You must have been aware of the fact that testosterone is a powerful hormone which has got the capability of controlling your sex drive, stimulate the production of sperm, enhance muscle mass, boost energy and also influence human behavior like competitiveness and aggression. Now that you know this, there is no doubt about the fact that with a plummeting level of testosterone, there can be a stir in the human body. This is nothing but a natural part of aging gracefully.

Testosterone in the womb – What does it do?

Testosterone also plays a vital role in bringing shape to the foetus during pregnancy and it also boosts the development of the male reproductive system. This hormone also masculinises the brain of a male. Nevertheless, testosterone levels need to remain within a margin so that the fetal brain can grow in a healthy way. In case the levels of testosterone are high, this can be related to autism. Few other results show that with reduced levels of fetal testosterone, this can boost chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease later on in life. Hence, it is necessary that your testosterone levels remain at the best level which is required according to an age. You may take into account the normal testosterone levels by age chart before diagnosing a problem.

Adolescence to adulthood – What testosterone does?

Levels of testosterone are at their peak high levels during adulthood and adolescence. When a boy ages, the first signs of testosterone appear in his body during this puberty. The voice changes among boys, his shoulder broadens and his face becomes more masculine. However, when men grow older, their levels of testosterone decline by 1% every year after they cross 30 years of age.

Testosterone and its role in aging

Testosterone hormone is also given the name ‘fountain of youth’. However, as per the Mayo Clinic, when testosterone levels decline naturally, they don’t lead to symptoms and signs of aging. Low levels of testosterone can lead to changes in sexual functioning including:

• Reduced libido or sexual desire
• Lesser spontaneous erections
• Infertility
• Impotence

Few other signs of reduced testosterone levels might include:

• Differences in sleep patterns
• Various emotional ups and downs like lack of motivation and low self-confidence
• Physical change like increased fat in the body, reduced muscle and strength and decreased density of bones

The normal level of testosterone in healthy adults remains between 280 and 1100 nanograms per decilitre, as per reports from University of Rochester Medical Center.

Testosterone and women

Did you know that testosterone levels even affect women? However, women create lower levels and they are extremely sensitive to androgens rather than men. The normal measurements range from 15-70 ng/dl. Excess androgen in the blood stream of women can cause effects like:

• Infertility
• Loss of hair
• Acne
• Absent periods
• Growth of hair on face

Are there any other possible symptoms?

While the symptoms that have been described above are deemed to be a part of the normal course of aging, they could even be signs of different other underlying factors. Hence, whenever you face the above listed symptoms, you shouldn’t start believing that it is due to the excess of testosterone or the other way round. You actually have to delve deep and understand the cause of that particular symptom. Some other possibilities can include:

• Reaction to other medicines
• Disorders in thyroid gland
• Over consumption of alcohol
• Depression

As per what Mayo Clinic has to say, the possibly best method of diagnosing lower levels of testosterone is by visiting your doctor for a blood test. 8 am would be the best time during which you can take the sample of your blood. Results which are outside the usual range might occur due to different conditions like:

• Failure of testicles
• Testes or ovarian cancer
• Delayed or early puberty
• Chronic illness
• Hypogonadism
• Obesity

Hence, as we see, it’s natural that one should be concerned about the right levels of testosterone. A slow decrease is related to normal aging but in case there is a sudden fall, you should speak to a doctor.