About Testosterone
Tell me more about testosterone, and why I should care.
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a male sex hormone that plays a crucial role in men's physical and mental health.
Find out all about Testosterone and You or listen to the Old Bull podcast Episode 10 - Testosterone:
Where does it come from?
Testosterone is mainly (95%) produced by the testicles. The remainder is produced by your adrenal glands.
The brain - Hypothalamus controls testosterone production.
Hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland by releasing a hormone (gonadotropin-releasing hormone or GnRH). The pituitary gland in turn signals the testes via the blood stream by releasing Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH).Â
FSH makes sperm. LH stimulates the Leydig cells which are the primary source of testosterone and androgens in males.
Not all Testosterone is available!
SHBG (Sex hormone binding globulin) bound testosterone and Albumin bound testosterone is not active in the body and is not responsible for the benefits of testosterone.
2% of testosterone is called "free testosterone" and this is the testosterone that is biologically active.
As testosterone is produced by the testes and increases in the blood, it then suppresses the production of GnRH and the pituitary gland stops releasing hormones, and thus testosterone production slows. This is broadly how the levels of testosterone in the male body are managed.
Do you know what is considered a normal level of testosterone?
What does testosterone do?
It is responsible for man's muscle mass, bone density, body hair, sperm production, and sex drive. It plays a vital role in the physiological processes in males. More about the benefits of testosterone here.
For more on testosterone and how it impacts your body listen to the Old Bull Health podcast Episode 26 - Testosterone, Moobs and more.
We also have a 4-part testosterone podcast mini-series you can access in our podcast area here.
Why are we talking about it?
Unlike female menopause which can be a more rapid drop in sex related hormones, testosterone decreases over time.
Bit like putting on weight, you don't notice it until you see an old photo. You get used to it and the changes over time. In addition to that, old bulls do not always take good care of themselves until there is a problem. Usually a performance problem.
Lifestyle factors also contribute to this decline and those can generally be managed.
Can we boost testosterone?
What next?
- Familiarise yourself with what normal testosterone levels might be for you, and your age and think in terms of a healthy T level rather than a specific number.
- Consider our list of low-testosterone symptoms and which if any may apply to you.
- Talk about it with your doctor.
- Try a testosterone saliva test kit and test regularly. Start a testosterone maintenance plan.
- Consider ways to help boost or support your testosterone levels going forward.
The above is not medical advice, it is information of a general nature as we do not know your medical history or personal circumstances and thus cannot advise you.