What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone the body naturally produces. It provides many benefits, including normal growth in the body and development of male sex organs. It is important for men, in that it produces sperm. Women also have small amounts of testosterone, which is regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. 

Testosterone has many different effects. These can include: 

· Growth and development of the sex organs, including growth and maturation of the prostate gland in men.

· Development of male hair and distribution of hair throughout the body.

· Changes in the amount of muscle mass in the body, and distribution of fat throughout the body.

· Amount of sex drive in the body.

· Maintenance of sexual function in the body.

· Maintenance of bone strength in the body.

The body must work to maintain an adequate production of testosterone to keep all of these systems maintained adequately. Different environmental and emotional factors can have effects on testosterone. For example, when men fall in love their levels of testosterone may decrease, while a woman’s level of testosterone may increase. 

This may be the result of behavioral changes. Some women produce too much testosterone which may result in irregularities in the menstrual cycle, or health conditions including a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Excess testosterone may also cause organ problems including damage to the liver or cysts in the liver and other areas of the body.

Normal testosterone levels come in a reference range, and may depend on the laboratory that an individual gets tested in. This varies from lab to lab. For men the normal testosterone level at one lab may be from 348 to 1197 nanograms per deciliter for total testosterone, which is often how doctors measure testosterone. 

Also important to consider when testing testosterone levels however is the age of the individual being tested and the overall health of the person. Doctors will consider many factors when testing testosterone.