What Is Testosterone Hormone and How Does It Impact Your Health?
Everyone knows testosterone as the primary male sex hormone. However, there is far more to testosterone than that. What is testosterone hormone, and how does it impact the health of both men and women? Those are the questions we will answer below.
What is the testosterone hormone?
Testosterone is one of over sixty chemical messengers (hormones) in the body that regulate all our critical functions. Hormones such as testosterone enter the bloodstream and seek out their receptor cells for binding to engage their actions.
What type of hormone is testosterone, and where is it made?
Testosterone hormone definition is that it is an androgen or steroid hormone. Testosterone production in males occurs primarily in the Leydig cells of the male testes. In women, the ovaries produce a significant amount of female testosterone. The adrenal glands also supply some testosterone to both men and women.
What kind of hormone is testosterone?
Testosterone is a fat-soluble hormone. That makes it insoluble in water, so it needs to bind to a protein for transport through the bloodstream.
What is testosterone made of?
Like all steroid hormones, the basis of testosterone is cholesterol. The body synthesizes cholesterol into pregnenolone through enzymatic actions. Following a few other hormone conversions, testosterone derives from one of two precursor hormones: DHEA or progesterone.
What exactly is testosterone deficiency?
Testosterone deficiency is a medical condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough testosterone to fulfill the needs of the androgen receptors. Another aspect of low testosterone occurs when testosterone bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) cannot break free of the bind to enter the androgen receptors. In that scenario, a person could have normal total testosterone but low free testosterone levels.
What is the role of testosterone hormone for health?
The hormone testosterone is responsible for red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Without enough blood cells, circulation, and subsequently, heart health, will suffer. Testosterone also promotes optimum health through supporting metabolism, fat distribution, cognitive functions, sleep regulation, and emotional well-being.
Knowing what is testosterone hormone, and how it impacts the body is crucial to the maintenance of optimum health and well-being.
Functions of Testosterone in Men
Maintaining adequate testosterone hormone function in males becomes increasingly important with age as testosterone levels decline.
What is the function of testosterone hormone in men?
The list below highlights some of the essential functions of testosterone for the male body:
| Stimulating osteoblast production (new bone) | Slowing osteoclast activity (bone resorption) |
| Improving muscle mass | Promoting the burning of stored fat |
| Supporting focus, learning, and processing | Improving memory and recall |
| Balancing emotional health | Decreasing stress and depression |
| Promoting adequate sleep | Increasing energy |
| Stimulating spermatogenesis | Enhancing sexual thoughts and fantasies |
| Supporting erectile functions | Increasing drive and motivation |
| Balancing cholesterol and triglycerides | Normalizing blood pressure |
| Stimulating red blood cell production | Supporting insulin sensitivity |
As we answer, what is testosterone hormone going to do for men, it becomes apparent that a decline in testosterone production will impact many areas of the body.
Functions of Testosterone in Women
Testosterone hormone function in females is not very different from that in males. You will find that many of the same actions of testosterone occur in females, so we will not duplicate those answers here.
What is testosterone hormone in females going to do that is different from males?
Here are some of the additional functions of testosterone in women:
| Increases follicle sensitivity to hormones | Supports oocyte maturation |
| Helps maintain menstrual health | Improves fertility |
| Reduces hot flashes and night sweats | Supports vaginal health and lubrication |
| Enhances sexual pleasure | Increases estradiol (estrogen) levels |
One function of testosterone in both men and women is the conversion into estradiol – the body’s primary form of estrogen. However, imbalanced hormone levels can result in a condition called estrogen dominance when too much testosterone conversion by the enzyme aromatase results in high estrogen and low testosterone levels. People who are overweight are at an increased risk of low testosterone levels due to a higher amount of aromatase being produced in belly fat. That is also why doctors recommend losing weight to improve testosterone levels.
Benefits of Testosterone Therapy for Men
For men with low testosterone hormone function, symptoms of testosterone deficiency are often seen in many, if not all, of the areas listed above. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is necessary to restore the critical balance that improves all these areas.
What does testosterone do when doctors prescribe TRT for males?
Some of the many benefits of testosterone therapy include:
- Better muscle mass and strength
- Increased bone density and lower risk of osteoporosis
- More energy and endurance
- Healthier heart functions resulting from normalized cholesterol levels and red blood cell production
- Improved glucose uptake resulting from better insulin sensitivity and lower incidence of type 2 diabetes
- Reduced weight and decreased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome
- Improved erectile functions and more powerful orgasms
- Sharper memory and brain functions
What is testosterone hormone going to do for men emotionally?
Because testosterone opposes cortisol, it helps lower the level of the stress hormone in the bloodstream. That will result in improved sleep. Testosterone also works throughout the brain, improving the level of endorphins that influence mood. Men can expect less depression and anxiety and a happier and more positive outlook. Sexual fantasies and thoughts also improve.
Benefits of Testosterone Therapy for Women
Once again, as with males, the use of supplemental testosterone hormone in females provides many of the same results. Women can expect better body composition thanks to increased fat burning, weight loss, and improved muscle mass. Stronger bones and muscles reduce the risk of age-related fractures.
Of course, there are additional benefits that women can expect when receiving testosterone therapy.
What is testosterone hormone going to do for testosterone deficient women?
Here are some added benefits for women:
- Improving fertility women of child-bearing age
- Normalizing menstrual cycles
- Reducing night sweats and hot flashes associated with menopause
- Heightening sexual desire, sensitivity, and satisfaction
These benefits of testosterone are in addition to supporting healthy brain and heart functions.
How to Know If You Need Testosterone Hormone Therapy
There is only one way to know for sure if you can benefit from supplemental testosterone hormone effects: blood analysis.
Of course, you only need to concern yourself with blood testing if you have symptoms of low testosterone. You can determine this by looking over the lists of testosterone functions above. If you have trouble in any of these areas, you should contact our clinic for a free consultation by phone for a preliminary assessment. That way, we can determine if you require diagnostic blood testing.
For more information about testosterone hormone and its functions and treatment options, contact National HRT for a free consultation.
National HRT Staff
Please note that the information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.