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One of the most famous male hormones is testosterone. Over time, many things have conventionally been associated with high levels of testosterone. One of them is aggression. Aggression, which tends to relate to physical violence or, in some cases, competitiveness, belligerence, and machismo, and aggression has been, in most cases, linked to high levels of testosterone.
Testosterone is crucial in maintaining the balance between the various psychological networks of behavior, mood, perceived quality of life, and self-perception in men of all ages. According to research, high levels of testosterone have been noted to cause mood changes, which can include high testosterone aggression, aggression, or irritability. A majority of men have a healthy level of testosterone. However, there are a few who suffer from high testosterone, an issue that might increase their aggression vs. assertiveness hormones.
In this blog, we will explore the relationship between testosterone and mental health so individuals can properly understand the psychological effects of high testosterone aggression and testosterone assertiveness.
According to this study, testosterone has been suggested to promote behaviors that increase social dominance. Another study showed that among teenagers, testosterone was shown to have correlated with higher social dominance than aggression. This shows that testosterone affects social responses, not only aggression. Therefore, scientists are tentatively concluding that testosterone might play a role causing behaviors that enhance your motivation and ability to achieve and maintain social status. However, research is still unclear on how this works.
Testosterone is produced in the testes of men and is crucial in regulating sex drive, production of red blood cells, distribution and composition of muscles and fat, and body hair growth. However, testosterone also affects our social behaviors. Testosterone’s functions change across our lives. When young, testosterone allows the development of body organs and sexual structure. As we grow older, it tends to be more regulatory as it focuses on the maintenance of bone mass and sperm health. Therefore, throughout our lives, our testosterone levels tend to reduce by about 1% every year.
Increased testosterone affects our mental health in various ways. Assertiveness, aggressiveness, impulsivity, and overconfidence could be a result of high testosterone. Elevated testosterone can result in mood swings, which alternates between intervals of increased energy and irritability or restlessness. In certain people, these fluctuations can result in long-term psychological problems that can damage emotional stability and relationships.
Testosterone impact can be quite intense, as excessive impulsivity and aggression associated with high testosterone can strengthen social bonds and communications. Therefore, these effects require a balanced approach to manage testosterone levels. Recognizing and handling high testosterone-related behaviors is important. A balanced approach ensures you use the benefits of high testosterone and manage the hazards to social well-being and mental health.
Researchers have been studying the relationship between testosterone and aggression. In one study, the prison population was used as the target environment. This is because such places are where testosterone and dominant personality traits tend to triumph while the weak suffer.
One such study was conducted on prison inmates who were in prison for violent crimes. The research result showed that individuals who committed violent crimes during their adolescence tend to have higher testosterone levels than those who have not committed violent acts. The study further showed that inmates who committed violent acts throughout their adolescence tend to be more aggressive than those who haven’t committed any.
Another study used 89 prisoners who were young and healthy males and showed that elevated levels of testosterone are correlated with an enhanced seriousness and frequency of violent crimes. In this study, ten out of 11 inmates with the highest level of testosterone committed violent crimes. On the other hand, 9 out of 11 who committed nonviolent crimes had the smallest count of testosterone levels.
This information allows the assumption that there is an intricate connection between aggression and testosterone. However, the data is limited in the environments where men participate. Furthermore, in a published review, many data obtained from studies that featured prisoners are self-reported. This adds to the questionability of the claims and intensity made by the participants.
Aside from the above studies, the connection between testosterone levels and aggression has been studied in other settings, particularly competitive environments. In a study of six tennis players covering six different tennis games, it was found that for every layer, their level of testosterone peaked right before the match.
Players who were the most confident before the match began showed the highest levels of testosterone. After the match, the participants with elevated testosterone levels won. The winners, with the opinion that they performed extraordinarily well, showed higher testosterone levels.
On the other hand, individuals who lost reported lesser testosterone levels than their pre-match count. This information, though limited in sample size, can breed the assumption that elevated testosterone can sometimes result in increased competitiveness. This might, in turn, lead to feelings of assertiveness and dominance in a field where the expectation is to excel.
In terms of levels, men will benefit more if their testosterone falls within the normal range of 300 to 1,000 ng/dL. Though there are negative nuances of high testosterone levels and increased aggression, testosterone plays a crucial role than most people think. The fact is, testosterone is cruel in the development and maintenance of masculine physical characteristics in males, like growth of body and facial hair, strength, and muscle mass. If you feel you have low testosterone levels, you might feel irritable, weak, and fatigued. Your sex life might also suffer as this hormone is crucial for promoting sexual behavior and reproduction. Though there is research that correlates testosterone with aggression, it is not the only indicator of a person’s propensity to have aggressive behavior.
Testosterone is an essential hormone that affects many things in our body. However, does testosterone cause aggression? There is no direct evidence that this is the case, as most studies have been inconclusive. However, studies show that testosterone does seem to affect our hormones and behavior linked to social dominance and assertiveness. However, if you do feel symptoms of hyper-aggressiveness, it is crucial to speak with a healthcare practitioner before making a decision. If you intend to learn more about testosterone and mental health, this website has answers to your questions.
Testosterone can activate the subcortical brain area to produce aggression, while serotonin and cortisol antagonistically act with testosterone to lower its effects.
Studies report a weak relationship between testosterone levels and aggression. However, there are acute changes in testosterone during competitions which can elevate subsequent aggression.
Though elevated testosterone levels in men may sometimes cause increased muscle mass, it also brings side effects such as mood swings, weight gain, stunted growth, and acne.
