home All hormones Effects and effects of testosterone on the body. The effect of testosterone on the female body

Effects and effects of testosterone on the body. The effect of testosterone on the female body

What is testosterone and how does it work?

Testosterone? But it's a male hormone, isn't it? Not exactly, it's not just male. Before menopause female ovaries also produce testosterone, and in general our body produces even more testosterone than estrogen, if we compare them in the same units. As menopause approaches, as the body's production of hormones declines, women lose, on average, more than 50% of their normal testosterone. Testosterone belongs to a group of hormones called androgens, from the Greek "andros", which means "masculine". All androgens are synthesized in women from cholesterol by the ovaries, in men by the testicles, and also, although to a lesser extent, by the adrenal glands of both men and women. Androgens are created from the chemical "building blocks" (or "precursor" molecules) in the body's adipose tissue, muscles, liver, skin, and brain. Therefore, overweight women have high androgen levels, which can subsequently have a negative impact on weight. However, in the ovaries and adrenal glands, these "precursor" molecules are modified, therefore, it turns out that the ovaries and adrenal glands are both directly and indirectly responsible for the production of testosterone in a woman's body.

Women need testosterone: after all, it is a hormone that activates the sex receptors in the brains of men and women and stimulates normal sexual desire. This hormone plays important role in the regulation of the ratio of fat and muscle mass in organism? This interesting hormone has many positive effects on a woman's body, especially when it comes to reducing body fat and building muscle mass. Therefore, testosterone is called an anabolic hormone - it stimulates the growth of muscle and bone tissue and for this uses fat, turning it into energy. Remember, muscle is the ultimate fat-burning machine, so if you're gaining weight as you age, one way to stop it is to improve your muscle structure. So check your hormone levels!

There is a myth created by sellers of hormonal creams that do not require a prescription to buy, that by applying these creams you can give the body "building blocks", it will create testosterone and estrogen, which will be based on progesterone. It is not true! This process requires enzymes and reactions that occur only in the functioning ovaries of a woman and the testicles of a man. If you have a menopause, you have had a hysterectomy or a ligature fallopian tubes or you have been exposed to other factors that have led to the loss of these functions, then you do not have the system that converts progesterone into testosterone and estradiol. It turns out that your body accumulates a lot of progesterone, which cannot be converted into testosterone.

The cessation of testosterone production by the ovaries does not just come along with menopause, although this is what most of us know about. Even before the onset of menopause, the adrenal glands of women reduce the production of androgens by 50%, and testosterone, produced by the ovaries, gradually ceases to enter the body. One reason for the decline in active testosterone after menopause is that the “block” molecule is reduced by 50% when the ovaries stop producing hormones. Thus, you lose the "blocks" normally produced by the ovaries, as well as the ovarian enzymes that carry out the whole process. Many doctors do not realize that a decrease in estrogen production entails a decrease in the production of testosterone, since the "blocks" and enzymes in the ovaries cease to exist.

These changes mean that you start to lose muscle mass and become inexorably fatter in the years before your period stops, not to mention that your sex drive and ability to become aroused are greatly reduced! Now women live another 30-40 years after the production of ovarian hormones has stopped, that is, they have to live without these hormones, which are very necessary for metabolism, for a long time. Has anyone heard of a man who would like to live with only half his testosterone?

If you had a hysterectomy with ovaries removed before your body went into menopausal hormone levels, the change is even worse. Concentration testosterone in the blood drops significantly within 24-48 hours after surgery. Since there are no more ovaries to produce testosterone or to convert DHEA to testosterone more efficiently, there is a severe shortage of this strength-giving hormone. For the body, this is a huge shock and another reason why women after a hysterectomy gain from excess weight.

Even if the ovaries are left in place, and you had a hysterectomy only at the age of thirty, 60-70% of women experience a decline in hormone levels to menopausal levels 3-4 years after the operation. A frightening statistic, especially if you've had surgery at 34 and think (or have been told) that your ovaries will function well until age 50! It is believed that this rapid hormonal decline after hysterectomy is due to a decrease in blood flow to the ovaries as a result of cutting and clamping the uterine artery during the operation.

In addition, if you have just started estrogen therapy, the amount of free, biologically active testosterone decreases even more, because estrogen increases the release sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which binds most molecules testosterone. This is one of the reasons that after a hysterectomy, women lose muscle mass, gain weight, lose their sex drive and strength. They think that this is a consequence of the operation, but, as a rule, the main reason for this is not at all surgical intervention. Optimally formulated supplements containing both estradiol and testosterone are required to make up for your pre-surgery hormone levels.

Doctors used to think that testosterone is not important for women, and many are still not sure whether to prescribe this hormone, therefore, the question of using testosterone therapy for the treatment of women is a relatively new issue. The amount of active androgens in the female body, of course, is much lower than in the male body, but they are very important for maintaining a number of vital functions in women. Fortunately, women today are aware of the importance of androgens such as testosterone and DHEA and are asking doctors to provide them Additional information about how to measure their content and remove what has accumulated in the body.

How does testosterone affect your weight?

Initially, testosterone was associated with sexual desire (libido) in men and women; however, it also has a number of other effects on all systems of the body, including the content of fat in areas of its deposition. Change hormonal balance V menopausal age can occur in various forms, but two of them are the most important, as they affect the production of testosterone: a decrease in estradiol and an increase in estrone in relation to the amount available testosterone. The consequence of this is that the effect of testosterone is very pronounced: you feel the "male" effect of this hormone in the distribution of fat, muscle mass, facial hair growth, the impact on the voice, sexual desire and activity level.

A decrease in estradiol levels in adulthood causes a decrease in SHBG. Since this carrier protein binds sex hormones, their decrease means that more androgens are now in the blood in a free or biologically active form. As you reach forty and your testosterone and DHEA levels decrease, most of it remains in active (free) form, but less estradiol shows its “feminine” effect: so your body is from “pear-shaped” (feminine) type changes to “apple-shaped” (male), i.e. more fat is deposited around the waist, more hair appears on the face, and they fall out on the head. And this does not mean that you do not have enough willpower to get rid of waist fat; It's just that your hormone levels aren't working in your favor.

When estradiol ceases to be produced, the dominance of androgens produced by the adrenal glands causes even greater negative metabolic changes in the woman's body: an increase in blood pressure, cholesterol levels in general, a decrease in HDL ("good") cholesterol and an increase in LDL ("bad") cholesterol, insulin and cortisol. All of these changes contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes in women over the age of 35.

At first, doctors believed that it was testosterone negatively affects cholesterol levels. Recent research has revealed, however, that testosterone helps to manage the normal functioning of mechanisms such as blood vessels with a decrease in pressure, but only if it enters the body along with the required level of estradiol. If this condition is not met, then testosterone and DHEA stimulate the formation of blood clots that narrow the walls of blood vessels (atherosclerosis). If androgens enter the body with estrogen, they have the opposite effect on the walls of blood vessels and prevent the occurrence of cholesterol clots.

Throughout a woman's life testosterone plays an important role in maintaining the work of muscle mass, this wonderful mechanism for burning fat. A decrease in testosterone levels means a decrease in the ability to build muscle mass, even if you exercise several times a week. Testosterone is important for bone formation and preventing osteoporosis, even more so than estrogen, which has protective property because women lose it with age. Moreover, testosterone helps maintain proper energy levels. A decrease in this hormone is one of the unidentified causes" chronic fatigue". Women have undergone numerous comprehensive medical examinations and spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on tests and treatments to identify the causes and get rid of chronic fatigue syndrome, but they have never had a testosterone blood test.

The effect of testosterone on muscle tissue

During menopause, when women lose both estradiol and testosterone, they lose muscle and bone tissue faster than men because testosterone levels drop more dramatically and by a significant amount. Testosterone in the body of men disappears more slowly, over many years, so they lose muscle and bone tissue in more late age and gradually. The loss of testosterone in women affects the formation of fat in the breast area, because this hormone is responsible for the formation of new muscles and maintains their health and normal functioning. A loss muscle tissue slows down metabolism. You are getting fat. As you age, you need the right levels of testosterone in your body to maintain metabolic rate and muscle health! However, it must be in balance with estradiol, otherwise you will start gaining pounds on your stomach!

The effect of testosterone on the brain

There are some pretty significant reasons, why I want to talk about this in connection with the regulation of weight in adulthood. Testosterone not only activates the sex receptors in the brains of men and women, it also has an antidepressant effect and can affect mood swings, enhancing life satisfaction. Testosterone improves the ability to perform cognitive tasks. It is involved in the secretion of brain chemicals that are necessary to maintain normal weight! For some women, depression is not depression at all, but simply a lack of testosterone in the body. But if the level of testosterone becomes too high (due to excessive secretion of the body or due to the excessive use of supplements containing it), women experience sleep disturbance, they have too many dreams and even nightmares, in some dreams there is aggression and violence, and sometimes even unpleasant ones. but strong sexual desires. Excess testosterone compared to estradiol causes an increase in appetite and fat deposits around the waist. Excessive use of testosterone, such as when building muscle, in men and women causes abnormal behavioral reactions, such as: excessive irritability, changeable mood and short temper, aggressiveness. When the body is observed elevated level other androgenic steroids, such as DHEA and "andro" (androstenedione), the same anomalies occur. Without a doubt, the key lies in hormonal balance.

How do these kinds of brain activities affect you if you're trying to lose weight? Think back to the time your therapist prescribed you a tricyclic antidepressant to restore your strength and normalize your mood, believing that depression was to blame for your overeating. It turns out that testosterone is your natural antidepressant hormone. It has a significant activating effect on the brain, mainly through an increase in the level of norepinephrine in the brain. This is the same process as with tricyclic antidepressants such as desipramine (norpramine) and imipramine (tofranil). But the problem with using these drugs is that they increase appetite and body fat. Has anyone checked their testosterone levels before prescribing an antidepressant? It seems that for the trust in medicines, we forgot about the calming effect of natural hormones - testosterone and estradiol! And this is in addition to their ability to burn fat!

The latest developments have revealed the following: in order for testosterone to act in a given direction, it is necessary to have an optimal level of estradiol (estrogen). Testosterone receptors in the brain seem to be produced by the presence of estradiol. Without enough estrogen to "start the engine", even the testosterone that our bodies produce cannot function properly in the brain centers. Therefore, the presence of estradiol is important - because it determines the successful action of testosterone.

The effect of testosterone on sleep

Sleep disturbances can encourage weight gain as normal cortisol production is disrupted and insulin release is increased. Excess level testosterone, especially with reduced estradiol, can further exacerbate sleep disorders, because testosterone is a very important stimulant hormone. If you give a man or woman testosterone before bed, the hormone will not allow you to fall asleep - sleep will be interrupted, and you will see dreams that disturb you, in which there is violence or aggression. After that, you wake up with the feeling that you have been fighting with someone all night. Brain-activating action testosterone disrupts the 4th phase of sleep, especially in women. At this stage, muscle tissue is built and restored and growth hormone is released, which affects the formation of muscles. If phase 4 is uneven, your muscles will not recover, despite all the testosterone that is present in your body. For people of both sexes, it is best to take testosterone in the morning to get the necessary energy supply for the whole day, and sleep is not disturbed.

What to do if you suspect that your body has too much testosterone?

A high content of androgens in a woman's body can lead to serious diseases and an increase in fat deposits in the waist area. It is very important to measure the level of these hormones correctly if you suspect that your body contains them in excess. What should you pay attention to? For deposition of fat in the chest area, excessive growth of body hair, baldness, acne - all this requires checking the level of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, DHEA, DHEA-S. If their content is too high, further examination is necessary to clarify the reasons. You may have polycystic ovary syndrome or an androgen-producing ovarian or adrenal tumor.

We remind you that you can undergo all hormonal examinations in any OLIMP treatment room. It must also be remembered that some tests are given strictly at a certain period of the menstrual cycle.

Dear readers, in this article I wanted to fully reveal the topic: what effect does testosterone have on general state organism. The male essence is formed precisely thanks to this hormone. Its deficiency or excess can affect the psyche, sexual life and physical abilities body.

Let's dive into history

Back in 1889, a teacher at Harvard University named Charles-Edouard Brown began to study the effect of testosterone. He created a balm based on an extract of dog testicles and guinea pig. Charles gave an interview to the newspaper "The Lancet", in which he described the strongest surge of strength after taking this elixir. Colleagues did not share his opinion and the project was closed.

Much later (in May 1935) a group of scientists from the Netherlands were the first to identify a hormone from bovine testicles, it was called "testosterone". It took only 2 months, the researchers announced a patent for the artificial production of the male hormone. The method of synthesizing testosterone from cholesterol received its award - in 1939, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Still later (1940), the leader of the scientific group, Charles Kenyon, showed the anabolic and androgenic effects of testosterone propionate in young men, women, and eunuchs.

Interval 1930-1950 proved fruitful in the work of chemists. Their research led to the conclusion that the male hormone can have a powerful anabolic effect on muscle development and physical strength.

Action on the body

Anabolic action hormone is characterized by the following indicators:

muscle growth
thickening of bone tissue
formation of the penis, scrotum
hairiness on the body

Consider what effect a change in the level of the male hormone has on physical performance. If testosterone levels are low for several weeks, do not panic.

This can only lead to minor consequences. Doctors made observations and got the following results: in young people who did not exercise, the replacement of muscle tissue with fats stopped at 2 kg.

When performing power loads, the level of testosterone in the blood rises, which affects the changes that occur in tissue receptors.

Fluctuations in testosterone levels to one degree or another can be advantageous. For example, for heavyweight athletes, it is better when the growth hormone is increased in terms of indicators, this leads to hypertrophy of muscle mass during a power load. For runners, on the contrary, reducing muscle weight will add to the chances of winning competitions.

How testosterone works

The prostate is the organ that is most affected by the male hormone.

The action of testosterone directly depends on the rate of protein production in the cells to which it "targets". A couple of minutes after production, it already enters the cells of the prostate, where it is transformed into dihydrotestosterone using an enzyme called reductase.

The cytoplasmic receptor protein combines with the reincarnated testosterone, and the whole mixture penetrates into cell nucleus. After a few days, the amount of protein and the prostate cells themselves begin to grow, it begins to increase.
Testosterone is able to influence almost all cells of the body, but it mainly occurs in the tissues responsible for the development of sexual characteristics (primary and secondary).

A few facts

Red blood cells are also affected. If you introduce a testosterone norm to a castrated adult, then the number of red cells will increase by 15-20% (in 1 ml).
It is noticed that after puberty (when a hormone surge occurs), the volume of extracellular fluid and blood increases by 5-10%.

Influence on character and sexual life

Hormonal sufficiency is very important for a man; thanks to testosterone, character and moral stability are formed. But when it is a little more than what is required, a person develops the so-called testosterone rage - unjustified aggression. It can lead to a break in relationships with a loved one or to trouble at work. Excess secretion of testosterone affects:

Another sign of high testosterone is hair loss in the crown area.
Gone are the days when a man conquered territories, hunted and killed. In our time, they no longer run through the forest with an ax. Therefore, most are trying to reduce deviant male hormone levels.

People who take care of their health the slightest sign increase testosterone production see a doctor. The specialist selects the most effective method treatment, prescribe hormone-stabilizing drugs. It can be tablets, gels, capsules, patches, injections.

Most often, drugs are prescribed in the form of tablets, they are convenient to use, and side effects after use are negligible.
Reduced levels of the male sex hormone is also bad. Availability bad habits(smoking, alcohol) leads to hormonal deficiency. Because of this, problems arise in sexual terms, potency decreases, irreversible processes and infertility are diagnosed.

Men with low testosterone levels have hysterical seizures, accumulate fat, and develop a more feminine silhouette and character. Such signs simply oblige to consult a specialist.

Results

Testosterone is an important hormone that begins to be released in utero. The embryo contains the genes that determine the future sex of the child. If the Y-chromosome is present there, then the development of the testicles is triggered (testosterone is secreted at the 8th week), thus, boys are born.

There is no Y-chromosome and no male hormone, respectively, a girl. A noticeable surge of the hormone occurs during puberty ( puberty), which ranges from 10 to 16 years. At this age, acne pops up in teenagers, a beard grows,

there is profuse sweating. If the body is not affected by negative factors, a person does not use dietary supplements containing androgen, eats properly, then the hormone will stay at the same level up to 40-50 years.
Further, to maintain the norm of the hormone, constant physical education will be required, healthy sleep, constant sexual and mental activity.

This article reveals all aspects of the influence of the male hormone on the mental and physical health person. Now you have the knowledge to help answer your questions about men's health.

There is still a lot of research to be done by scientists in order to distribute the effect of the hormone into “good” and “bad”. But be that as it may, use the already existing scientifically confirmed facts. Follow the right diet, rest more often and play sports, so that later you do not have to go to the doctor. The information will be useful not only to you, but also to your colleagues, friends and relatives.

Subscribe to updates, because knowledge is power.

The hormone testosterone in men is designed to regulate the functioning of the reproductive system and spermatogenesis. It is responsible for gaining muscle mass, improves the physical activity of a man and reduces the impact of stress factors on the body. If there is not enough testosterone, then this not only undermines health, but also negatively affects the psycho-emotional state.

It is responsible for the following factors: appearance men and his character. Testosterone is responsible for anabolic function. The hormone acts on the synthesis of proteins and insulin. It promotes the formation of muscle fibers, helping the male body to form. Also, its task is androgenic function. Testosterone is responsible for the formation of a boy during adolescence.

It improves metabolic processes and prevents weight gain, thanks to testosterone, it is possible to maintain blood sugar levels. Provides resistance to stress, supports libido and sexual activity.

The hormone is safe for the body, unlike its synthesized chemical substitutes. The maximum hormone in the body was noted at the age of 17–18 years, after a man reaches the age of 25, its level begins to decline. This is a physiological process that does not need to be treated.

Action

During the embryonic stage, the hormone helps shape the sex of the fetus and the prostate. And in adolescence, adolescents expand rib cage and shoulders, the forehead and jaw become larger. The child is gaining muscle mass, the voice sits down, the Adam's apple protrudes. Often a rash begins on the face or body due to active work sebaceous glands. The growth of hair on the body increases, attraction to the female sex begins.

In a mature person, after the onset of 35 years, the level of libido decreases, and the passion for women decreases. Cardiovascular pathologies and osteoporosis begin to develop. After the age of 35, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease increases.

Norm and deficiency

Normally, the level of hormones in the body of men is higher than that of the female half of humanity, on average 20 times. Therefore, their body feels more negatively with testosterone deficiency.

Its highest level is in the morning hours. This can be understood if a blood test is taken at this time. During the day, the amount of the hormone decreases by 10-13%.

How much testosterone should a man have? Optimal amount: from 11 to 33 nmol/l. The female body also has a hormone, but the norm is from 0.24 to 0.27 nmol / l. Their hormone levels show the strongest fluctuations during ovulation and in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Its quantity is increased by 3 times.

The amount of the hormone decreases every year, that is, starting from the age of 30, the amount of testosterone decreases by one and a half percent every 12 months. And by the age of 60, it drops to half the norm. How does this affect a person?

The patient's desire for sexual intimacy decreases. A man becomes physically weaker, muscle mass decreases. A person quickly gets tired, becomes lethargic. There is increased anxiety. Possible manifestations of depression. There is a slowdown in metabolic processes. And the body accumulates fat faster. A man concentrates worse, mental ability worsens.

With a deficiency of the hormone, the figure of a man begins to look like a woman. It has a "female" type of fat accumulation (on the buttocks and thighs). Most often, problems begin with the reproductive system.

It threatens chronic insufficiency(hypotestosteroneemia), which causes dysfunction of the testicles and hypothalamus. But such a pathology is not only acquired, but also congenital.

Negative factors

Inhibit the synthesis of testosterone kidney disease, hypogonadism, overweight. Hormone deficiency often causes treatment with glucocorticosteroids . It also affects him and taking certain types of medicines (magnesium sulfate, tetracycline). Its amount decreases with frequent drinking or fasting for a long period of time. The rejection of animal proteins also negatively affects.

Identification of deviations

For this, a man needs to donate blood from a vein. This is done in morning time, before the sampling of analyzes, you can’t eat anything. It is recommended not to smoke or drink the day before. alcoholic drinks.

Patients should be tested for testosterone if they have:

Infertility;
Impaired testicular function;
Sexual desire worsens;
Reproductive system disorders;
Eels have begun;
There was excess weight;
Prostatitis in the chronic stage;
Alopecia begins;
Revealed neoplasms in the testicles (pituitary gland);
During adolescence, sexual development is disturbed

Before the tests, you must stop smoking, you can not eat fried foods and foods high in fat, drink alcohol.

Interesting to read:

signs of excess

How to understand that the level of the hormone in the body rolls over? A person becomes aggressive from his overabundance. The patient often has a headache, sleep disturbances begin.

What can lead to an increase in the hormone?

Poor patient nutrition;
Regular lack of sleep;
Irregular sex;
Active physical activity;
Reception of Danazol, Nafarelin and other drugs.

The man becomes impulsive, aggressive, sexually active, skin pimples often appear. This usually occurs in bodybuilders who drink steroid drugs. Against this background, the development of natural hormone worsens, which can lead to infertility, vascular and heart pathologies.

Methods for increasing testosterone

How to increase its level? There are medicinal and non-medical methods. The best way to do this is in the following ways.

Proper nutrition. The use of products with zinc (fish, seafood, nuts); calcium; magnesium and selenium. In addition, such products increase potency. Useful greens (parsley, dill), dried fruits, cereals. From the menu it is recommended to remove products with soy protein, harmful fast food, beer, muffins, soda. You should limit the amount of salt, sugar and coffee.
Saturation of the body with vitamins C, E, B and fatty acids. This is the answer to the question of how to increase androgen levels.
The fight against extra pounds. With obesity, male androgens become female. Helps fight overweight proper nutrition and physical activity.
Physical activity. Recommended training, lasting from an hour to 3 times a week. Exercises should be done on the muscles of the back, chest and legs.

Rejection of bad habits. Alcohol negatively affects the hormonal background, and beer is high in the female hormone estrogen.
Normal sleep. Testosterone is synthesized in phase deep sleep. If a man sleeps little, then the production of androgen is reduced.
You can't be nervous. This negatively affects the hormonal background.
Periodic sex. If a man leads a regular sex life, then this has a positive effect on the production of androgens.
A tan. sun in summer time helps naturally increase testosterone to the desired level.
Taking medication prescribed by a doctor. The doctor will necessary tests and explain how to increase androgen levels in the body. Medicines can be capsules, gels, patches. When they are taken, the following undesirable symptoms may occur: breast swelling; cessation of hormone production by the patient's body; increase the likelihood of heart disease, cancer and vascular disease.

We continue the series of meetings with prominent domestic doctors. Today - a detailed conversation about our endocrine system in general and the "favorite" male hormone testosterone in particular with the director of the Endocrinology Clinic of the First Moscow State Medical University. Sechenov Valentin Fadeev.

endocrinologist, doctor of medical sciences, professor, head of the department and director of the endocrinology clinic of the First Moscow State Medical University I.M. Sechenova, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

We know that endocrinology is about hormones, we often hear “check your thyroid”. On the other hand, many people have a rather weak idea of how the activity of the thyroid gland is connected with the daily functioning of the body, in particular the male one.
The difference between the functioning of the female and male endocrine systems is very large, despite the fact that the set of hormones in men and women is the same. The difference is in the quantity and nature of the secretion. A significant part of the hormones in the female body is produced cyclically, and in the male - tonic, that is, continuously, without monthly cycles. The appearance of a certain amount of testosterone during the development of the fetus, from the moment of fertilization to the birth of a child, adjusts the hypothalamic-pituitary system of a person to such a “male” production of hormones.

About testosterone, which is of great interest to our readers, I will ask you in particular detail. But let's start, if possible, with the basics - with the functions of the thyroid gland.
Thyroid hormones are by their origin the most ancient, they regulate the most basic functions of the cell. And each cell. More precisely, they regulate the processes of oxidation and oxygen consumption by the cell. Our body can be compared to a stove in which a fire burns. We throw firewood there - what we eat. In order for the fire not to go out, oxygen is needed. There is a damper in the stove, and with its help we can make the flame stronger - by opening it wider, or we can turn it off - leave a small crack, and the light will smolder. The function of thyroid hormones is to control the damper, more precisely, the intensity of oxidation, combustion, as a result of which heat is generated - the energy that every cell needs.

“Classical endocrinology concerns seven anatomically distinguished endocrine glands: thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary, pancreas, adrenal cortex, testicles and ovaries, and pineal gland. This endocrine glands that secrete hormones. Actually, the name "endocrinology" is translated as "the science of what is secreted inside" - it studies the chemicals secreted by these glands into the blood and regulate the functions of many cells "

How did we even know that hormones exist in our body?
Before the appearance of the concept of "hormone" it was about the so-called humoral factors. Back in the 14th century, the Chinese associated secondary sexual characteristics with them: doctors of that time say that “the external manifestation of the power of the male seed is the beard”, “the beard is related to the kidneys and testicles”. In the middle of the 19th century, the German professor Berthold conducted experiments: a rooster was castrated, as a result of which he had a regression of a secondary sexual characteristic - a scallop. After that, the extract of the removed testicles was injected into the males, and the scallop was restored. These were the first experiments related to testosterone. The very concept of "hormone" appeared later, at the beginning of the 20th century, and since then its interpretation has undergone numerous transformations.

Endocrinology was formed as a branch of medicine dealing only with hormones?
Yes, classical endocrinology concerns seven anatomically distinguished endocrine glands: thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary, pancreas, adrenal cortex, testicles and ovaries, and pineal gland. These are endocrine glands that secrete hormones. Actually, the name "endocrinology" is translated as "the science of what is secreted inside" - it studies the chemicals secreted by these glands into the blood and regulate the functions of many cells.

Describe the interaction between the nervous and endocrine systems.
Comparing the nervous system to the endocrine system is like comparing a telephone to a radio. The nervous system is a telephone: nerve wires that go from the brain and transmit information to a specific point. The hormonal gland produces information that spreads through the blood to many people - like a radio that broadcasts from one point, but everyone hears it. That is, the impulse of the endocrine system is a speakerphone. In the event of a failure in the nervous system, only that which is activated by this nerve ceases to work - one muscle: as if a telephone wire is interrupted, only the telephone will not work. And if the radio station breaks down, no one will hear the messages. That is, the pathology of the endocrine system is polysystemic - this is the pathology of many structures at once. An example is the hormones of the same thyroid gland, which act on almost all cells of our body. Everything in our cell is energy-dependent - all enzyme systems, all their functioning, since each cell has ATP, adenosine triphosphate is our battery. And the intensity of energy production in it is regulated by thyroid hormones.

“Preventive medicine in general is a rather controversial thing. The concept that exists in the philistine environment “the more you examine, the better” is fundamentally wrong. IN modern world Extra examinations can cause no less harm than their absence.

Should a young man, who is not bothered by anything, once prophylactically visit an endocrinologist?
Preventive medicine in general is a rather controversial thing. The concept that exists in the philistine environment “the more you examine, the better” is fundamentally wrong. In the modern world, unnecessary examinations can cause no less harm than their absence, also because their interpretation is very difficult. On ultrasound in thyroid gland One millimeter structures are visible. And they can make more noise without causing any consequences. One can talk about preventive endocrinology, first of all, in connection with the level of sugar in the blood. If we are talking about an overweight man, it is desirable to control sugar from the age of 20–25 - at least once every few years. This should also be done if the parents were diabetic or had a cardiovascular pathology.

Are endocrine diseases inherited?
The tendency is inherited. These are the so-called multifactorial diseases - there is some predisposition that may or may not materialize. If a person has a tendency to diabetes, but he does not gain excess weight, he may not get sick. That is, environmental factors, in particular food, can contribute to the implementation of the genetic factor. Thirty years ago, we called type 2 diabetes age-related, and today it occurs even in children. Unfortunately, we often see diabetes in 25-year-old obese patients. By the way, it is important to say that there is obvious connection obesity and decreased testicular function. With severe obesity, testosterone levels decrease. The fact is that adipose tissue is a place for the exchange of sex hormones, with obesity in a man, a change in the balance of estrogen and testosterone occurs. This leads to suppression of the pituitary regulation of the testicles and a decrease in testosterone production.

What do young men usually turn to an endocrinologist for?
In men aged 20-30 years endocrine pathology occurs relatively infrequently - almost ten times less often than in women. But if a man at a young age develops, for example, Basedow's disease, then it proceeds much more severely and with a worse prognosis. Why? It is difficult to say, there are no clearly proven explanations. But I repeat once again - at a young age, the pathology of the thyroid gland of men is rare. biggest problem represents a decrease in its functions, which occurs in men after 40 years. The symptoms of this disorder are very non-specific: we can talk about, let's say, incomprehensibly feeling unwell - a general loss of strength, lethargy, fatigue, decreased muscle tone, potency, sexual desire, erectile disfunction, that is, some kind of non-specificity, which can potentially be the background or trail of any disease. In a hospital sample, as we call it, if a patient comes to the doctor and there is a set of these factors without an obvious concomitant disease, and even more so if there is one, it is better to check the function of the thyroid gland.

What methods are used today for this?
Blood is taken from a vein and one indicator is determined - TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone of the pituitary gland. Its level allows you to more than accurately assess the work of the thyroid gland. Problems with this hormone are more common in women, but it is not uncommon for men.

It turns out that from the point of view hormonal system men are more protected by nature?
Yes, but they live an average of twenty years less. In fact, a woman is protected by nature - and from the standpoint of the endocrine system too. It still bears the task of reproduction, while biological significance a man who has performed a copulatory function, this is almost over.

“Erectile function has a lot of components, first of all, the brain, the system is very complex. And most often it fails with various kinds of violations: children's fears, complexes, neuroses, personality disorders, relationships between partners, that's all. And the real testosterone deficiency, rather, looks towards the age of "50 plus"

If you remember the copulatory function, let's talk about testosterone, which worries everyone so much.
Testosterone is a very interesting hormone, one might say, insidious. It is the 21st century, and there is still no understanding of how to accurately determine it - all methods have flaws. Measurement of hormone levels is carried out by immunometric methods, that is, using antibodies. Testosterone - steroid hormone, very small in structure; the size of the antibody is x times larger. That is, the testosterone figure is a very delicate matter. It must be able to interpret it depending on the situation, in combination with other hormones, with gonadotropins - hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. Therefore, the prevailing opinion that if you were given a huge figure of testosterone in the laboratory, then you are a superman, is wrong. In general, this is part of the myth that endocrinology is some kind of prefix to a hormonal laboratory: we sit here, send everyone to hormonal studies, get a figure - and make a diagnosis. Absolute nonsense.

What is the main task of endocrinology?
It is a clinical discipline, like, say, cardiology. And the interpretation of laboratory tests is often at last step our reasoning. The cardiologist also has an echocardiogram: it can be in perfect order, while the person has a whole bunch of problems. The same can be said about hormones: if the diagnosis could be made by the figure, I would not be needed here. You can put a laboratory assistant in order to make diagnoses and write out prescriptions right on the form of the results of a hormonal study.

Let's trace the life of testosterone in the context of maturation of the male body.
Let's. Puberty and early development will be omitted - there are very complex, I would even say, ornate processes of the relationship between the hormones of the adrenal cortex and testicles, which is hardly interesting to your readers. By the age of 20, testosterone production indicators reach peak values, and from the age of 30, slowly, slowly, for everyone in different ways, but in general, quite naturally, they begin to decline. Testosterone is produced in the testicles, but it is a deep misconception to consider it a hormone created by nature only for an erection. Erectile function can be completely normal even with low testosterone, but sex drive, desire, libido - call it what you want - is likely to be reduced. Testosterone is an anabolic of the male body, it does almost everything that distinguishes a man from a woman, it contributes to the development of not only the sexual, but also the muscular system, the brain, and even the production of red blood cells. Without it, a man turns into a eunuch - a thin voice, lack of hair growth, a flabby muscular system, obesity, a tummy. But at the age of your readers, testosterone deficiency is quite rare. If we take one hundred percent of men aged 20–30 with erectile dysfunction, then probably 90–95 percent of them have a psychogenic problem. After all, erectile function has a lot of components, first of all, the brain, the system is very complex. And most often it fails with various kinds of violations: children's fears, complexes, neuroses, personality disorders, relationships between partners, that's all. And the real testosterone deficiency, rather, looks towards the age of “50 plus”. And there is just on this topic there is a lot of speculation.

Pharmaceutical intrigues?
Partly yes. Partly - the lobby of those who deal with erectile dysfunction, inflates this topic. Both abroad and we have "specialists" who are ready to sew testosterone deficiency on literally everyone, blaming almost all male diseases, including obesity, for this deficiency. Almost diabetes is treated with testosterone. After all, what is a deficit? The number is below normal. And this concept is very relative, especially for hormones. The case when the word "norm" must be put in big quotation marks. There is no norm, there is a reference, and this concept is statistical: we took, relatively speaking, one hundred healthy men aged 20–30 years, looked at testosterone, derived the average, removed the Gaussian dome and got two numbers.

At the same time, there are features of the population - racial, regional, age ...
That's it, age. And here you can speculate ad infinitum. He shifted the reading frame and said: “You have a deficit ...”

"…take a pill".
Yes, take a pill. Firstly, there are not so many studies that have studied testosterone administration in older men, and secondly, they are not so long-term. Some of them had positive results, some had negative results in terms of cardiovascular risk.

“In patients with diabetes, testosterone was monitored during hospitalization, and then two weeks later, after he lay down with us. First, the man slept. Secondly, we put in order some general indicators. And after two weeks, his testosterone is already normal!”

So, artificially increasing testosterone levels entails a risk of cardiac problems?
I can't answer for sure. But the results of studies in this sense are contradictory. There is a figure that clearly shows testosterone deficiency, then its appointment has positive consequences. But if we take, as we call it, the “gray” zone, when someone considers this value a deficit, and someone does not, here this assignment most often does not lead to any results. After all, hormones are part of a large integral system inside a person. Man, unfortunately, is mortal, and so far no one can do anything about it. A person is aging, and all his systems are aging, including the endocrine system, integrally adjusting to a particular age. And if you start at the age of 60 artificially with the help of pills to make yourself 18, you cause a conflict of systems. After all, it is not for nothing that the Old Testament says: “No one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the new wine will break through the wineskins and flow out by itself, and the wineskins will be lost.” You see, a hormone is a systemically acting active element. If you introduced testosterone into the systemic circulation, it affected not only your penis: it affected the brain, the heart, the vessels, the liver - everything! This means that the consequences can also be systemic.

And unpredictable?
Well, if someone wants to experiment and is ready, as in "Egyptian Nights", to get some kind of stroke in one sexual act - this is his choice. But in any case, you should not do this at the age of 20-30. If at this age sexual problems- do not sin immediately on low testosterone. Yes, this happens, but extremely rarely, and then this is a serious violation. But often in such a situation they grab at the borderline results, when the appointment of testosterone is just a convenient way out for the doctor.

Why is such an appointment dangerous?
There is an aspect in which the male body is more delicate than the female body - I'm talking about the production of spermatozoa. The appointment of testosterone from the outside suppresses it. In general, it is worth a person to get sick at least severe runny nose with temperature - spermatogenesis will be suppressed for some time. Nature arranged it this way: a sick male should not fertilize females. You don’t even need a runny nose: let’s say a man is wrapped up at work, nervous, doesn’t get enough sleep at night - in this situation he will have low testosterone simply due to a general breakdown. Even at a young age. We experimented in our clinic: in patients with diabetes, testosterone was monitored during hospitalization, and then two weeks later, after he lay down with us. First, the man slept. Secondly, we put some general indicators in order. And after two weeks, his testosterone is already normal! A single determination of testosterone cannot be trusted at all. And when they begin to evaluate the spermogram of a man who is ill with some kind of chronic disease, uncompensated, this is also absurd. The first step is to heal him. Bring him in normal condition, and then evaluate the work of the reproductive system. Or is he drunk...

Here is also an interesting topic - alcohol and male hormones. Does whiskey actually lower blood sugar?
Any ethanol, any ethyl alcohol potentially blocks the production of glucose by the liver, and for some time it can really lower the sugar level. But I do not recommend treating diabetes with alcohol - it does not matter if it is whiskey, vodka or tequila.

But what about the cherished 40 milligrams a day, which are allowed even by cardiologists?
40 milligrams is possible - of course, provided that the person is ready to stop there. Alcohol is a universal tranquilizer, and in the modern world it also plays a positive role, helping a person in a state of chronic stress to relieve this stress. Chronic stress, by the way, also affects sexual function badly. So no one is against alcohol in small quantities to reduce stress. But in large ones, it only causes harm, disrupts erection and ejaculation. You ask about the connection with the functions of the thyroid gland - alcohol does not directly affect it. And on sexual function - only negatively.

Are you talking about fertility?
Exactly. In chronic alcoholics, the work of the testicles is completely broken. Against the background of intoxication, testosterone production decreases and spermatogenesis is impaired, this has been proven. And when it comes to fertility, today there are practically no drugs that affect spermatogenesis. It's so thin and difficult process that we have not yet learned how to intervene in it. In a woman, ovulation can be stimulated in order to obtain an egg, but if a man's spermatogenic epithelium is affected, there are no methods of treatment.

What exactly negatively affects the function of this epithelium?
The epithelium produces spermatozoa. And many factors influence this process, including your own testosterone. The cells that produce it in the testis are located nearby and influence each other: Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, which form the spermatogenic epithelium, are connected in local regulation. Plus, testosterone production and sperm production in the testicle are affected by pituitary hormones. So this epithelium is quite sensitive to toxic influences.

To anyone, not just to alcohol?
Of course. Here is a simple example: let's say, God forbid, if we are talking about malignant tumors, for which chemotherapy is prescribed, practically the first thing that suffers is the spermatogenic epithelium. Because dividing cells are killed. So, cryopreservation of sperm is recommended for young patients before the appointment of antitumor chemotherapy.

Let's continue our endocrinological educational program. What is important to know about the work of the pituitary and hypothalamus?
We are talking, rather, about the work of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. The nuclei of the hypothalamus are the nuclei of the nervous system that produce humoral factors. These are, as a rule, very small molecules, consisting of several amino acids, which enter the pituitary gland through very short vessels and stimulate the production of pituitary hormones there. The pituitary gland is such a conductor, a key regulatory structure for many elements of the endocrine system. This means that sexual function, the work of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, the production of prolactin, the production of growth hormone and a number of other factors depend on it.

Including metabolism?
You know, endocrinologists are a little stunned when they hear the expression "disturbed metabolism" or, say, "hormonal levels." Human life is metabolism, and everything is involved in it, including eyes, teeth, hair, ears and nails.

Let's not fall into a stupor, let's go back to the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus carries out the interconnection of the nervous and endocrine systems. These systems are interconnected, they function together. But, returning to the beginning of the conversation, the nervous systems are a quick regulation, like a phone call: an impulse came, and the muscles instantly contracted. The humoral system, including the production of hormones, is a slower basal regulation that carries out fundamental life processes. Here we must recall the evolution, the development of the animal world: it all began not with nerves, but with the fact that there was some kind of plasma in which certain substances circulated.

I feel echoes of an old interdisciplinary dispute here ...
No no. The nervous system, of course, is also important. We just talked a lot today, for example, about fertility, about sexual function. This is not a simple muscle contraction, it is a complex process, extended over time, which is regulated precisely by the relationship of hormones. You can't have a nerve stretch from the brain to the testicle and help produce sperm, you know? It would be too cool. And the hypothalamus is just responsible for the integrative interaction of nerve influences.

“I myself visit a fitness club and often find myself a witness to the conversations of young people on, let's say, medical topics. What I hear is not just wild - I don’t even have enough words to describe it: “Now I’m on androgens, then I dry out, then I add triiodothyronine ...” It should be noted that most often people talk about these topics with, let’s say, not very high intellectual bar"

Like a man's endocrine system responds to physical stresses and the fuel that artificially fuels these stresses? I'm talking about sports nutrition.
If you are already over 30, then you probably go to the gym for health, and not to turn yourself into a closet of muscles and seduce girls. At 18, you can, of course, think that a woman needs your muscle mass, but in principle this is absolute nonsense and will not work in 99% of cases. If you set yourself the task of seducing as many women as possible, you need to spend more effort on brain development. And in the gym - think about blood vessels, muscles and some kind of harmony. Now to the question of sports nutrition and energy drinks. I take them very negatively. I don’t want to scare anyone, but I had to witness fatal myocardial dystrophy while taking a large number of energy drinks. As for hormones and, in particular, the same testosterone - unfortunately, I'm afraid that you and I can no longer break the stereotypes that have developed in these gyms. We cannot explain that pampering with testosterone will lead to the fact that by the time such a guy meets his only one, he will have nothing left of the spermatogenic epithelium. I myself visit a fitness club and often find myself a witness of young people talking on, let's say, medical topics. What I hear is not just wild - I don’t even have enough words to describe it: “Now I’m on androgens, then I dry out, then I add triiodothyronine ...” It should be noted that most often people talk about these topics with, let’s say, not very high intellectual bar.

What does he add?
Triiodothyronine is a thyroid hormone. And then, with the air of an absolute connoisseur, but with errors in basic concepts, such a person begins to give recommendations to another person. At the same time, we are talking about very serious hormonal drugs ... A real panopticon, and at a risk to health. As for the consumption of large amounts of proteins, this is primarily unphysiological, it huge pressure on the kidneys. I have a lot of patients from former serious athletes and those who served in the special forces. With them physical activity taking some drugs and special nutrition is not fun, not a way to seduce a girl, but part of the hardest work with hyperloads. So, as a rule, these people have a whole bunch of endocrine and cardiovascular diseases. With age, many of them acquire obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus.

Tell us, please, about anti-aging endocrinology, about age-related hormone therapy that is fashionable today.
Due to the development of the anti-aging industry in recent years, most professional endocrinological associations were forced to issue regulatory documents on hormone therapy: clinical guidelines for the treatment of hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency. Our professional position is unequivocal: hormone therapy is indicated only and exclusively in a situation of hormone deficiency. But there is a powerful anti-aging lobby, non-professional paramedical and other marginal associations. I attended their conferences: from the point of view of professional endocrinologists, what happens there sometimes looks wild. Pampering in our field, as, indeed, in any, ends badly. Growth hormone, for example, which is indulged in for rejuvenation, is a growth factor, cells multiply from it, which means that we can easily grow a tumor for ourselves. The danger is that the anti-aging industry is in an uncontrolled field: they don't need statistics, they don't need prospective studies, they live outside of medical ideology.

That is, starting to rejuvenate with the help of hormone therapy is, in general, a serious risk.
You need to rejuvenate at a young age. Our regulatory system is too complex for the introduction of one or another element into it to start any processes in reverse side. Today we have listed the classic hormones, and in addition to them there are two hundred more, and all of them are involved in the body. "Hormone", by the way, does not come from the word "harmony", as many people think, but from the word hormao - "I bring into action." And all these actions should be, let's say, proportional to each other. I repeat: the hormone acts on a lot of structures at once, it enters the systemic circulation and reaches all cells. We have defined one of its functions, but there are a dozen more that we do not know about. For example, a nerve has one function - innervation of muscles, and a hormone is something more complex. From time to time, one of its effects pops up, and it begins: “This is the hormone of so-and-so.” Almost every hormone at one time was called the hormone of youth. There are episodes of their popularity: testosterone is popular here, then prolactin, then thyroxine. Then suddenly dehydroepiandrosterone is announced as the hormone of youth - this is an androgen of the adrenal glands: at one time in the USA it could be bought at any pharmacy without any prescription.

In general, what should a young man do in order to preserve his endocrine system?
To begin with, surprisingly, remember a simple thing: salt must be with iodine. When your wife or girlfriend goes to the store, ask her not to spend money on various Japanese and Himalayan tricks, but to buy our domestic salt, where “iodized” is written on the package. Its effectiveness has been absolutely proven - it solves the problem of iodine deficiency, prevents the development of goiter and brings many more benefits. This is even more important for women, but men also need to make sure that enough iodine enters the body. It's about the thyroid gland. Concerning diabetes, it is clear that the disease is associated with a hereditary predisposition, but we must remember its direct connection with excess weight: the stomach not only prevents us from tying our shoelaces, but also affects our general condition and the cardiovascular system. Next - sexual function. A man is given a spermatogenic epithelium, one for life, and it must be protected. The quality of sperm at 20 and at 60 differs greatly: everything that falls upon us is reflected on it - from the head and nerves to the environment, not to mention any intoxications, especially chronic ones. So, as you can see, nothing beyond the concepts healthy lifestyle life I can not recommend, although this term smacks of something archaic. Physical activity is needed, and it is highly desirable - without the use of various stimulants. When you're twenty, it seems that you can shove any muck into yourself. But a dozen or two years pass, and we understand that life is not endless. And just then the results of all our youthful experiments fall on us ... Do you know how much you studied before you started introducing something into the body of patients? To prescribe the hormone, I completed six years of university, two years of residency, graduate school, defended several dissertations, and believe me, I still check, double-check and weigh everything. I never prescribe hormones at the first visit of the patient, I suggest to be examined in dynamics and only then I make some decision. And when boys start playing with hormones in fitness clubs, this is wildness. In my opinion, a certain inferiority is manifested here, male complexes that are trying to compensate for pumping muscles. So in this sense, I would recommend to start thinking about what is happening with your head, and not with testosterone.

Sex hormones provide a huge impact many processes in the human body. Testosterone plays a decisive role in the formation of male qualities, and its level depends on various factors. Men should know how a lack or excess of a hormone manifests itself, since deviations from normal indicators are fraught with dangerous consequences.

What is testosterone

Sex hormones are biologically active substances that ensure the development and functioning of the body according to the male or female type. Testosterone is the main androgen (steroid male sex hormone), which is due to its important role in sperm production. Biological highly active substances characteristic of the opposite sex are produced in small quantities in the body of both men and women.

Testosterone itself exhibits low bio-activity. Its biologically active form(dihydrotestosterone) is formed as a result of complex enzymatic transformations. Anomalies of development reproductive organs associated with the loss of tissue sensitivity to testosterone due to the congenital absence of a specific enzyme involved in steroidogenesis (synthesis of steroids).

Man's health and testosterone are very closely interconnected - both the level of androgens in the blood affects many processes in the body of a man, and the general state of health, due to a number of factors ( physical activity, lifestyle and nutrition, etc.), affects the content of the main sex hormone. Steroidogenesis has a circadian rhythm, i.e. the concentration of testosterone changes throughout the day (the maximum is observed in the morning, the minimum is in evening time) and the calendar year (the maximum values are noted in September, the minimum - in March).

Androgen production decreases as the body ages, peaking during puberty (10–12 years) and gradually declining after 25–30 years by 1–1.5% annually. When determining the level of sex hormones, various laboratories apply their own methods for calculating the norm and methods for determining the content of biologically active substances in the blood, so lab results may vary. Normal indicators The levels of testosterone in men are:

Age, years

Short-term fluctuations in androgen concentrations may occur due to changes functional state central nervous system, which is explained by the specific mechanism of testosterone production. Factors that can affect the level of sex hormone production are:

psycho-emotional state, behavioral habits (stress, anger, depressive mood, aggressive behavior, etc.);
lifestyle (an increase in concentration occurs when the rules of a healthy lifestyle are observed, a decrease occurs with alcohol abuse, smoking, substance abuse, physical inactivity or physical overload);
health status (lack of testosterone in men is observed with depressed immunity, the presence of long-term chronic diseases, overweight);
genetic features;
nutrition (lack of all vital nutrients in the diet leads to a decrease in androgen synthesis).

How is it produced

The hormone testosterone in men is synthesized mainly by the seminal glands (testes). A small part is produced by the cells of the adrenal cortex. The mechanism of androgen production occurs under the control of the structural elements of the central nervous system, which explains its dependence on the psychological state of the man. In the process of synthesis, the main role is played by endocrinocytes - interstitial (located between the seminiferous tubules) cells, named after the German histologist Leydig, who first discovered them.

The production of testosterone by endocrinocytes is carried out due to hormonal impulses sent by feedback between the pituitary and hypothalamus. Stimulation of Leydig cells for androgen synthesis occurs under the action of luteinizing hormone (luteinizing hormone secreted by pituitary cells). Testosterone formation is a sequential algorithm following processes:

secretion of gonadoliberin by the hypothalamus (a hormone that realizes its effect through the initiation of the synthesis of certain biologically active substances by the pituitary gland);
production by the pituitary gland under the influence of the received chemical impulses of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone);
the flow of luteotropin with blood flow to the testes;
initiation by luteotropin of the conversion of cholesterol (cholesterol) into testosterone (when the maximum concentration of androgen is reached, the synthesis of luteinizing hormone by the pituitary gland slows down).

The effect of testosterone on the male body

The changes that occur in the body of males during puberty are called virilization (or masculinization), which in Latin means "intrinsic to a man." The process of masculinization begins even during the intrauterine development of the fetus, which is necessary for the differential formation of the genital organs in accordance with the genetic data of the sex. Responsibility for the normal course of virilization lies with testosterone.

The associations of this hormone with sexual health are due to its effect on spermatogenesis (sperm development). to other significant physical properties androgens include participation in protein and lipid metabolism. Protein synthesis is a complex multi-stage process, the result of which depends on the body's ability to perform many functions. If the testosterone level deviates from the norm, the ratio of fat and muscle mass is disturbed, which can lead to the deposition of fat in places atypical for men (thighs, buttocks, chest).

Not only the formation of secondary sexual characteristics, corresponding to the sex, but also the functioning of many organs and systems of the male body, life expectancy and psycho-emotional state depend on the production of sex hormones. A change in the ratio of estrogens (hormones produced by the female gonads, and in a small amount by the adrenal cortex in men) and androgens leads to the appearance of signs characteristic of the other sex. For men, this condition is dangerous by the development of feminization (the formation of secondary female sexual characteristics).

For secondary sex characteristics

The structural features of the organs that determine the differences between the male and female sexes, the formation of which occurs as the body matures, are called secondary sexual characteristics. These features are the result of the activity of the sex glands. During puberty, the concentration of androgens in the blood of adolescents reaches its maximum to ensure the normal process of turning a boy into a man. The effect of testosterone on the mechanism of virilization is to ensure the formation of the following features:

changes in the timbre of the voice to a lower one;
development of male pattern hair growth (the appearance of hair on the chest, face, back, in armpits and on the pubis);
providing a set of muscle mass for the formation of a male figure;
increase in the size of the penis and the volume of the testicles;
changes in pigmentation of the skin of the scrotum;
skeletal mineralization (bone mineral density in men is 3-5% higher than in women);
thickening of the stratum corneum of the epidermis (skin thickness in sexually mature men is 40-50% greater than in women);
formation of a protrusion on the larynx (Adam's apple);
the emergence of sexual arousal.

For reproductive function

Ensuring the manifestation of physiological male characteristics, although important, but not the main function of androgens. The main purpose of all living organisms is the reproduction of offspring for procreation (the instinct of reproduction), so the main role of testosterone is to participate in the production of high-quality seminal fluid (sperm).

The main male hormone ensures not only the maintenance of a sufficient level of spermatogenesis, but also the ability to perform sexual intercourse for reproductive function. The formation of libido also occurs as a result of processes controlled by testosterone, and the strength of sexual desire directly depends on the concentration of the hormone in the blood.

On the physical condition of a man

The participation of testosterone in many biochemical processes occurring in the body determines its importance for maintaining the normal physical condition of a man. Experts in the field of endocrinology have identified the effect of androgen on such aspects of metabolic processes as:

synthesis of red blood cells;
glucose uptake;
protein biosynthesis;
acceleration of cholesterol metabolism;
regulation of the concentration of high-density lipoproteins.

Due to the presence of the sex hormone as the main element in biologically important processes, its effect on male physical health is manifested in the following:

stimulation of cardio-vascular system;
a decrease in the percentage of adipose tissue in relation to muscle tissue;
reduced risk of atherosclerosis;
normalization of blood sugar levels, prevention of hyperglycemia;
maintaining normal level bone density (reducing the risk of osteoporosis);
increasing the immune response by stimulating hematopoiesis (the process of hematopoiesis);
ability to tissue regeneration (acceleration of the healing process of wound surfaces).

To the psycho-emotional sphere

The production of androgens is under the control of the brain, so the hormonal background and the psycho-emotional sphere are mutually dependent. A change in the level of testosterone affects the psychological well-being of a man, and an emotional imbalance leads to a violation of the production of secretions by the testicles. The influence of the main male hormone on behavioral responses and central nervous system consists of the following psychogenic manifestations:

regulation of the level of cortisol (stress hormone), as a result of which men are less prone to depression, they have less developed empathy (the tendency to consciously empathize with the emotional state of other people);
increase in cognitive abilities (memory, logical thinking, concentration of attention, orientation in space);
the formation of masculine behavioral characteristics of character (aggressiveness, dominance, self-confidence, initiative).

Low level in men

The gradual decline in androgen levels that occurs as the body ages is a natural process and may not affect health and well-being. If the reduction in the produced sex hormones occurs rapidly due to any factors and differs sharply from the maximum permissible values, testosterone deficiency in men manifests itself in the form characteristic features, which are hard to miss.

According to medical statistics androgen deficiency is currently not only age-related, and is increasingly being diagnosed in young people. Low testosterone in men can manifest itself in the form of the following external signs:

causeless mood swings, frequent depression, increased irritability susceptibility to feelings of sadness;
loss of strength, rapid fatigue;
insomnia (insomnia) at night, while the need for daytime sleep;
memory impairment, decreased speed of thinking;
change in the timbre of the voice (increase);
decrease in working capacity, physical endurance;
violations in the genital area (erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, weak potency);
decreased bone density (frequent fractures, development of osteoporosis);
an increase in the content of subcutaneous fat with a decrease in muscle tissue;
gynecomastia (an increase in the volume of the mammary glands);
decrease in growth;
vegetovascular disorders (jumps blood pressure, sudden short-term attacks of heat, dizziness, heart and headaches);
thinning of the skin;
reduction of body hair;
worsening reproductive health(decrease in the ability to fertilize, up to infertility).

If three or more symptoms of androgen deficiency are detected at the same time, it is necessary to contact an andrologist. If the lack of hormones is confirmed by the results of a blood test (the lower limit of the norm for total testosterone is 12 nmol / l), the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment. Androgen therapy can be carried out either by stimulating the synthesis of one's own sex hormone, or by replacement treatment, in which drugs should be taken to increase testosterone in men.

Hormonal treatment contributes to the rapid normalization of the level of androgens in the blood, but at the same time it has a number of contraindications and the results achieved are not always stable. In order to prevent a further decrease in the concentration of androgens, one should adhere to the rules of a healthy lifestyle and regularly undergo andrological examination.

testosterone boost

The increased content of the male sex hormone in the blood does not mean that the criteria for "masculinity" also become pronounced. An increase in testosterone in men (above 90 nmol / l) indicates impaired functioning of the body and indicates the presence of ongoing pathological processes (for example, testicular dysfunction, adrenal pathology, malignant neoplasms, cysts, tumors). A significant laboratory criterion in detecting an increased concentration of androgens is to determine the type of hormone, the amount of which exceeds the norm.

Increasing concentration free testosterone often occurs due to violations of the functionality of the liver, in which the synthesis of globulins (proteins that bind androgens) slows down. The content of the total sex hormone increases mainly due to pathologies of the endocrine, urogenital systems and genetic abnormalities. An increase in testosterone levels (hyperadrogenia) can manifest itself in:

mental disorders(suicidal tendencies, outbursts of aggression);
increased nervous excitability;
increased hair growth on the body and simultaneous alopecia (baldness) of the head;
the appearance of abundant purulent rashes (acne) on the face and body;
dysfunction gastrointestinal tract;
dispersion;
difficulty in urination;
hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating);
increased sexual desire;
weight gain with no appetite;
prolonged headaches;
sleep disturbance.

Violation of the normal production of sex hormones and their presence in the body in large quantities leads to disruption of the work of many organs and systems, which is fraught with development serious illnesses. long-term storage high concentration androgens can manifest:

hypertrophy and prostate cancer;
the development of cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, vascular thrombosis, etc.);
an increase in the risk of infertility due to a decrease in sperm activity;
hepatic pathologies;
chronic prostatitis;
development of impotence.

﻿ Effects and effects of testosterone on the body. The effect of testosterone on the female body