Testosterone is the principal male sex hormone and anabolic steroid. The role of testosterone role is to catalyze male sexual attraction, secondary sexual traits (more muscle and bone mass, hair growth), and male mental traits. But a lot of testosterone isn't always a good thing. A few studies even indicate that high testosterone is a risk factor for heart disease in the context of other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Too much testosterone will also create complications like cardiac strain, thrombosis, and heart rhythm problems.
Related Products
Structure and Production of Testosterone
Fig.1 Structure of Testosterone.
Testosterone is an androstane steroid that has a ketone at 3 and 17 respectively. It's manufactured from cholesterol several steps forward and metabolized to inert metabolites in the liver. It works by attaching to and triggering androgen receptors. The testes (and occasionally the ovaries) of the male testis and lesser amounts in the female ovaries excrete testosterone in humans and most other vertebrates. Adult men have testosterone around seven to eight times as much as adult women on average. For men, testosterone is made in the Leydig cells of the testicles, and in women, it is also made in the ovaries and adrenal cortex, but mostly in smaller quantities.
Structure
Molecular formula: C19H28O2
Testosterone is a 17-ketosteroid with four spirocyclic rings.
Synthesis Process
| Place of Production of Testosterone |
Testosterone is generated in testicles' Leydig cells. Those testosterone hormones are directed by hormones released from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. |
| Way of Making |
Testosterone begins with cholesterol and it's a multi-enzyme synthesis way. |
Synthesis Steps
| Conversion of cholesterol |
The cholesterol first converts to progesterone. |
| Progesterone to testosterone |
Converting progesterone to testosterone (they have a bunch but basically 17-hydroxyprogesterone to testosterone is the one you're interested in). This is done by enzymes like 17-HSD (17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) and 5-reductase. |
Control
T-estrogen is controlled by Gonadotropin (GnRH) produced by the hypothalamus and LH produced by the anterior pituitary. These hormones keep the body's testosterone metabolism in an inverse loop.
Testosterone Levels Affect Physical Health
Usually a medium testosterone is great for your heart. Also changes blood cholesterol and prevents heart disease and atherosclerosis by raising "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and decreasing "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Men lacking testosterone are weak, fat, anxious and depressed, sexy and bone-losing. Men whose testosterone is too high risk androgen excess, cardiovascular disease, death from prostate cancer, seborrheic alopecia, impulsivity and hypersexuality.
Testosterone and Heart Disease
Testosterone is the most prominent sex hormone in men (though there is one in women too, and it has many physiological functions). Much longer, it's the common denominator who has worried about the cardiovascular side of testosterone. The relationship between testosterone and heart disease is, as studies have demonstrated, ambiguous. In moderation, a low dose of testosterone can be cardiovascular protective (it can help control blood lipids and increase endothelial function). But this protective property has a lot to do with normal testosterone. If too much testosterone is produced (exogenous testosterone supplementation or abuse), cardiovascular disease can occur such as hypertension, thrombosis, cardiac hypertrophy, etc.
Potential Cardiovascular Uses of Testosterone
We have also heard about it as a therapy for some heart problems. A few cardiovascular uses and effects testosterone has can be exerted and they are still being researched but testosterone may have some cardiovascular protective effects.
| Cardiovascular Protection |
| The hormone can even be good for the heart. When the dose is just right, testosterone can help increase vascular health and reduce atherosclerosis and heart disease. Testosterone balances lipid metabolism, lowers atherosclerotic plaques, and essentially shuts off the inflammatory system. |
| Myocardial Protection |
| The muscle of the heart has been shown to be protected by testosterone in a few cases. In heart failures including myocardial infarction and heart failure, testosterone can minimize myocardial destruction, cardiac reconditioning, and mortality. |
| Vasodilation |
| Testosterone can also make your blood vessels larger and more circulating. It maintains your blood pressure and circulation so you avoid cardiovascular disease. |
| Anti-inflammatory Effects |
| Perhaps testosterone is anti-inflammatory, and that it works by reducing inflammation in blood vessel walls, sealing blood vessels from infection. |
| Controlling Thrombosis |
| The right dosage of testosterone can help keep away thrombosis and heart diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. |
Conclusion
What testosterone does for cardiovascular disease is a debatable issue. A high testosterone may also contribute to a healthy heart. Testosterone can influence lipid metabolism and prevent atherosclerosis. Some studies have even shown that testosterone guards the heart muscle and can prevent the ravages of heart disease. The researchers also found that high testosterone can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially if there are other cardiovascular risk factors present. Too much testosterone could be a trigger for excessive heart load, thrombosis and cardiac rhythm problems.
What testosterone does for heart disease is dependent on the ratio of its level to health. Too much or too little testosterone can be bad for the heart, and it could be dangerous. testosterone therapy should be seriously considered in patients who are susceptible to heart disease, and the elderly particularly.
References
- Wu, Y., et al. Trial of erythropoietin for hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy in newborns. New England journal of medicine. 2022, 387(2): 148-159.
- English, K., et al. Testosterone and coronary heart disease: is there a link?. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine. 1997, 90(12): 787-791.
.
