Effects of Testosterone on Mood in Males
It is a fact that the value of testosterone for male organism can be hardly overestimated. This hormone has an effect on androgen-sensitive cells, causing various effects, the severity of which is conditioned by the amount and activity of specific receptors. Thus, we are going to discuss the effects of testosterone on mood in males with a variety of specific details for the purpose to explore the issue better..Effects of Testosterone on Mood in Males
To begin, there exist different opinions on the way how testosterone influences male health and mood. According to one sources, the level of male aggressiveness and good mood is tightly connected to the level of testosterone, while other sources of information stated that the influence of testosterone is much exaggerated, and bad or good mood in males can be conditioned by factors having nothing common with testosterone. Of course, there were made many researches on the topic, and scientists still continue to explore the problem trying to find the truth in different ways.
According to Booth, Johnson & Granger (1999), the level of testosterone is directly associated with different aspects of human behavior, including positive effects on human health, such as good mood and well-being, and antisocial, risk behavior, and unemployment that have negative effect on human development. Exploring the facts, we can state that there exists a big possibility that testosterone reduces depression, especially in males because men produce testosterone in seven times more than women, but the problem is in the fact that testosterone can influence on the emergence of interpersonal or even behavioral problems in males.
As we know, according to Jockenhovel (2009), the level of testosterone in the male body decreases with age, and this fact has a certain effect on the character and mood of older men. However, the experiments raised in healthy young men have shown that artificial reduction of androgens (male hormones) has no effect on their mood. Of course, the nature is wise, and when the level of testosterone is normal everything goes well with males’ mood, but when the level of testosterone decreases or increases, it is time to wait for different problems and necessity to regulate the situation as fast as possible. This is especially brightly seen in young and old age because age also plays not the last role in personal attitude to the world around and the presence of different negative or positive reactions..Effects of Testosterone on Mood in Males
By the way, Bjorkqvist et al (1994) noted, having rather opposite opinion to the previously mentioned information, that “the greater amount of physical aggression among males is more likely to be a consequence of learning mechanisms and greater physical strength, rather than of testosterone”. It means that aggressiveness of males is directly related only to physical aggression, while the role of hormones is not put into account in this situation. Moreover, such manifestations of aggressiveness in males, according to Bjorkqvist et al (1994), can refer to a reflection of psychosocial history, while the influence of the level of testosterone on mood in males is very limited.
In addition, making a thorough research of the effects of testosterone on mood in males, we have also realized that testosterone is also responsible for both physical and mental aspects of men’s health. Moreover, it largely determines the level of sexual activity and behaviors of men. In this case the lack of testosterone is the main factor of decreased libido, impotence, reduced muscle mass, the development of obesity and depression. So, there exists a connection between the level of testosterone and depression in males..Effects of Testosterone on Mood in Males
In conclusion, we have discussed the effects of testosterone on mood in males, and explored different points of view on the same hormone because there almost as many opinions as there are many commentators; so, the issue needs further observation by the reason that scientists can not find one proper answer to the same question even now making a big variety of different researches.
References
Bjorkqvist, K. et al. (1994). Testosterone Intake and Aggressiveness: Real Effect or Anticipation? Aggressive Behavior, 20, pp. 17-26.
Booth, A., Johnson, D. & Granger, D. (1999). Testosterone and Men’s Depression: The Role of Social Behavior. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 40, pp. 130-140.
Jockenhovel, F. (2009). Timetable of effects of testosterone administration to hypogonadal men on variables of sex and mood. The Aging Male, 12(4), pp. 113–118.Effects of Testosterone on Mood in Males