This article is a detailed answer to your doubts such as Testosterone Definition, What is Testosterone, Effects of testosterone levels and Testosterone Side Effects.
What is Testosterone?
Definition of Testosterone in simple terms is, it is a steroid hormone developed in, and secreted through the human body– and is responsible for the natural development of the sexual attribution in men. Amid the classes of male hormones, Testosterone qualifies not only in the reproductive or sexual needs but is a consequential requirement of the human’s body when it comes to the formation of RBCs, development of muscle fibers, skeletal growth and in a perfect desire of well-being.
For males, Testosterone plays a vital role in the reproductive system and for sexual desires, primarily developed by the male testicles – albeit little quantities of the hormone are also formed by the ovaries and the adrenal glands of the females. The adolescent males have fairly higher levels of formation and secretion of testosterone, nearly five times more as compared to the females. The production and secretion of testosterone are controlled by the hypothalamus of the human brain and the pituitaries glands. As control and coordination functions in the human body, the hypothalamus commands the pituitary glands to form
As control and coordination functions in the human body, the hypothalamus commands the pituitary glands to form testosterone hormones, while the latter signals the message to the testicles where development occurs. The formation of the hormones is the result of multiple chemical reactions in the bloodstreams.
What does Testosterone do in different levels?
As an important male hormone, testosterone performs major metabolism in the human body. The levels of these hormones make a surge during puberty facilitating numerous functions required for an adult male, while the amounts keep on decreasing after an age of 30.
In an unborn baby, testosterone works to form male genitals that keep on growing soundly with an appropriate level of hormone secretion.
During puberty, these hormones are produced in even larger amounts encouraging the growth of the testes, penis and the pubic hair. Soon after, the testes begin producing sperm cells. After the primary development in the prior stages, the hormones are responsible for various secondary processes like the deepening of the voice, hair formation in the arms, arm-pits, face, including other behavioral symptoms.
The healthy formation of testosterone has a striking influence in the muscle building and in bone formation. With an adequate production of these hormones, the neurotransmitters get increased that stir growth of the tissues. The further chemical reactions with the nuclear receptors help to make essential proteins in the human body resulting in a stout formation of muscles after a proper work-out.
In addition, the hormones curb the excess of fat in the body that rules out the cases of cholesterol and blood-pressure, keeping a perfect metabolism in the body. Other circulatory effects include the production of Red blood cells by instigated bone-marrows while keeping the bone density increased.
Testosterone Level and aging
Testosterone is the hormone that brings the stalwart character in a teen and gradually transforms his behavior into an adult where the normal purview of the hormone levels lie between 280 to 1100 nanograms per decilitre (ng/dL). When a male draws near 30, the body inhibit the production rate of testosterone as the sperm cells count start decreasing by 1% every year. And naturally, the low secretion of the hormones makes the life-processes different as the major influence include a restraining sexual desire, decreased involuntary erections etc while the later stages often testify erectile dysfunction. Also, in the cases of abnormal testosterone production, males suffer impotence and the traits of infertility. The secondary impacts of a decreased testosterone formation are the changes in emotional patterns, those including low self-esteem and a feeling of deprivation. The metabolism, once again, alters bringing about changes in sleeping patterns, over accumulation of fats, decreased bone density and declined muscular tons.
Testosterone Levels in Males
Testosterone formation varies significantly under different life-cycles in a man and under different circumstances. The amplified stress and tensions tend to plunge the production of sperm cells and thus, males witness a slightly decreased hormonal production as they turn into fathers. The scents of ovulating women claim to make a distinct change in the production levels, with the males who are exposed to that are likely to keep a healthy level of testosterone whereas the scents of non-ovulating women keep the hormonal level low. Males who prefer explicit ambiance and watch sex-driven movies are subjected to intense arousal and experience rich amount of testosterone secretion. Testosterone levels also influence risky decisions in the financial market.
Testosterone Levels in Females
Females produce lower levels of testosterone as compared to males, but their impacts are striking in their bodies. The normal production in the females waves between 15 and 70 ng/dL, though they are strikingly sensitive than males. The formation of sex gonads, sexual desires, and arousals work similarly in the females as the testosterone levels change. Though, females tend to drop their estrogen secretion, once they enter menopause, their androgen levels increase comparatively higher resulting in a number of physical transformation. An increased amount of testosterone levels spurs irregular or absent menses and the formation of facial hairs. Other excessive impacts include infertility and the losses of scalp hair. On the other hand, testosterone deficiencies lower the density of bones and cause fertility issues.
Effects of Testosterone Levels
So far, it is inscribed that testosterone levels cause the change in metabolism, originating from the endocrine glands to the formation of reproductive glands to the spurring of the circulatory system to various other physical changes, and these all life-processes take place under the hegemony of the Central Nervous System. Thus, testosterone levels in the body are heavily influential.
Testosterone & Endocrine System
First of all, our endocrine system, consisting of the brain and the hypothalamus, is a necessary force behind the formation of hormones. There are pituitary glands in the endocrine system that signals to the other glands for the secretion of the said hormones while their amount and intensity are always determined by the hypothalamus. Pituitary glands send the message to the testicles after knowing the amount of testosterone needed by the body from the hypothalamus. Testicles produce the required amount of testosterone to change the body metabolism. The sudden change in sex drive, voice, blood circulation, mass muscle and other physical euphoric acts are the significant changes noticed.
Testosterone & Reproductive System
Testosterone levels in the body assist in the development of the sexual genitals –including testes and penis in the newly born child while the amount keeps on surging. When the child enters puberty, the amount of production of testosterone becomes higher and the testes start producing sperm cells that are the reproductive cells of the human being. The hormonal secretion impacts several life-processes and the lower testosterone production brings about many abnormal patterns in the body.
Testosterone Influence on Sexual Behaviours
Testosterone influences sexuality and the sexual desire. Increased levels of testosterone cause the enlargement of sexual genitals, formation of pubic hairs and deepening of voice bringing about the characteristics of an adolescent in a teenager. And, lower formation could result in sexual inactivity, erectile dysfunction, and even infertility.
Testosterone formation and its secretion are commanded by the Central Nervous System while the hormones flow through blood streams resulting in multiple changes in the behavioral patterns. Lower testosterone levels end up resulting in lower confidence and lower moral motivation. The body feels deprived and unmotivated that may further result in disturbances in sleep and dearth of energy.
When the striking transition in the transformation of face occurs, it does so with the formation of testosterone. The adolescent male begins developing facial and pubic hairs, mustache and beard after the body attains heavy production of T-levels.
There is some striking variance in the traits of males and females, and there are few that are not influenced by the change in testosterone levels. The healthy formation of the hormones explains the masculinisation of the brain and different cognitive and spatial abilities that tend to influence memory and attention in the human body as the significant differences in the behavioral patterns of men and women are conspicuous. Lower secretions call out the possibilities of memory loss, cognitive decline, and even dementia. Testosterone also shifts the patterns of aggression and euphoria in the body.
Side-effects of testosterone
A whopping number of men, every year, undergo replacement therapy of testosterone in search of increased energy drives and sexual arousals. These therapies are vulnerable to show some risks of serious side-effects like the cardiac failure, blood clots, and strokes. Patients, with a low testosterone presence, experience likely chances to develop severe side-effects, if the therapies go mismanaged. Normally, testosterone enters in a chemical reaction as the metabolism produces by-products of two metabolites, namely Estradiol ( the metabolism type of estrogen) and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT metabolized in a perfect manner, otherwise its elevated amounts can result in excessive growth of prostate, male balding and increased oiliness in the skin and face. Elevated levels of estradiol in the body can make mood-shifts, increased blood pressure and the transformation in breast tissues. Apart from that, abnormal metabolism of estradiol can have serious impacts in the T-Levels, leading to infertility. Treatment therapies for the cases of low T are contra-indicative for the patients of prostate cancer. Those therapies and testosterone replacement rarely cause prostate cancer, but increased T-level s can make prostate lesion to grow in an unbridled manner.
The process of production and secretion of the T-levels are stirred and controlled by the coupled effects of the hypothalamus, pituitary glands, and sexual genitals. Testosterone levels get lowered when the brain sends fewer signals to stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone or whenever the testes seize to respond to the said arousal. In the therapies of testosterone normalisation, the brain lowers the stimulus to produce T-levels by spewing less GnRH. This suppression of the GnRH levels can cause cases of infertility. Furthermore, this lowered GnRH level also makes the genitals to get less firm and small.
There are other limitations to those testosterone therapies and these may include, chances of increased production of red blood corpuscles, increased diastolic blood pressure, significant lowering of ‘essential’ cholesterol levels and lipo-proteins that are helpful for our body. To offset high blood pressures and reduce hyper-tensions, the remedies usually come up standardized. Elevated production of red blood corpuscles may cause severe risk in the life-processes, if not managed properly. The worst cases include the thickening of blood by the accumulation of these red blood cells, termed as Erythrocytosis, can seriously result in cardiac arrests, spleen enlargement, and unusual clotting.
Effects of Smoking on Testosterone
A number of people have the habit of smoking and many among them know its consequences to the respiratory system, but only a few precisely knows what exactly do these acts do in the testosterone levels in our body. In a higher proportion, androgen levels have appeared to be similar in both smokers and non-smokers, albeit those who seize their act, experience a blatant increase in the t-levels in their first year of abstinence. The levels remain less as compared from the first year of abstinence. Smoking is likely to decrease zinc contents in the body, these are helpful for the healthy production of sperm cells. So, heavy smoking and bad diet could negatively influence the t-levels in our body.
Smoking among women
Heavy smoking is linked to the abdominal obesity in the females. Women who are involved in smoking experience more transmitting t-levels and fewer estradiol levels than the segment of them who don’t smoke. So, the women tend to stack-up their fat cells in their waist-hip region as their waist to hip ratio is higher than males. Smoking in women lowers estrogen levels and it also impacts fat distribution in their bodies.
Declining T Levels and Testosterone Boosters
Not everything gets refined over age. Unlike whiskey and cheese, testosterone levels get lowered after the human body attains a particular age. This dip in the production and secretion levels influence heavily in the sexual desire of both men and women. They experience less sexual willingness, lower excitation, dissatisfied sex with their partners and inactivity that cause depression, anxiety, and many relationship problems.
So, the amount of t-levels in the body is necessary to lead a happy life and people scramble over the options of testosterone boosters to regain their youthful vigour. Most important of all, there are always some basic life-styles to be followed to have an elevated level of testosterone production in the body. Getting a sound night’s sleep tend to decrease anxiety and tension levels in males, and these assist in a better production of t-levels. Middle-aged men and women are prone to the accumulation of fats in their abdomen, and it heavily curbs the hormonal production levels. Burning fats out remain the option for them as it positively surges t-levels. It is reported that the amount of Zinc in the human body has a greater influence in the healthy production of serum testosterone. Those zinc contents can be found in certain foods like red meat, oysters, poultry, beans etc, so a balanced diet involving these nutrients work in a positive manner for our bodies.
Not only Zinc, Sugar also impacts t-levels in our bodies. The amount of glucose is inversely proportional to the production in t-levels. So, it’s high time to bid good bye to an excessive use of sugar in the diet.
Adopting certain traditional exercises and physical activities imply a better stimulation of hormones as these physical work-outs tend to increase chemical reactions in our bodies. A male who adopts exercises remain fit and is likely to have a greater level of testosterone in his body as compared to those who don’t exercise.
The chances of cardiac arrest and prostate risks get increased in a person using testosterone gels.
Testosterone steroids are the medications and drugs that are developed and taken to offset the deficiencies faced by a man having lower testosterone levels. Steroids or anabolic –androgens steroids help increasing chemical reactions in the blood stream and create healthy stimulation that results in an elevated sexual desire and enlargement of sexual genitals. This stimulation improves muscle mass and bone density, revitalizing bodies to a greater extent.
Working of Steroids
When anabolic steroids slide in the human system, the receptors get excited after those steroids got broken down and got attached to androgen receptors. This excitation in the receptors speeds up the building process of muscles as more proteins are produced and the body experience bulk mass muscle. Furthermore, these anabolic steroids prevent the formation of certain hormones like glucocorticoids and help to accelerate the conversion of proteins into amino acids. These amino acids deliver energy to the mass muscle and help burning fats.
It is a common belief that the steroids users seek body building and want attain competitive edge as athletes, but the uses of steroids have a multiple advantage, including the medical treatment of ailments like asthma and arthritis. Steroids help reducing the inflammation and pain in the joints while corticosteroids opens up air passage way inflammation. Steroids are beneficial in many inflammation issues, various skin conditions and also help lessen nausea in the patients who went chemotherapy. Anabolic steroids also come in actions for those having a delayed puberty so as to regulate the normal adult functioning. Though, steroids are only preferred to have a larger impact, the significant alternative for the hormonal balance is the use of testosterone replacement therapy.
Injections are one of the better means to spew the required amount of t-levels in the body to improve sexual desire, muscular and bone strength, while these injections are not advantageous to the persons having healthy testosterone levels as these may come up with enlisted side-effects. Higher levels of testosterone can alter many bodily functions, as explained. So, the doctors only suggest an external doping for those having low t-levels, not for those desiring to have a formidable muscular structure and an anti-ageing property. Same happens to the athletes as they are the ones having larger testosterone levels in their bodies as compared to the normal ones, but external doping rarely improves their body metabolism and will not bring exceptional muscles, but side-effects. Most noticeable side-effects include headache, blurred visions, weakness in the arms, temporary blindness etc while these also come up with minor side-effects over limited use like breast pain, cough, skin blemishes, bleeding gums, sleeping disorder, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, cramps in the parts of stomach, nausea, paranoia, sore lips, gases, etc. Injections are usually taken once, in every two or four weeks. Some other options are taking oral pellets of 75mg each, 2 to 6 pellets in every 3 to 6 months period under the guidance of a doctor.
Testosterone cycles are the best means for someone to start their anabolic androgens cycle. Testosterone Enanthate is considered to be the preferred selection for use in the beginners’ cycles. 500 mg of testosterone enanthate is injected bi-weekly while the user experience change in bodily patterns, including muscular mass changes and strength. Testosterone propionate is also an alternate option for the ones having lower t-levels. Oral use of testosterone severely effects the liver.
There are some cycles for the experienced users namely, bulking cycle when testosterone enanthate is used with Dianabol front load, hardening cycle when testosterone enanthate is used with Trenbolone and cutting cycle when testosterone propionate with Winstrol. Each cycle continues over a period of 12 weeks or more.
Ending a testosterone cycle
After the testosterone cycle ends, anabolic androgenic steroids are discontinued and a post cycle therapy begins that include the regulation of the normal formation of the testosterone levels.
This article covered in depth the definition of testosterone, effects of testosterone on various factors, testosterone cycles and much more. I am sure this post was a definite help for you in clearing testosterone basics.Don’t forget to provide your valuable feedbacks in the comment section below.