Dr. Cooper talks testosterone

by KING 5 HealthLink

KING5.com

Posted on August 16, 2013 at 9:51 AM

Dr. Emily Cooper of Seattle Performance Medicine joined KING 5 to explain how testosterone is not just important as a sex hormone -- and it's not just a "guy thing," either.

She answered questions and talked about why testosterone matters.

What are the most important things to know about testosterone?

Levels of testosterone change throughout life. They begin to increase in puberty-- especially late puberty -- and peak in the 20s and they do decline naturally with age. When everything's working properly, levels are about eight to 10 times higher in men than women.

Is testosterone part of women's hormonal makeup as well?

Yes. Men and women have both estrogen and testosterone, but in different amounts! Many of the functions of testosterone are important to women's bodies as well.

But while in women estrogen is more important for bones, in men, testosterone is one of the most important factors in bone density. When it's deficient, it leads to osteopenia and osteoporosis. It's important for muscle development and injury prevention. As we age, this is critical. You've probably seen men who are exercising and seem as though they're in great shape, but they're lacking muscle mass or develop stress fractures, have poor posture. Many times a low testosterone level can be a contributor to these problems. Also for men, testosterone is very important for concentration, memory and mood as well as energy levels, motivation and drive...and not just sex drive!

See the article here:
Dr. Cooper talks testosterone

Word Count: 256