Male Hormones that influence male patterns of behavior are commonly called androgens which flow from the testes and these includes :
Testosterone is the principal androgen in man and is required for normal sperm production. LH secreted by pitutary stimulates the testes to produce testosternone and this is controlled by gonadotrophine hormone - releasing hormone (GHRH) , generated by hypothalamus. the leydig cells within the testes produce majority of the testosterone , which secretes the hormone into the seminiferous tubules and complexes with a protein produced by the sertoli cells. tissues containing the enzyme 5-alpha reductase convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) , the endocrinologically active form of androgen. DHT influences the prostate , scalp (baldness) , muscle mass , and beard growth. in addition, with testosterone , it plays a role in the development of the male genital tract and secondary sex characterstics . the drug finasteride (propecia) inhibits the action of 5-alpha reductase, and can reverse male pattern baldness in some men.
Testosterone plays a more prominent role in men which controles sex drive , semen production in the testes and sexual development.
Testosterone Production in both Men and Women:
in men , 95% of testosterone is created in the testes and the rest is produced in the adrenal glands. in women , testosterone is produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands , but the amount is far less and mojority of testosterone is produced in females is derived from the peripheral conversion of other steroids . Men produce almost ten times as much free and bound testosterone as women. as men and women age increases testosterone level decline ; however it is actually the level of free circulating or bio-available testosterone that decreases and not testosterone in general.
Testosterone deficiency in men can make them , vulnerable to issues like osteoporosis , muscle mass and fatigue , insuline persistence syndrome and obesity.
Free and Bound Testosterone :
Testosterone is present in blood in both "free" as well as "bound" states. the bound form of testosterone shows association with albumin , a serum protein , or to a specific binding protein called sex steroid binding globulin (SSBG) or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). when the testosterone is attached to another molecule it is "deformed" and cannot fit into a receptor site. since it caanot become active , it is excreted by the body. free testosterone is the amount of testesterone that floats through the blood on its own and is readily available for use by the body. this form of testosterone is the most active. In men 700 to 900 ng/dl is the normal level of free testosterone.
albumin associated testosterone, which is weekly bound and can easily be reversed, together with free testosterone are often referred to as Bioavailable Testosterone(BAT). in other words, it is the fraction of circulating testosterone that is not bound to SHBG. it is suggested that BAT represents the fraction of circulating testosterone that readily enters cells and better reflects the bioactivity of testosterone. Also , varying levels of SHBG can result in inaccurate measurement of BAT. Decreased SHBG levels can be seen in obesity, Hypothyroidism , androgen use and nephritic syndrome. increased levels are seen in cirrhosis , Hypothyroidism and oestrogen use. In these situations measurement of free testosterone may be more useful. However, technically, accurate measurement of free testosterone is difficult to carry out.
Di-indolyl-mehane(DIM), a metabolite derived from indole-3-carbinol which is most abundant in cruciferous veggies possesses the property to release all protein bound testosterone and also improves oestrogen metabolism
Men with low free-testosterone levels are more prone to high blood sugar, high blood cholesterol and tryglycerides and could be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease..
Estimating Testosterone:
With men, the issue of concern is testosterone deficiency, while with women the concern is excess testosterone production. when getting testosterone levels tested, the results mey be misleading. if the level of bound testodterone is within normal range, it is not neceessarily an indication of healthy levels. the level of free testosterone is more important, because free testosterone is the one that the body uses more readily.
ANDR (androstenedione) is the hormone produced naturally in the body by adrenal glands,the ovaries (in women) and the testicles (in men). the body first manufactures Dihydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA), then turns DHEA into Androstenedione , and finally transforms Androstenedione into testosterone, the pricnipal male sex hormone. Androstenedione is also transformed into oestrogen.
The Androstenedione test holds its significance with the following symptoms like early puberty , appearance of menstrual cycles in postmenopausal women and feminization in males. Diseases like cushing's syndrome , ovarian cancer , testicular cancer and adrenocortical tumors , Hypogonadism also demands the same. the high-dose androgen test is thus useful in both diagnosis and treatment and facilitates the gender assignment.
Sex hormone binding Globulin (SHBG) test is primarily ordered to evaluate the status of patient's androgens. A total testosterone may be ordered prior to or along with a SHBG test. SHBG and testosterone levels may be ordered on an adult male to help determine the cause of infertility, a decreased sex drive , and erectile dysfunction or hirsutism in women especially when total testosterone results are inconsistent with clinical signs .
Sometimes, a total testosterone and SHBG are ordered to evaluate free androgens by calculating the free Androgen index (FAI) which gives doctors an idea of quantity of testosterone that is not bound to SHBG and is calculated as follows:
FAI = Total Testosterone /SHBG.
Androgen deficiency in men means the body has lower than normal amounts of male hormones - most importantly, testosterone. this deficiency may be caused by problems of the testicles, pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Treatment involves testosterone replacement therapy.
Androgen deficiency in older men is sometimes called 'male menopause' , but this is misleading
Androgen deficiency is a risk factor for CVD and androgen replacement therapy would potentially reduce the risk in hypogonadal men and PCOS in women belived to be most common reason of high testosterone levels
Androgen deficiency is diagnosed using a numberof assessments like medical history, physical examination , blood tests, etc. Treatment for proven androgen deficiency is based on hormone (testosterone) replacement therapy. Testosterone can be administered by tablet , skin patch or gel , injection (short or long acting) or implant.
- Follicle - stimulating hormones (FSH) which is secreted by the pituitary glands and cause the growth of seminiferous tubules that make up majority of the testes. FSH also promotes the cell divisions that cause sperm production
- Luteinizing hormone (LH) , secreted from the pituitary gland causes growth of endocrine tissue , a tissue made up of interstitial tissue found within the testes. these tissues are the production site of testosterone , the most predominant of the male hormones.
Testosterone is the principal androgen in man and is required for normal sperm production. LH secreted by pitutary stimulates the testes to produce testosternone and this is controlled by gonadotrophine hormone - releasing hormone (GHRH) , generated by hypothalamus. the leydig cells within the testes produce majority of the testosterone , which secretes the hormone into the seminiferous tubules and complexes with a protein produced by the sertoli cells. tissues containing the enzyme 5-alpha reductase convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) , the endocrinologically active form of androgen. DHT influences the prostate , scalp (baldness) , muscle mass , and beard growth. in addition, with testosterone , it plays a role in the development of the male genital tract and secondary sex characterstics . the drug finasteride (propecia) inhibits the action of 5-alpha reductase, and can reverse male pattern baldness in some men.
Testosterone plays a more prominent role in men which controles sex drive , semen production in the testes and sexual development.
Testosterone Production in both Men and Women:
in men , 95% of testosterone is created in the testes and the rest is produced in the adrenal glands. in women , testosterone is produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands , but the amount is far less and mojority of testosterone is produced in females is derived from the peripheral conversion of other steroids . Men produce almost ten times as much free and bound testosterone as women. as men and women age increases testosterone level decline ; however it is actually the level of free circulating or bio-available testosterone that decreases and not testosterone in general.
Testosterone deficiency in men can make them , vulnerable to issues like osteoporosis , muscle mass and fatigue , insuline persistence syndrome and obesity.
Free and Bound Testosterone :
Testosterone is present in blood in both "free" as well as "bound" states. the bound form of testosterone shows association with albumin , a serum protein , or to a specific binding protein called sex steroid binding globulin (SSBG) or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). when the testosterone is attached to another molecule it is "deformed" and cannot fit into a receptor site. since it caanot become active , it is excreted by the body. free testosterone is the amount of testesterone that floats through the blood on its own and is readily available for use by the body. this form of testosterone is the most active. In men 700 to 900 ng/dl is the normal level of free testosterone.
albumin associated testosterone, which is weekly bound and can easily be reversed, together with free testosterone are often referred to as Bioavailable Testosterone(BAT). in other words, it is the fraction of circulating testosterone that is not bound to SHBG. it is suggested that BAT represents the fraction of circulating testosterone that readily enters cells and better reflects the bioactivity of testosterone. Also , varying levels of SHBG can result in inaccurate measurement of BAT. Decreased SHBG levels can be seen in obesity, Hypothyroidism , androgen use and nephritic syndrome. increased levels are seen in cirrhosis , Hypothyroidism and oestrogen use. In these situations measurement of free testosterone may be more useful. However, technically, accurate measurement of free testosterone is difficult to carry out.
Di-indolyl-mehane(DIM), a metabolite derived from indole-3-carbinol which is most abundant in cruciferous veggies possesses the property to release all protein bound testosterone and also improves oestrogen metabolism
Men with low free-testosterone levels are more prone to high blood sugar, high blood cholesterol and tryglycerides and could be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease..
Estimating Testosterone:
With men, the issue of concern is testosterone deficiency, while with women the concern is excess testosterone production. when getting testosterone levels tested, the results mey be misleading. if the level of bound testodterone is within normal range, it is not neceessarily an indication of healthy levels. the level of free testosterone is more important, because free testosterone is the one that the body uses more readily.
ANDR (androstenedione) is the hormone produced naturally in the body by adrenal glands,the ovaries (in women) and the testicles (in men). the body first manufactures Dihydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA), then turns DHEA into Androstenedione , and finally transforms Androstenedione into testosterone, the pricnipal male sex hormone. Androstenedione is also transformed into oestrogen.
The Androstenedione test holds its significance with the following symptoms like early puberty , appearance of menstrual cycles in postmenopausal women and feminization in males. Diseases like cushing's syndrome , ovarian cancer , testicular cancer and adrenocortical tumors , Hypogonadism also demands the same. the high-dose androgen test is thus useful in both diagnosis and treatment and facilitates the gender assignment.
Sex hormone binding Globulin (SHBG) test is primarily ordered to evaluate the status of patient's androgens. A total testosterone may be ordered prior to or along with a SHBG test. SHBG and testosterone levels may be ordered on an adult male to help determine the cause of infertility, a decreased sex drive , and erectile dysfunction or hirsutism in women especially when total testosterone results are inconsistent with clinical signs .
Sometimes, a total testosterone and SHBG are ordered to evaluate free androgens by calculating the free Androgen index (FAI) which gives doctors an idea of quantity of testosterone that is not bound to SHBG and is calculated as follows:
FAI = Total Testosterone /SHBG.
Androgen deficiency in men means the body has lower than normal amounts of male hormones - most importantly, testosterone. this deficiency may be caused by problems of the testicles, pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Treatment involves testosterone replacement therapy.
Androgen deficiency in older men is sometimes called 'male menopause' , but this is misleading
Androgen deficiency is a risk factor for CVD and androgen replacement therapy would potentially reduce the risk in hypogonadal men and PCOS in women belived to be most common reason of high testosterone levels
Androgen deficiency is diagnosed using a numberof assessments like medical history, physical examination , blood tests, etc. Treatment for proven androgen deficiency is based on hormone (testosterone) replacement therapy. Testosterone can be administered by tablet , skin patch or gel , injection (short or long acting) or implant.
