. Testosterone in women contributes to the development of the mammary glands. Therefore, oddly enough it sounds, during pregnancy, its concentration increases.

Also interesting is the fact that testosterone is also responsible for sexual desire in women, and not some of the purely female sex hormones. However, everything is good in moderation. An increased level of testosterone in the female body disrupts the regularity of the menstrual cycle, can lead to infertility, as well as the active growth of body hair, the appearance of acne, and cause the development of polycystic ovary

Testosterone as a drug

Testosterone, which is responsible for the appearance and maintenance of male functions, is used in medicine as a drug.

The indications for the appointment of testosterone propionate are:

• testicular hypofunction and disorders associated with it: sexual underdevelopment, primary eunuchoidism, hypogonadism, male infertility due to impaired spermatogenesis, oligospermia (decreased sperm count in semen);
• post-castration syndrome, male menopause;
• impotence;
• osteoporosis in women and men;
• in women: endometriosis, excess estrogen production (hyperestrogenism), menopause (used in conjunction with estrogens), as well as premenstrual syndrome and neoplastic diseases (breast cancer, uterine fibroids).

Artificially synthesized testosterone is also used in hormone replacement therapy in older men to support male functions. For this purpose, it is usually used in combination with its own esters, which make it possible to maintain the required level of this hormone for a fairly long period.

Testosterone preparations are used internally, and are also injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously. There are also external products (for example, gels).

In case of an overdose of this drug, hypersexuality may occur, and with prolonged use in obesity of the mammary glands (gynecomastia), acne, seborrhea, and other manifestations on the skin

Men may experience increased erections, an increase in the size of the penis, a decrease in ejaculate volume and sperm count in seminal fluid.

Women may have secondary male sexual characteristics (androgenization), clitoromegaly (an increase in this organ in size), and other consequences.

Depression, anxiety, water and sodium retention in the body, sleep disturbances, hirsutism (male-pattern hair growth in women; for example, beard growth) and other side effects are also possible.

The use of testosterone is contraindicated in prostate carcinoma, breast cancer, hypertrophic enlargement of the prostate in combination with signs of urinary disorders, impaired renal function, liver function, nephrosis, nephrotic phase of nephritis, edema, as well as hypercalcemia, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, coronary insufficiency, with myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis in elderly men. The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy, as well as during lactation in women.

Conclusion

Testosterone is a male sex hormone, which, being converted into dihydrotestosterone, controls the formation of secondary sexual characteristics in a boy, his transformation into a man. He also further supports the male functions of the body. With its lack, disorders in the body occur.

In case of a deficiency in the body, the doctor can prescribe his drugs, which either supplement the amount of this hormone lacking in the body, or will help to cope with certain diseases and disorders, both in men and women.

Before self-treatment with testosterone, it is better to go and consult a doctor. Moreover, the use of hormonal drugs is not so safe.