What is Testosterone ?

Since long, people have made this observation that less of females and people with no or castrated genitals went bald. Thus, arose an assumption that may be testosterone, which is found less in females and in those few males with no or castrated genitals, might have something to do with people turning bald. Before we make an attempt to understand the working of testosterone and its effect on the person’s hair quality, or hair related issues, let us first make an attempt to understand what testosterone is.

Testosterone

Belonging to the family of androgens, testosterone is a hormone produced in the genitals and gonads amongst men. It is testosterone, which results in the male features and sex characteristics (penis, testicles, scrotum, prostate and seminal vesicles) amongst men. Meanwhile, though in small amounts, testosterone does find a place in the female body as well, though the main sex hormone in the female body happens to be estrogen. Testosterone is the hormone that leads to the growth and development of the male characteristics like sex and reproductive organs. It is often noticed, hence, that any deficiency of testosterone amongst males in their growing years leads to retarded development of sex organs, while rendering them with erectile dysfunction or infertile. Further, testosterone also results in the rendering of manly characteristics like increased body mass, deepening of the voice, maintaining high energy levels, good mood, sexual desire and so on. It is often seen that testosterone increases in production at the time of puberty, while reducing after the ages of 50 and above.

Due to its chief characteristics of developing body mass and muscles, many athletes and body builders make use of artificial testosterone, by taking them in the form of injections or pills. However, while taking artificial testosterone does help in building the mass, it misbalances the hormonal balance in the body, thus leading to a number of problems.

Problems related to Testosterone

It is generally seen that most of the athletes and body builders tend to go bald as they approach old age. There is a reason for it. Since most of these athletes had an increased intake of testosterone in the body, along with the protein material  important for the strength of tissues, this leads to a situation called androgenic alopecia in them.

In androgenic alopecia, the free testosterone gets converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the help of alpha reductase enzyme. While in little amounts, DHT does not have much of an effect. However, when produced in large quantities, DHT has a fatal effect on the hair follicles, shrinking them in size, thus, reducing the hair growth, until finally, the follicle closes down and no more hair appears. This leads to a systematic baldness in the person and is called as androgenic alopecia.

While excess of testosterone is also not good for the body, low levels of testosterone also lead to few disorders. In old age, especially, when testosterone production declines, testosterone deficiency may lead to conditions like damaged hypothalamus, hypogonadism or damage to pituitary glands.

In females, too, deficiency of testosterone has its effects, despite the fact that it is estrogen that manages female hormones and developments. In case, testosterone is deficient in the growing ages among the girl child, this may lead to delayed puberty and menstruation cycle. Short heightedness, late or no absence of menstruation, loss of libido, absence or undeveloped breasts, hair loss, hot flashes etc are all the signs of testosterone deficiency in a female.

Testosterone and hair fall

As mentioned earlier, androgenic alopecia, one of the most common reasons for baldness amongst males and females is the direct result of increased testosterone levels in the body. While the functioning of testosterone and DHT, which lead to androgenic alopecia, has already been explained above, the hair loss due to testosterone is explained beneath.

It is usually seen, that amongst women, who are undergoing hormonal changes, either at the time of pregnancy or at the time of menopause, tend to face hair fall in almost all cases. In normal conditions, the female hormone, estrogen, helps in nullifying the effects of testosterone in the female body. However, when the body is undergoing hormonal changes, the balance tumbles. This results in testosterone getting converted in to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and damaging the hair follicles leading to hair loss.

Though, increased as well as decreased levels of testosterone are harmful, they can be successfully treated and controlled with the help of certain medications.

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