Men+ Review

" Testosterone is a sex hormone. Hormones are the body's chemical messengers. They travel from one organ or another place in the body, usually through the bloodstream, and affect many different bodily processes.

Testosterone is the major sex hormone in males. It is essential to the development of male growth and masculine characteristics.

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.

Testosterone plays multiple important roles in the body, such as:

• development of the penis and testes
• deepening of the voice during puberty
• 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.

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

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 androgen (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).

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. Also, as men get older, their livers make more sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds to testosterone circulating in the bloodstream.

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.

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
• 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, problem with function of pituitary gland or adrenal glands may lead to reduced testosterone production. Affected women may experience low libido, reduced bone strength, poor concentration or depression.

Testosterone is so much more than its reputation would suggest.
Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally. "