Why androgens are so important in every athlete's course. Find out what secrets are hidden behind such powerful and dangerous steroid drugs. As you know, testosterone is secreted by Leyding cells, and the rate of hormone production is on average about 7 milligrams per day. The rate of production of this substance is regulated by gonadotropic hormones. The androgenic activity of the hormone, due to which kinase is activated, in many ways resembles similar processes occurring in the adrenal cortex, which synthesize glucocorticoids.
All cells that have the ability to secrete testosterone retain the original variation of the hormone. It is important to remember that the androgenic activity of testosterone does not stop for a moment. In the male body, estrogens are synthesized in small quantities. However, mainly female hormones enter the bloodstream after conversion from androgens.
Like all other fat-soluble hormones, testosterone is transported via globulin. The same protein compound is also a transport for estrogens.
Synthetic androgens
Testosterone has a fairly short half-life, and its metabolism takes place in the liver. For this reason, the use of exogenous testosterone by mouth is not advisable. But the use of injectable esters of the male hormone is fully justified, and it is in the half-life that the main and only difference between an artificial hormone and a natural one lies. The only exception is 17-methyl ester, which can be taken orally.
However, this does not eliminate the risk of diseases such as cholestasis or jaundice. For hormone replacement therapy, the best option is to use parenteral hormonal esters. Antiandrogens have the ability to interact with receptors, resulting in endogenous hormone binding.
For this reason, antiandrogens are not able to take part in biochemical reactions, which is used to establish the level of androgens involved in various reactions.
After scientists discovered dihydrotestosterone, a large amount of research was carried out. As a result, it has been proven that testosterone can affect androgen-sensitive tissues only in the form of dihydrotestosterone. It is this substance that is secreted in the cells of these tissues.
Androgen deficiency therapy
The best thing about the effect of androgens on the male body is their deficiency. It is the androgens that are responsible for the development of the male primary genital organs. At the same time, in most animals, secondary sexual characteristics are more pronounced in comparison with humans. Examples include deer antlers or peacock tails. With a deficiency of androgens in the body of animals, these secondary sexual characteristics may cease to develop. Similar processes take place in the human body.
Androgens are able to stimulate the work of the sebaceous glands, and with a high level of these substances in the body, the greasiness of the skin increases and even pathological acne appears. In men, after castration, such effects never appear. At the same time, these defects can also appear in women, as well as people using high doses of androgenic drugs. For example, the appearance of acne in women is most often associated with the period of menopause, when increased production of androgens begins. The situation is similar with, for example, the timbre of the voice. Note also the fact that androgens also affect the growth of bone tissue. If in the body of boys during puberty there is a deficiency of androgens, then this will lead to an acceleration of the synthesis of growth hormone, and then to the growth of bone tissue. Accordingly, with a high level of androgens, boys may stop growing.
An equally important property of androgens is their effect on the growth of muscle tissue. The higher the concentration of androgens, the more muscle mass a man will have. On the female body, this affects the rate of creation of subcutaneous fat in the abdomen and thighs.
Effect of androgens on sexual behavior
Almost all animals have stereotyped thinking, which also affects their sexual behavior, which is also affected by androgens. After castration, rats do not show sexual activity at all until puberty. If castration was carried out after full puberty, then the animal's behavior pattern changes. It all starts with the cessation of ejaculation, then mating stops, and after that the animals stop even trying to mate.
At the same time, with androgen therapy, the sexual behavior of rats can return to normal. However, this will require the use of very high dosages of testosterone. But in humans, the relationship between sexual behavior and testosterone has not been found.
Androgens are widely discussed not only by sports professionals, but also by scientists. Today, the question of the influence of androgens on homosexuality is very popular. There are two theories here. According to one of them, deviations in the generally accepted sexual behavior occur due to the low level of androgens in the body during the active development of the brain. According to the second theory, the whole point is only in the upbringing and psychology of a person.
Today, none of these points of view are fully proven, and each theory has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Research into the effects of androgens on the human body will continue, and we will have many more answers in the future. In the meantime, it remains to take into account scientifically proven facts and build hypotheses in other issues that have not yet been fully studied.
Learn more about androgens in this video interview:
