Andropause-Related Hormones
Andropause and Male Hormones
The hormones that affect andropause are androgens. Broadly defined, androgens are the overall grouping of male hormones. They are made in the testes and in the adrenal gland (a small gland located above the kidney that produces a significant number of hormones). The main functions of androgens are:
- Initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis. That is, they signal to a man's body to produce sperm.
- Determination, during pregnancy, that a fetus will be male.
- Sexual maturation at puberty, controlling sexual drive and potency.
In men, androgens are known to affect muscle, bone, the central nervous system, prostate, bone marrow and sexual function.
We know that testosterone causes "the androgenic effects" determining and shaping the male reproductive tract in an infant as well as the development of secondary sexual characteristics (body hair and male pattern baldness are examples). Androgens are also responsible for prenatal differentiation of the male fetus and for the development of the male reproductive tract. Androgens play an important role in stimulating and maintaining sexual function in men. Testosterone is necessary for normal libido, ejaculation and spontaneous erections.
Anabolic Effects
Anabolic effects are those that are growth promoting. They affect other tissues, for example, muscle mass and bone density. Androgens increase lean body mass and affect body weight as well. Androgens are required to maintain bone density in men. It is still not clear whether the androgens are needed themselves to affect the bone, or whether it is important that they be present so that when they are converted to estrogens, the estrogens have an effect on the density of the bones.
Additional Effects of Androgens
Androgens can also affect red blood cell production and they appear to have an effect on blood fats and cholesterol. The most well known effect of androgens is their effect on growth of the prostate. They affect both the non-cancerous and potentially cancerous cells in the prostate.
Androgens also play an activating role in cognitive function throughout life, keeping men sharp and alert. The relationship between androgens and mood is still unclear but is beginning to be explored in great depth.
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