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Does Testosterone Make You Aggressive?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
strong man getting aggressive

Testosterone is a hormone found in both men and women. It plays an important role in various bodily functions, including:

Men

  1. Testosterone aids in the growth and development of bones and muscles.
  2. Testosterone facilitates body fat distribution.
  3. Testosterone regulates sexual desire or libido.
  4. Testosterone is essential in the different bodily changes that occur during puberty, such as increase in height, deepening of the voice, increase in height, and increase in size of the penis and the testicles.
  5. Testosterone helps in the production of new red blood cells.
  6. Testosterone is crucial to the production of healthy and good quality sperm.

Women

  1. Testosterone is necessary to maintain high libido or sex drive.
  2. Testosterone helps in muscle strength and bone density.
  3. Testosterone regulates energy levels and mood.
  4. Testosterone aids in the development and maintenance of female reproductive tissues.

Normal Testosterone Levels

Men and women do not produce the same amounts of testosterone in their bodies. In men, testosterone is produced in great amounts in the testicles, while in women, it is produced in smaller amounts in the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Furthermore, testosterone levels in men and woman vary by age. Measured in nanograms per deciliter or ng/dL, the following are the normal testosterone levels per age group in men and women:

Men

testosterone test
  • From 0 to 9 years old: <7-400
  • From 10 years old to 13 years old: <7-800
  • From 14 years old to 16 years: 100-1,200
  • From 17 years to 18 years: 300-1,200
  • From 19 years and up: 240-950

The average normal testosterone levels of an adult man fall around 270 to 1,070 ng/dL.

Women

  • From 0 months to 5 months: 20-80
  • From 6 months to 9 years: <7-20
  • From 10 years to 16 years: <7-75
  • From 17 years to 18 years: 20-75
  • From 19 years and up: 8-60

The average normal testosterone levels of an adult woman are around 15 to 70 ng/dL.

Causes of Testosterone Imbalance

As you grow older, your body’s testosterone levels naturally decline. In men, testosterone levels usually peak around late teens to early 20s, and then start to decrease by 1% each year after they turn 30.

However, in some cases, testosterone levels may drop or rise due to underlying diseases, injuries, and other things.

Low Testosterone Levels

This happens when the testosterone levels in the body are low because production is impeded by certain factors, such as:

  • Age

Older men generally have lower testosterone levels than younger men because testosterone production naturally slows down with age. For this reason, erectile and reproductive issues, and other sexual health problems are more likely to occur if you are older.

  • Certain medications

There are drugs and medications that contain substances that can negatively impact your body’s testosterone levels. If you have been prescribed medication for a particular disease and your testosterone levels begin to drop, you should see your doctor right away to treat the problem.

  • Injury to the testicles

Testosterone is produced in the testicles so suffering any injury to the testicles may endanger your testosterone production. Getting punched, kicked, or hit down there not only can be excruciatingly painful but also can be detrimental to your testosterone levels.

  • Testicular cancer and testicular cancer treatment

Having testicular cancer can prevent your testicles from performing its duties, including producing enough testosterone. In addition to that, if you receive treatment for it, the chemotherapy or radiation used to kill the cancer cells can also damage your testicles.

High Testosterone Levels

This happens when the testosterone levels in the body is higher than the normal range due to certain factors, such as:

  • Tumor growth

If a tumor appears in or around your testicles or adrenal glands, it can raise your testosterone levels to abnormally high levels.

  • Misuse and abuse of testosterone supplements

If you have low testosterone, your doctor may prescribe you testosterone supplements. However, if your testosterone levels are normal or you take more than the dosage that your doctor has recommended, you can raise your testosterone levels too high and experience negative side effects.

  • Excessive use of anabolic steroids

For a lot of body builders and athletes, anabolic steroids are necessary to build bigger muscles and gain higher athletic abilities. However, taking too much of them can trigger an abnormal increase in testosterone levels.

Link Between Testosterone Levels and Aggressive Behavior

Is it true that taking testosterone makes you aggressive? Certain studies have found that there indeed exists a link between testosterone and a person’s behavior.

man shouting and flexing hard

One study wanted to find out how one dose of testosterone affected men. A group of adult men were gathered and each one of them was given one dose of testosterone. According to the findings, the brain circuits involved in processing human aggression and threat were significantly affected. Their amygdala, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal grey showed greater reactivity than usual when shown images of angry facial expressions.

The researchers said that more studies and experiments need to be done to learn more about the effects of testosterone on human brain function and behavior. They admitted that the results may be different if the test subjects were administered a lower dose of testosterone or if they were given more shots.

Importance of Maintaining Normal Testosterone Levels

Several negative side effects that can profoundly lower your quality of life may arise if you are unable to maintain normal testosterone levels.

If you have low testosterone levels, you may suffer from:

Weak muscles and bones

Testosterone is essential in muscle and bone growth and development, so a lack of it can cause muscle loss and low bone density.

Fatigue

Testosterone helps in keeping energy levels up, so not having enough of it can make you feel tired all the time.

Increased body fat

Testosterone facilitates body fat distribution, so low testosterone can make you prone to weight gain.

If you have high testosterone levels, you may have an increased risk of:

Infertility

Too much testosterone in the body can hurt a man’s sperm count and production, and eventually cause infertility.

Sleep disorders

Abnormally high testosterone is not good for anyone who has a sleeping disorder such as sleep apnea as it can only worsen the symptoms.

Shrunken testicles

Taking testosterone supplements excessively may cause your testicles to shrink, and lower your sperm count and quality.

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