Testosterone is a masculine hormone which is made by man's genitals - testicles. This hormone has an enormous value in a man’s life. One of the basic functions of testosterone - stimulation of gaining weight of skeleton muscles, because the more is concentration of testosterone in blood, the more (and together with it stronger) muscles are. Therefore by the low level of testosterone there is no reason to speak about high achievements in sports.

Recently scientists discover new various influences of this hormone to man’s organism. It is recently proved that testosterone also multiplies the strength of heart muscles. With the ageing of a man, and practically already from the age of 25, the concentration of testosterone in blood decreases on 1% every year.

Consequences:

• Testosterone promotes formation of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in a bone marrow. Its lack in an organism can lead to an anemia with all consequences following from it.
• Testosterone promotes combustion of fat and it does not allow forming new fats, therefore for some men with ageing (also with lowering of level of this hormone in blood) a tummy starts to be formed: in men’s organism fat accumulates mainly in a peritoneum.
• When a man is more senior, in the age about 60, bones often break even at an insignificant falling. It is connected with friability of bones, increasing of fragility, what in medicine is called osteoporosis, and the reason of this is – exactly - lowering of level of testosterone in blood.
• Lowering of level of testosterone in blood can be the reason of the increased loss of hair or the slower growth of a beard: in fact, not vainly there is an expression, that a real man shaves a beard twice a day. A beard in olden times was a symbol of courage.
• The lowered concentration of testosterone in blood also can cause memory impairment, lowering of acuity of thinking, every possible depression, dissatisfaction with life; can cause lack of the initiative and aggressiveness. When there is a reduction of aggressiveness in the best meaning of this word, a man cannot win a woman, he has a fear to approach her, and also to begin sexual intercourse. Such man cannot protect his wife and family; it is difficult for him to be a leader and to hold leading posts.
• Testosterone also has a big role in longevity because it reduces the level of cholesterol and the level of lipoproteins with low density in blood, and together with it reduces the risk of a stenocardia. With the lowering of the level of a hormone there are changes in the skin: it becomes dry, crinkles, the man looks order than he really is. The reason of this is the unhealthy way of life: prolonged and excessive use of alcohol, smoking, use of drugs - all this reduces the level of testosterone in blood.

Certainly, it also happens to see men who look younger than they really are, but it appears, that they did not smoke, use alcohol rarely and in small amounts, not speaking about drugs.

Recently, scientists succeeded to find connection between the low level of testosterone in blood and increased malignant tumour morbidities. The normal level of testosterone, in turn, diminishes such risk.

And, at last, it is necessary to note the important role of this hormone in sexual life. If man’s concentration of the level of testosterone in blood is lowering, quickly decreases or completely disappears sexual desire (what in sexology is called “libido”), reduces erection (swelling of penis), decreases sensitivity and excitability of penis, also an orgasm is weakened - pleasant feelings during eruption of a semen. Also decreases in size man’s penis and testicles. Often observe such feature of man’s appearance: a big belly, a small phallus and small, shallow, even atrophic testicles. And besides – the bigger is the stomach, the smaller are genitals. This phenomenon with common people is called “mirror illness”, bear drinkers are often in disorder because of this illness.

Maybe, many men will discern similar problems, but there is no reason for panic - a level of testosterone in blood is an adjustable parameter, certainly, within the limits of physiological norms, appropriate to man’s age and general state of health. In my private practice the oldest man which succeeded to normalize the level of testosterone in blood, was 70 years old, but this, I think, is not the last gain - there will be new age records!

12.08.2009.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dr. Janis Orbidans