The value of testosterone in a man's life can not be overestimated. Actively participating in physiological processes, this hormone has a qualitative effect on both the well-being and the sexual capabilities of its possessor. What is testosterone in men, what are its normal indices - and how difficult is the problem of hormonal deficiency?
Main functions of testosterone
A well-known male hormone is present in the body of representatives of both sexes. In men, it is produced by the testicles and partly by the adrenal glands. It is from the Latin word "testicula", which in translation means "testicle", and its name occurs.
The main role of this hormone is to fulfill two important functions:
- Stimulation of muscle mass growth, fat burning and maintenance of optimal bone tissue density. Being an anabolic steroid in its chemical structure, it activates the formation and renewal of cells and muscle structures.
- Formation of a male secondary sexual characteristics, ensuring the full functioning of the organs of the reproductive system. This is promoted by the androgenic properties of testosterone.
Composition of the "male" hormone
In medicine, there is the concept of total testosterone, which is a summary of the amount of the hormone in an unbound( loose) and bound state. The first part is 2%, and the second - 98% of the total;while 44% of 98% is the hormone associated with globulin( GSHG), and 54% - testosterone, associated with proteins, including.- with albumins. Biologically active are globulin-bound and free hormones;SHGG, on the contrary, prevents their action in the body.
For the quality of libido and the timely development of secondary sexual characteristics in men, free testosterone is responsible;his deficiency can lead to impotence.
Level hormone levels depend on the individual characteristics of each male and can vary in a wide range. Limit values for total testosterone are expressed in the following figures:
- age category 18-69 years: 250-1100 ng / dL;
- men 70 years and older: 90-890 ng / dl.
The normal free testosterone level is limited to:
- 46-224 ng / dL - for the 18-69 age group;
- 6-73 ng / dl - for men from 70 years of age.
The lack of testosterone in a man: the main symptoms of
Deficiency of the main male hormone is designated by the term "hypogonadism".There are two types of this pathology:
- primary hypogonadism( insufficient testosterone production by the testicles);
- secondary hypogonadism( reduced production of pituitary hormones, activating in the testicles testosterone synthesis).
The lack of a sex hormone in the body can be indicated by a single or complex symptomatology:
- obesity, mainly in the abdominal region;
- increased sweating;
- reduced weight and performance;
- decreased bone density;
- muscle weakness;
- flabbiness and dry skin;
- absent-mindedness, insomnia, irritability;
- tides of blood to the face, often a feeling of heat;
- Systematic occurrence of redness in the face and / or chest area;
- anemia;
- reduction in hair growth or facial and body hair loss;
- growth of mammary glands;
- decreased intensity or intensity of nocturnal erections;
- partial or complete manifestation of impotence;
- decreased libido;
- infertility.
The essential lack of a sex hormone in a male body can lead to a deterioration in his overall well-being, manifestations of chronic fatigue and serious depressive conditions, down to complete loss of interest in life.
The causes of the deficiency of the hormone
Specialists attribute a decrease in testosterone levels with the following factors:
- Psychological. The state of stress provokes an increased production of adrenaline by the body, which suppresses hormonal synthesis;
- Age. Even in healthy men, after 30 years, there is an annual decrease in the level of the sex hormone by 1-1.5%;
- "Harmful" diet. The systematic use of foods with excessive cholesterol, the craving for alcohol or fizzy drinks, as well as excessive intake of salt, sugar and caffeine directly affect the production of testosterone by the body;
- Low-activity lifestyle;
- Injuries to the genital organs;
- The use of anabolic steroids;Side effects of taking medications or the consequences of a previous illness.
Chronic diseases and their effect on the level of testosterone
To date, the relationship of hypogonadism with a number of its predisposing diseases has been established:
- diabetes mellitus;
- ischemic heart disease;
- atherosclerosis;
- obesity;
- arterial hypertension;
- bronchial asthma;
- tuberculosis;
- cirrhosis;
- alcoholism;
- HIV and AIDS.
The negative effect of chronic diseases does not necessarily occur through their direct exposure to the genital area. Reduction of this hormone can be caused by disturbances in the work of those affected as a result of diseases of the pituitary or hypothalamus.
Increased testosterone levels: is it dangerous for the male body?
Testosterone in men in its norm has limitations for both minimal and maximum values. Excess hormone can lead to diseases or pathologies of varying severity:
- Acne. An increased amount of testosterone activates the work of the sebaceous glands, which leads to excessive production of sebum;
- Sharp mood swings, partial loss of the instinct of self-preservation, increased aggression.
- Heart attacks. A significant excess of testosterone significantly increases the risk of heart and vascular disease;
- Sleep apnea. The involuntary cessation of breathing during sleep can last from 10 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Apnea, in turn, can cause arterial or pulmonary hypertension, and in some cases - lead a man to a stroke;
- Diseases of the liver. The main cause of their occurrence is the uncontrolled admission of anabolic steroids by a man, in order to increase the level of testosterone;
- Alopecia. It is proved that the early loss of hair is directly related to the excess in the body of the male hormone;
- Prostate cancer. Medical studies have confirmed the relationship between the pathological changes in the prostate gland and the high level of testosterone in the male body;
- Infertility. Excess hormone provokes an increase in the number of red blood cells and leads to a decrease in the number of spermatozoa.
Testosterone test for
Testosterone in men is recommended for testing in the following cases:
- infertility;
- decrease or absence of sexual desire;
- violations of sexual functions( male menopause, decreased potency, etc.);
- obesity;
- baldness;
- acne;
- osteoporosis;
- chronic prostatitis;
- testicular tumors;
- chromosomal diseases;
- deficiency of pituitary;
- decrease in protein level of SHBG;
- definition of primary or secondary hypogonadism.
Blood test for testosterone is performed in a clinical setting by venipuncture. The level of the hormone depends on the time of day( in the morning the indices are higher than in the evening), and also on the seasonal factor( in the autumn, men have an increase in testosterone levels).
The analysis results can also be affected by:
- Fasting;
- Vegetarian diet;
- Increased body temperature;
- Admission of hormones or barbiturates. In such cases, there is an increase in testosterone;
- The use of cardiac glycosides, neuroleptics, diuretics and alcohol. The content of the male hormone decreases.
To obtain the most objective picture of the study, blood for analysis should be given on an empty stomach. An hour before the test, a man is recommended to start adhering to a number of recommendations:
- to refrain from smoking;
- to avoid stressful situations;
- refuse to take medications and products that affect testosterone;
- exclude any physical stress on the body.
Test results for
The normal for an adult male should be 2.6 - 11ng / ml.
Elevated levels of hormones can serve as indirect signs of diseases or disorders in the body:
- decrease in the level of SHBG;
- extragonadal( developing from spermatozoa) tumors;
- Itzenko-Cushing's disease;
- early puberty in boys;
- adrenal hyperplasia;
- tumors of the adrenal cortex.
An inadequate level is usually observed in the presence of one or more pathologies, including:
- , deceleration of puberty;
- myotonic dystrophy;
- primary or secondary hypogonadism;
- cryptorchidism;
- uremia;
- Kalman's syndrome;
- Klinefelter's syndrome;
- insufficient function of the gonads;
- renal or hepatic insufficiency;
- chronic prostatitis;
- obesity;
- Down Syndrome.
For normalization of testosterone, a man needs to undergo a course of therapy prescribed by a doctor, during which the patient is recommended:
- to give up harmful habits;
- not to consume anabolic steroids;
- adhere to a healthy diet;
- to change a sedentary lifestyle to an active one;
- does not neglect full rest.
Be attentive to your health, and the body will thank you for this great man's well-being!
