Testosterone is one of the strongest hormones in the male body. Testosterone is also known as one of the strongest sex hormones in the male body. It is responsible for giving an adult male most of his attributes and physical characteristics. Women also have testosterone, but they have minuscule amounts compared to an adult man.
Function
Testosterone plays the main role of the development of male reproductive tissues. Testosterone promotes growth of the testes and the prostate. It also promotes the growth of secondary sex organs such as muscles, bone mass and hair growth. Testosterone also helps promote a general well-being of your body and helps to prevent bone loss. One of the greatest goals of the hormone is to make you as sexually pleasing as possible to the opposite sex, according to the Total Health and Rejuvenation Center.
Features
Testosterone is produced in the testicles of men and the level it's released at is monitored by the pituitary gland. Women also produce testosterone from the ovaries, but the average man produces 10 times more testosterone than the average woman. The Total Health and Rejuvenation Center says the hormone can also be made in small amounts in the adrenaline glands. The anabolic testosterone in the male body causes men to have larger muscles than most women.
Time Frame
Boys before puberty hardly have any testosterone in their bodies. When boys start to hit puberty around 12 years old, lots of testosterone is released from the pituitary gland. The release of testosterone will cause the boy to have growth spurts, the voice will deepen and his sexual organs will get larger along with his sex drive. Testosterone levels increase in men until their mid- to late 30s. After that, testosterone levels will continue to fall as they get older.
Theories/Speculation
Testosterone may play more of a role in people's lives than they think. Studies done by the Department of Health and Human Services show that when a man falls in love his testosterone levels decrease while the woman's testosterone levels increase. Testosterone levels in men also seem to decrease when they have a child. The hormone has also been linked to radical decision making and taking bigger financial risks.
Warning
Some older men try to increase their testosterone by getting some form of testosterone injection. Any foreign testosterone injected into the body can have a certain set of side effects. Some negative effects of getting testosterone injections are acne, fatigue, change in sex drive and the user becomes more emotional, which usually comes in the form of anger.
