Testosterone is known as a hormone that is produced mainly in the ovaries and adrenal glands for women and in the testicles for men. This hormone in particular is important for the development of masculine and male growth characteristics.
For females, testosterone levels come in smaller quantities. During early adulthood and adolescence testosterone production increases approximately 30 times more.
After early adulthood, it’s a natural occurrence for testosterone to slightly drop every year. Your body may experience a one percent decrease after your 30th birthday.
Generally, testosterone performs a key role in your pubic and facial hair production, sex drive, thinking ability and verbal memory, quality of life and mood, bones and muscle mass, and the body’s development of deeper voices.
If you are concerned about having low testosterone levels, see your physician to make sure because getting low testosterone as you age is natural but some symptoms like increased body fat, decreased muscle mass or erectile dysfunction could be a sign of other underlying conditions.
You could be interested in boosting your testosterone levels if your doctor mentions they are low. In this case, you may need testosterone supplements or testosterone replacement therapy.
On the other hand, if you have stable testosterone levels, increasing them may not provide you with added benefits. The benefits mentioned in this article have been studied on people with low testosterone levels.
Benefits of increasing your testosterone levels
Healthy blood and heart
A healthy heart can pump blood to the rest of the body while giving organs and muscles the oxygen they need to perform optimally. Increased testosterone aids red blood cell production via the bone marrow. Research has shown that low testosterone levels are linked to many cardiovascular risks.
More muscle, less fat
Testosterone is responsible for producing increased muscle mass. Having a leaner body mass will help you gain control of your weight and also increase your energy. For example, in men that have low testosterone levels, research has shown that treatment can increase muscle strength and size and also decrease fat mass.
A few men noted and reported a change in lean body mass but no increase in strength. For this reason, for you to experience the best results you’ll need to combine testosterone therapy with strength exercise and training.
Gives you stronger bones
Testosterone performs a function in bone mineral density. Bone density cuts a men’s age as testosterone levels drop.
This increases the risk of osteoporosis and developing weak bones. When you have strong bones they can help support your internal organs and muscles, which can then advance your athletic performance.
Studies have shown that bone density matures with testosterone treatment as long as the dose is high enough.
Gives you better mathematical reasoning, spatial abilities, and verbal memory
Studies have revealed that men who have higher ratios of testosterone experience a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, there exists evidence that shows a strong link between testosterone and thinking abilities like faster processing speed and verbal memory. Testosterone treatment for men who are aged 34 to 70 years old has displayed an improvement in spatial memory.
In a study done at the University of Hong Kong (in 2010), researchers investigated 153 Chinese males, recruited from social centers. They were approximately 55 years and older. They stayed in the community and didn’t suffer from dementia. From that sample, 47 had average cognitive impairment or issues with memory loss and clear thinking.
Within one year, 10 males who were placed in the cognitively impaired group developed Alzheimer’s disease. These males also had low testosterone levels in their bodies.
In addition, other researchers from the University of Southern California have reported that growing testosterone levels in mice who suffer from Alzheimer’s stops or decreases the progression of the disease. This finding has guided scientists to a hypothesis that states that keeping optimal testosterone levels right into old age can help prevent Alzheimer’s in human beings.
Improves libido
Naturally, testosterone levels rise in response to sexual activity and arousal. Males who have higher amounts of testosterone in their bodies usually have better sexual experiences. Older men, however, require more testosterone for erectile function and libido. That said, it’s important to bear in mind that erectile dysfunction is usually a result of other medications and conditions rather than low testosterone levels.
Improves your mood
Low testosterone levels are linked to having a poor quality of life. Symptoms of this include irritability, tiredness, and depression. However, some studies reveal that this may be a reality only for men with hypogonadism.
Contrary, males with bodies that follow a normal decline of testosterone did not display a rise in depression.
This finding shows that the impact of testosterone replacement therapy can have varying effects on moods. Males with hypogonadism on the other had mentioned that they had improved well-being and moods, as well as reduced irritability and fatigue. This research also implies that testosterone supplementation can also be used as an anti-depressant.
Testosterone makes you braver
Testosterone has a strong association with a person’s willingness to take risks. Research has shown that males who have low degrees of status and power but have high testosterone levels become more motivated to take any risk so that they may gain power and status.
Juxtapose to that, males who have high testosterone levels who have power and status already become more risk-averse, because the desire to hold on to what they already have becomes relentless.
Finally, on the point about competitiveness mentioned above, research has shown that testosterone levels increase before a fight, sports game, or any kind of competition. They increase even after every win, thus giving the current winner a better probability to win the next time and the following round after that.
This is true even if that person is up against competitors who are evenly matched. Known as the “winner effect” many authors, writers, and researchers have explained just the way it works and why it works so well.