Testosterone is the main male sex hormone, but females also have small amounts of it. It is a steroid hormone, produced in men’s testicles, women’s ovaries and adrenal glands.
Testosterone is an essential hormone for both men and women. It affects your bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength/mass as well as facial and body hair, but testosterone also determines your sex drive, fertility, sperm production, red blood cell production, and even your mood. As you get older, your testosterone level gradually declines — typically about 1 percent a year after age 30 or 40.
Possible Effects of Low Levels
- Changes in sexual function (reduced sexual desire, fewer spontaneous erections, infertility)
- Changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or other sleep disturbances)
- Physical changes (increased body fat, reduced muscle bulk and strength, decreased bone density and reduced energy
- Emotional changes (decreased motivation, sad/depressed, and trouble concentrating or remembering things)
High or low levels of testosterone can lead to dysfunction in the parts of the body normally regulated by the hormone. Despite being a male sex hormone, testosterone also contributes to sex drive, bone density, and muscle strength in women. Chronic, or ongoing, low testosterone may lead to osteoporosis, mood swings, and reduced energy. .
Testosterone imbalances can be detected with a blood test and treated accordingly.
Benefits of testosterone restoration
- Increased sexual interest/drive/libido
- Increased muscled mass and strength
- Improved emotional well being
- Maintains memory/cognitive performance
- Decreased excess body fat