Just bringing up the word testosterone conjures up all kinds of associations. The macho man and aggressive behavior—even just the old-fashioned manly man are all associated with a healthy amount of testosterone. 

There are good reasons for these associations. Testosterone is the primary male hormone, the hormone that makes it possible for our human bodies to develop muscles, body hair, a deeper voice, etc. When people speak of the defining features of conventional masculinity, they are talking about the things that come about because of testosterone. 

But testosterone is quite serious, and it is responsible for much more than the outdated ideas of the macho man. Testosterone works with the entire system of hormones in the body to make for a healthy body. In cases where men, or women, have too little testosterone, serious health problems can develop. Likewise, too much testosterone can be a sign of a serious medical issue.

What is testosterone? What does testosterone do in the body? What parts of the body are impacted by the presence of testosterone? This guide will give you the basic facts about testosterone so you can have a better understanding of the role and function of testosterone. 

What is testosterone?

 Testosterone is a hormone produced in the sex organs, or gonads. It is primarily the main hormone produced in the testicles of people who are biologically male at birth. Testosterone is also produced in smaller amounts in the ovaries of people who are biological female. 

The adrenal glands also produce a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which the body then transforms into testosterone. Testosterone is what is called an androgen. Androgens are hormones that specifically determine sex characteristics.  As an androgen, testosterone stimulates the development of physical characteristics which are naturally male. 

How is testosterone made?

Testosterone is primarily produced in the testes. However, there is a complex biochemical process that makes testosterone that involves multiple regions of the body. The process of making testosterone includes: 

Brain

The region of the brain that controls homeostasis, or the internal balance of the body, is called the hypothalamus. Part of the process of controlling homeostasis involves the regulation of the endocrine system which is part of the nervous system. The hypothalamus is what initially triggers the release of hormones. In the case of testosterone, the hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland to trigger the production of testosterone. The hypothalamus does this by releasing other hormones called gonadotropic hormones.  

Testes

The pituitary gland sends two different hormones to the testes. FSH stimulates the production of sperm cells, and LH stimulates the production of testosterone. LH causes a specific type of cell in the testes called Leydig cells to convert cholesterol into testosterone. 

The bulk of the cholesterol necessary for the production of testosterone gets into the bloodstream from the diet. The testes can produce small amounts of cholesterol in the absence of sufficient dietary cholesterol. However, cholesterol in the diet is an essential component of testosterone production. 

About 5 percent of testosterone is produced in the adrenal glands. The other 95 percent is produced in the testes. In women, the majority of the small amount of testosterone their bodies produce is made in the ovaries. A small amount is produced in the adrenal glands.  

Pituitary gland

A large amount of the hormones that control the endocrine system originate in the pituitary gland. It is the pituitary gland that controls the testes, adrenal glands, and thyroid gland. The hypothalamus is the controlling biochemical mechanism, but it is the pituitary gland that actually releases or inhibits hormones. 

When the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to produce testosterone, it releases gonadotrophic chemical triggers. These include two hormone-stimulating chemicals: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). It is LH that signals the testes to produce more testosterone. When the testosterone levels reach a point of homeostasis, the hypothalamus stops the biochemical signals that began the process of testosterone production.  

Bloodstream

Once testosterone has been produced in the testes, it is then carried through the bloodstream to areas of the body where it is needed. Some of the testosterone in the bloodstream will be rendered inert as it is attached to proteins. The rest will be carried to regions of the body that express masculine traits and characteristics. Once the hypothalamus detects that enough testosterone has been produced, it will send signals through the bloodstream to stop testosterone production. The hypothalamus will stop producing FSH and LH which will cause the presence of the chemicals in the bloodstream to disappear. It is the bloodstream that sustains the cycle of testosterone production. 

What does testosterone do?

Testosterone is the primary sex hormone. As such, it plays a crucial role in how sex characteristics are determined in the body. Testosterone also plays other important roles in our health. 

• In males, testosterone performs the following functions:
• Development of the penis and testes.
• Deepening the voice during puberty.
• The appearance of facial hair and public hair at the onset of puberty, while it also plays a role in pattern baldness. 
• Muscle growth, size, and strength. 
• Bone growth and strength. 
• Sex drive, or libido. 
• Sperm production. 

Adolescent boys who do not produce enough testosterone may not experience the normal processes of masculinization. For example, their genitals may not properly develop and enlarge. They may have little to no discernible body hair. And their voices may not deepen. 

Testosterone appears to also have an effect on normal moods. 

You may be surprised to know that testosterone plays important functions in women. Small quantities of testosterone are produced in the ovaries of women and their adrenal glands. Testosterone is just one of several male hormones present in women. These hormones are thought to play important roles in the following functions:

Ovarian function. 

Bone strength. Sexual behavior, including normal libido. 

The proper balance of testosterone and other androgens in relation to hormones like estrogen is necessary for the ovaries to function properly. While more research is needed to provide conclusive evidence, researchers also believe testosterone is important for normal brain functions like mood regulation, sex drive, and cognitive functions. 

What areas of the body does testosterone impact?

Testosterone impacts nearly the entire body. Some of the key parts of the body impacted by testosterone include:

Endocrine system

The endocrine system includes the glands that manufacture hormones. The hypothalamus in the brain signals the pituitary gland to produce testosterone, among other hormones. The pituitary gland then sends signals to the testes to start producing testosterone. Small amounts of testosterone are also produced in the adrenal glands which are part of the endocrine system. Before a child is even born, the endocrine system is producing testosterone to help from the body of a genetically determined male. Later, during puberty, the endocrine system signals the testes to produce more testosterone to allow for the development of male sex characteristics.  

Reproductive system

Within about seven weeks after conception, testosterone begins to help form male genitals. The testosterone surge at puberty brings male genitals to sexual maturity. It is the influence of testosterone that makes the production of sperm possible. 

Men with low testosterone levels can experience things like erectile dysfunction. They may also have low sperm counts. Testosterone is instrumental to a healthy reproductive system. 

Central nervous system

The biochemical loop of signals and hormones that control and initiate the production of testosterone originates in the hypothalamus in the brain. It is a central nervous system trigger that makes the production of testosterone work. What is more, certain behaviors are linked to testosterone levels in men. Aggressive and competitive behaviors are linked to testosterone levels. Low testosterone levels can cause depression and a lack of energy. 

Muscle, fat, and bone

Most people know that testosterone helps build muscle and strength. It is the primary hormone that signals muscle development in males with the onset of puberty. But testosterone also builds bone strength. 

While testosterone interacts with nuclear receptors in DNA to stimulate muscle development, it also signals the bone marrow to develop red blood cells that help bones grow strong and healthy. At the same time, the function that stimulates bone strength is the same function that makes testosterone instrumental in maintaining red blood cells. 

The circuit of biochemical signals and reactions tied to testosterone makes it an essential hormone for basic health and development. People with low testosterone are in danger of developing brittle bones and reduced muscle. If testosterone levels become too low, the red blood cell count can decline. People with low testosterone can also see an increase in body fat.

Circulatory system

As we can see, all the functions of testosterone are facilitated by the bloodstream. Testosterone is the hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells, an essential component of blood. 

Testosterone Levels

Normal or what is generally accepted as healthy testosterone levels vary considerably and depend on thyroid function, protein status, and other factors. Testosterone levels are measured in the bloodstream in nanograms/ deciliter (ng/dl). 

According to the American Urological Association (AUA), the normal or healthy testosterone level for an adult male is 300 ng/dl.  For adult females, the normal or healthy level of testosterone is 8-60 ng/dl. Testosterone levels generally peak at around the age of 18 or 19 and decline through the rest of adulthood. 

Low testosterone can cause serious problems and health issues. Low testosterone can lead to sexual dysfunction, for example. 

Low testosterone levels can cause changes in sexual function, including:

• reduced sexual desire, or low libido
• fewer spontaneous erections
• impotence
• erectile dysfunction (ED)
• infertility

Other signs of low testosterone levels include:

• changes in sleep patterns
• difficulty concentrating
• lack of motivation
• reduced muscle bulk and strength
• decreased bone density
• large breasts in men
• depression
• fatigue

If you suspect that you might be suffering from low testosterone, you will need to have this checked by a doctor. 

How can NF Sports PrimeXD help with boosting my testosterone?

The NF Sports PrimeXD is the best example of a testosterone booster available. We combine the most essential natural testosterone boosters to make a powerful supplement that can help you build lean muscle mass, increase your energy levels, increase heart health, and even increase sexual potency. NF Sports PrimeXD contains the best natural ingredients to boost testosterone production. 

The ingredients in the NF Sports PrimeXD include Testofen®, Ksm-66 Ashwagandha, Tribulus Terrestris, Horny goat weed, and Black Maca. NF Sports PrimeXD contains these ingredients in the highest concentrations allowable for maximum effect and maximum safety. NF Sports PrimeXD can help build muscle and strength and restore health. 

Testosterone FAQS

What is testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone produced in the sex organs, or gonads. It is primarily the main hormone produced in the testicles of people who are biologically male at birth. Testosterone is also produced in smaller amounts in the ovaries of people who are biological females. 

How is testosterone made?

Testosterone is primarily produced in the testes. However, there is a complex biochemical process that makes testosterone that involves multiple regions of the body.

What is the normal testosterone level?

According to the American Urological Association (AUA), the normal or healthy testosterone level for an adult male is 300 ng/dl.  For adult females, the normal or healthy level of testosterone is 8-60 ng/dl. Testosterone levels generally peak at around the age of 18 or 19 and decline through the rest of adulthood. 

Conclusion

We tend to think of testosterone as something that has only to do with masculinity, muscles, and even aggression. It is true that testosterone plays a key role in all of these things. But testosterone is essential for our entire bodies to function correctly. 

Muscles, bones, and the circulatory system all depend in part on healthy levels of testosterone production. And the endocrine system, which helps produce testosterone, also relies on testosterone to function properly. Testosterone is an essential component of the cycles that make it possible for us to stay healthy. 

Low testosterone can lead to serious health issues. Everything from erectile dysfunction to depression and fatigue can come from low testosterone. There are medically approved testosterone replacement therapies that can help with low testosterone. The NF Sports PrimeXD is another way of boosting testosterone levels with a healthy and effective supplement. 

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.