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Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. Although is is the main male sex hormone, it plays key roles in both males and females such as enhancing libido, energy, and immune function, and protecting against osteoporosis. On average, an adult male's body produces about twenty times the amount of testosterone that an adult female's body does.
For men around the age of 40, testosterone begins to drop. For women, it drops after age 50. This is accompanied by a decrease in libido and difficulty in erectile function.
History; Source
Anabolic steroids such as testosterone have been taken to enhance muscle development, strength, and/or endurance. After a series of scandals and publicity in the 1980s (such as Ben Johnson's improved performance at the 1988 Summer Olympics), prohibitions of anabolic steroid use were renewed or strengthened by many sports organizations, and it was made a "controlled substance" by the United States Congress.
Testosterone comes primarily from the testes of males and the ovaries of females, with small amounts being secreted by the adrenal glands.
Replacement therapy can take the form of injectables (such as testosterone cypionate or testosterone enanthate in oil), transdermal patches, creams and gels, subcutaneous pellets and oral therapy. At the time of writing, new delivery methods are being developed, including a "roll on" and a nasal spray.
As a prescription, it is available as a patch, a pill, under the tongue and as an injection. For women, testosterone in a smaller dose is usually added to the estrogen (Estratest) or in a combination with estrogen and progesterone by a compounding pharmacy.
Function; Reasons For Use
Testosterone's effects include anabolic effects such as growth of muscle mass and strength (testosterone is an anabolic steroid), increased bone density and strength, and stimulation of linear growth and bone maturation; and virilizing effects such as maturation of the sex organs, particularly the penis and the formation of the scrotum in fetuses, and after birth (usually at puberty) a deepening of the voice, growth of the beard and axillary hair.
As with every hormone, testosterone has been tried for many conditions and purposes besides replacement, with variable success. Examples include infertility, lack of libido or erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, penile enlargement, height growth, bone marrow stimulation and reversal of anemia, and even appetite stimulation.
Not only does the testosterone cause improvement of hot flashes, but it increases general well being and libido, induces weight loss if obese and helps in preventing and treating osteoporosis.
Some doctors have noted that since the advent of Viagra, men have stopped asking for repeat prescriptions of testosterone. This may indicate that their main concern was taking the hormone for increased sexual function.
Directions
Some doctors test testosterone levels and, if less than 800 for men, consider prescribing this very important hormone.
Side-Effects
Testosterone use involves relatively high rates of side-effects or problems.
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Testosterone can help with the following: | | | | | Hormones |  Low Male Testosterone Level | The original and primary use of testosterone is for the treatment of males who have too little or no natural endogenous testosterone production: males with hypogonadism. This hormone replacement therapy helps to maintain serum testosterone levels in the normal range. |
 Low Sex Drive| | Low testosterone levels are frequently the reason for diminished interest in sex, both in men and in women. |
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Nervous System |
 Tremors |
Respiratory |
Not recommended for:
 Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)| | More serious complications arising from testosterone supplementation include exacerbation of sleep apnea. |
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Skin-Hair-Nails |
Not recommended for:
Adult Acne| | Adverse effects of testosterone supplementation include minor side-effects such as acne and oily skin. |
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Tumors, Malignant |
Not recommended for:
 Prostate Cancer| | Testosterone supplementation cauases the acceleration of pre-existing prostate cancer growth. It is recommended that physicians screen for prostate cancer with a digital rectal exam and PSA (prostate specific antigen) level prior to initiating therapy, and monitor hematocrit and PSA levels closely during therapy. |
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Uro-Genital |
Andropause/Male Menopause| | Testosterone levels decline gradually with age in men. The clinical significance of this decrease is debatable, and there is no general agreement regarding if and when to treat aging men with testosterone replacement therapy. The position of the American Society of Andrology is that testosterone therapy "is indicated when both clinical symptoms and signs suggestive of androgen deficiency and decreased testosterone levels are present". Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms are non-specific, and are generally associated with aging such as loss of muscle mass and bone density, decreased physical endurance, decreased memory ability and loss of libido. |
Not recommended for:
Male Infertility (Low Sperm Count)| | Testosterone causes suppression of spermatogenesis and can lead to infertility. |
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Testosterone can help prevent the following: | | | | | Aging | Alzheimer's Disease| | The popular image of this sex hormone is primarily as a muscle-building machismo-inducing substance that "pumps men up", yet clinical research is uncovering important roles for testosterone in many other diverse areas of health and physiology, including the brain. New evidence suggests that testosterone may enhance memory function and protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Neuroscientists from Rockefeller University and Weill Medical College of Cornell University recently discovered that when neural cells from the brains of rats are exposed to testosterone, the cells don't produce as much Amyloid beta-peptide (AB-peptide). The accumulation of AB-peptide can cause plaque deposits to form in the brain. These deposits are believed to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Testosterone in addition appears to improve certain cognitive abilities in men, such as verbal and spatial memory function. Levels of bioavailable testosterone are especially important, researchers emphasized, because these levels decline most rapidly as men and women age.
Since high levels of testosterone have been linked with prostate cancer in men and endometriosis in women, however, they urged caution when using replacement therapy, carefully weighing the risks and benefits for each patient.
Increasing levels of adrenal hormones such as cortisol, which rise in response to stress and aging, may also play an important role in Alzheimer's. High levels of these hormones can damage the hippocampus region in the brain, causing
learning impairment and memory loss. Testosterone, however, shows the potential to reverse some of this damage. |
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Circulation |
Stroke |
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KEY | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended | | | Reasonably likely to cause problems | | | Avoid absolutely |
GLOSSARY
Acne
A chronic skin disorder due to inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands (secretion glands in the skin).
Adrenal (Adrenal Gland, Adrenal Glands, Adrenals)
The adrenal glands sit on top of each kidney and consist of an outer cortex and an inner medulla. Of the 50 or so hormones the adrenals make, only cortisone and adrenaline are recognized by most people. Some of these hormones must be produced to preserve life, while others help resist stress. Other hormones from the adrenals control normal energy output (along with the thyroid) and govern the breakdown of stored energy into quick energy sources. The medulla produces epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are specifically designed to help the body deal with stressful situations. The adrenals control the body's potassium/sodium balance, which is vital for energy production. They also produce sex hormones in minute amounts, which is important for later years when the gonads drop or cease their production.
Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's)
A progressive disease of the middle-aged and elderly, characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Anabolic (Anabolism)
Promoting anabolism: Allow the conversion of nutritive material into complex living matter in the constructive metabolism. Specifically, an agent or function that stimulates the organization of smaller substances into larger ones. Examples: making a starch out of sugars, a protein out of amino acids, or making triglycerides out of fatty acids are anabolic functions. Anabolic steroids are internal or external substances that will induce increased body size or mass. The opposite of catabolic.
Androgen
Any steroid hormone that increases male characteristics.
Anemia (Anaemia, Anemias)
A condition resulting from an unusually low number of red blood cells or too little hemoglobin in the red blood cells. The most common type is iron-deficiency anemia in which the red blood cells are reduced in size and number, and hemoglobin levels are low. Clinical symptoms include shortness of breath, lethargy and heart palpitations.
Antigen (Antigenic, Antigens)
A substance, usually protein or protein-sugar complex in nature, which, being foreign to the bloodstream or tissues of an animal, stimulates the formation of specific blood serum antibodies and white blood cell activity. Re-exposure to similar antigen will reactivate the white blood cells and antibody programmed against this specific antigen.
Apnea
Cessation of breathing.
Axillary
Pertaining to the region of the armpits.
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Cortisol
A hormone. Its most important function is to help the body respond to stress. It also helps regulate your body's use of protein, carbohydrates and fat; it helps maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function; it stems inflammation.
Endogenous
From within the body, either a native function or the product of the extended colony. Normal flora in the colon are considered endogenous.
Endometriosis
A condition whereby endometrial tissue builds up in parts of the uterus where it does not belong or areas outside of the uterus, forming 'ectopic implants'. Unlike the normal tissue lining the uterus, ectopic tissue has no place to shed in response to a decline in estrogen and progesterone. This results in debris and blood accumulating at the site of the implant leading to inflammation, scarring and adhesions that ultimately cause symptoms and complications. Symptoms typically occur in a cyclic fashion with menstrual periods, the most common being pelvic pain and cramping before and during periods; pain during intercourse; inability to conceive; fatigue; painful urination during periods; gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
Estrogen (Oestrogen)
One of the female sex hormones produced by the ovaries.
Hippocampus
Brain structure that forms the edge of the cortical mantle of the cerebral hemisphere.
Hormones (Hormone)
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Osteoporosis
A disease in which bone tissue becomes porous and brittle. The disease primarily affects postmenopausal women.
Ovary (Ovaries)
Ovaries are about the size of an almond and lie on either side of the lower abdomen beside the uterus. They usually produce one egg each month and whether the egg is fertilized or not, the reproductive process follows a monthly cycle, with constant changes in various hormone levels, preparing another opportunity for conception. The ovary is responsible for most of the estrogen production in women. At menopause (sometime after middle-age), egg production ceases and hormone levels drop significantly.
Platelet Aggregation
Platelets are the small, rather uniform fragments of large bone marrow cells that aid the blood in coagulation, hemostasis, inflammation, and thrombus formation. Mild subclotting and sticking is a common early condition that can lead to thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and strokes, and can be helped by an aspirin a day, better fat digestion, and Ceanothus.
Progesterone
This is the hormone secreted after ovulation by the corpus luteum. It is a steroid (similar to a cholesterol), enters receptive cells to stimulate their growth, and acts as an anabolic agent. Estrogen should be viewed as the primary coat underneath all the cycles during a woman's reproductive years, with progesterone, its antagonist, surging for ten or twelve days in ovulatory months. Most of the actions of progesterone cannot occur without estrogen having previously induced the growth of progesterone-receptive binding sites.
Prostate
The prostate gland in men that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra and produces a secretion that liquefies coagulated semen.
Serum
The cell-free fluid of the bloodstream. It appears in a test tube after the blood clots and is often used in expressions relating to the levels of certain compounds in the blood stream.
Steroid (Steroids)
Any of a large number of hormonal substances with a similar basic chemical structure containing a 17-carbon 14-ring system and including the sterols and various hormones and glycosides.
Subcutaneous (Subdermal)
Below the surface of the skin. Subdermal: Below the surface of the skin, and below subcutaneous, but definitely higher up than the muscles.
Testosterone
The principal male sex hormone that induces and maintains the changes that take place in males at puberty. In men, the testicles continue to produce testosterone throughout life, though there is some decline with age. A naturally occurring androgenic hormone.
Last updated: May 04, 2008
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