Sperm production

Adolescent boys with too little testosterone may not experience normal masculinization.
There may be other important functions of this hormone that have not yet been discovered.
Signals sent from the brain to the pituitary gland at the base of the brain control the production of testosterone in men.
The pituitary gland relays signals to the testes to produce testosterone.
When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends signals to the pituitary to reduce production.
If you thought testosterone was only important in men, you'd be mistaken.
Testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal gland.
It's one of several androgens in females.
These hormones are thought to have important effects on: Ovarian function
Bone strength
The proper balance between testosterone and estrogen is important for the ovaries to work normally.
While the specifics are uncertain, it's possible that androgens play an important role in normal brain function
The Perils of Too Much Testosterone
That may surprise you given what people might consider obvious evidence of testosterone excess: road rage, fighting among fathers at Little League games and sexual promiscuity.
Part of this may be due to the difficulty defining "normal" testosterone levels and "normal" behavior.
Perhaps the most common cause of a high testosterone level is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Women with high testosterone levels, due to either disease or drug use, may experience a decrease in breast size and deepening of the voice, in addition to many of the problems men may have
Too Little Testosterone
Researchers have focused on the effects of testosterone deficiency, especially among men.
The testes produces less testosterone, there are fewer signals from the pituitary telling the testes to make testosterone, and a protein (called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) increases with age.
All of this reduces the active form of testosterone in the body.
A man with osteoporosis and low testosterone can increase bone strength and reduce his fracture risk with testosterone replacement.
As surprising as it may be, women can be bothered by symptoms of testosterone deficiency.
They may experience low libido, reduced bone strength, poor concentration or depression
Diseases and Conditions That Affect Testosterone
Men can experience a drop in testosterone due to conditions or diseases affecting the: Genetic diseases, such as Klinefelter syndrome and hemochromatosis can affect testosterone.
Women may have a testosterone deficiency due to diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus or adrenal glands, in addition to removal of the ovaries.
Estrogen therapy increases sex hormone binding globulin and, like aging men, this reduces the amount of free, active testosterone in the body
Testosterone Therapy
Testosterone therapy is approved primarily for the treatment of delayed male puberty, low production of testosterone and certain inoperable female breast cancers.
It is quite possible that testosterone treatment can improve symptoms in men with significantly low levels of active testosterone, such as: Generalized weakness
Problems with sexual function
(It's not clear if low levels without symptoms are meaningful; treatment risks may outweigh benefits.) the wisdom and effectiveness of testosterone treatment to improve sexual function or cognitive function among postmenopausal women is unclear.
People with normal testosterone levels are sometimes treated with testosterone at the recommendation of their doctors or they obtain the medication on their own.
Some have recommended it as a "remedy" for aging.
A study from Harvard Medical School in 2003 found that even among men who started out with normal testosterone results noted loss of fat, increased muscle mass, better mood, and less anxiety when receiving testosterone therapy.
The risks and side effects of taking testosterone when the body is already making enough still discourages widespread use
The Bottom Line
Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally.
Checking testosterone levels is as easy as having a blood test.
A single low level may be meaningless in the absence of symptoms, especially if it was normal at another time.
The authors need more research to know when to measure testosterone, how best to respond to the results and when it's worthwhile to accept the risks of treatment.
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