Testosterone

Testosterone is the anabolic steroid, which posses the ability to promote the formation of bone and muscle in the body. Testosterone is known as an androgen, which means it is responsible for the maintenance of male characteristics.

Interestingly enough all fetuses start out as females. If the sperm which reaches the egg carried a Y chromosome, the egg would then be destined to become a male. Sometime in the second month after conception, the male chromosome will cause the embryo’s genital ridge to secret testosterone. It is this testosterone release which causes the male sex organs to begin to form.

In adult males nearly 95% of testosterone is produced in the testicles and the remaining 5% is manufactured by the adrenals. In women about half of the testosterone is produced by the ovaries and the other half from the adrenal glands.

Testosterone Levels

In there late teens males are producing there lifetime high levels of testosterone, typically 800 to 1200 ng/dl. These levels are determined by blood tests. These levels usually stay consistent for the next ten years or so. Testosterone levels in male vary greatly depending on many factors such as genetics, diet and exercise. In shape seventy year old men have been known to sport testosterone levels up to 800 ng/dl.

Low Testosterone Levels in Men

We are not sure why hormone levels such as testosterone decline. We are sure at how they decline. The two most common testosterone deficiencies are known as primary and secondary hypogonadism. Hypogonadism is a term referring to under activity of the sexual organs or gonads. This could be a problem with the Leydig cells in the testicles (primary hypogonadism) or it could be a problem with the control glands in the brain (secondary hypogonadism), the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus/pituitary team is responsible for sending messages to the testicles, to produce more testosterone. This is accomplished by the hypothalamus sending out a hormone called GnRH (gonadotrophin-releasing hormone) to the pituitary to secret LH (lutenizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone).

Male Menopause

Some middle aged men find there energy and sex life diminishing rapidly. These men would typically have a blood test done and there testosterone levels could be at an acceptable level. Some doctors would just scratch there head and say, “you are just getting old.” An astute doctor would then look at your estrogen levels, and would probably find those to be out of balance related to testosterone.

Estrogen is a very important hormone even to men. The male body manufactures it own supply of estrogen, it does this by converting testosterone into estrogen. An enzyme in the male body called aromatase is responsible for the conversion. Estrogen is thought to be important for male sexual functions through its effects on brain chemistry. Too much estrogen in the male body will disrupt male sexual functions and the male’s metabolism.

When middle aged men become overestrogenized we have noticed that there levels of aromatase increase. This is caused because of the system controlling aromatase goes out-of-balance and the male’s ability to eliminate estrogen starts to decline.

Some of the most common causes of estrogen increases are:

Ingestion of estrogen enhancing foods
Drug induced estrogen imbalance
Abuse of alcohol
Obesity
Zinc deficiency
Liver function disorder
Increase in aromatase activity

A quick not about alcohol intake, it can cause a significant increase in estrogen. For example women can increase there estrogen levels by 3 with just one drink. The rise in men estrogen after a drink is less dramatic but still significant. Alcohol impairs the disposal of estrogen by inhibiting the liver and it decreases zinc levels. Heavy drinking in men (more than two drinks a day) has been shown to cause systems such as spider veins, reddish coloration of the palms, gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts), and even the shrinking of the testicles.