Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays a crucial role in an organism, which is why decreased levels of this hormone usually showcase a number of symptoms in men. Testosterone impacts sex drive, fat distribution, muscle mass, production of red blood cells, and overall sexual performance.
Although lower levels of testosterone and the impact it has on the body is widely discussed, it’s also important to talk about higher levels of the hormone. The latest study made a groundbreaking discovery finding that increased testosterone levels affect male behavior. How? Keep reading to find out!
High T Levels And Social Behavior
Higher levels of testosterone were usually linked to aggressiveness, but the latest study shows that’s not the whole picture. Jean-Claude Dreher and a team of scientists from different countries such as Ireland, France, and the United States, carried out research to investigate the impact of higher testosterone levels on male social behavior.
The study included 40 healthy men who were randomized into two groups. One group received testosterone injections, while people in the second group were administered with a placebo. Additionally, participants also had to play the Ultimatum Game which included the opportunity to reward or punish the other player. In the game, participants were asked to react to proposals to split a pot of money. If they accepted the share someone else proposed, they got to keep it. If they rejected it, nobody got the money. After playing the game, men had the opportunity to punish or reward the players they “negotiated with.” Using the share of the money they won, men could either reduce the unseen negotiator’s payout or increase it by contributing a small share from his pot.
Findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that administration of testosterone caused increased punishment of the other player, but at the same time, it also increased larger reward offers. These results demonstrate that testosterone causes prosocial behavior in males.
While low testosterone is linked to irritability and mood swings, especially stress and anxiety, the empirical research, and popular opinion assume high testosterone is only associated with aggression and violence. The study did confirm that elevated levels of this hormone could lead to male aggression which isn’t mediated by increased motivation to maximize task earnings or altered beliefs about the strategic influence of their actions on others. Aggression propelled by the hormone is merely reactive, a response to provocation. For example, men were more likely to forfeit money by rejecting proposals that included giving more money to the other player. This type of behavior suggests that men would rather give up and take no money, rather than accept a proposal that is unfair and disrespectful for them. Men with higher testosterone levels were, thereby, more vindictive than men on placebo in these situations, the LA Times reports.
Furthermore, the study also showed that effects of higher levels of this hormone aren’t only limited to the reactive aggression. In fact, men who received testosterone injections were more likely to offer monetary rewards to other participants who offered them large amounts of money. Surprisingly, they chose greater rewards comparing to men who received a placebo. The groundbreaking discovery from this research indicates that testosterone causes prosocial male behavior or type of social demeanor that is beneficial to others.
Testosterone Makes You Do Good Things
After some limited studies had shown that men with higher testosterone levels are more violent, suddenly it became quite frequent to blame any type of aggression on this hormone. But that’s not entirely correct. For example, millions of men take dietary supplements, and they report they feel better and happier, not more violent. Top male enhancement pills are known for hormone regulation as well as improved mood. For this and many other reasons, scientists claim it’s about time we stop assuming testosterone makes male aggression erupt like a volcano. In fact, higher levels of the hormone make men do great and positive things such as donating to charities, sharing the proceeds of business deals generously with their partners, and so on.
You’re probably wondering why higher testosterone levels make you kind-hearted. The answer could be a man’s impulse to protect or enhance his status. Let’s put it this way; testosterone makes you reluctant to accept a disrespectful business proposition and highly vindictive towards a person who proposed it, i.e. provoked you, but when your negotiating partner shows you respect, you respond generously.
Healthy testosterone levels are necessary for your overall health and wellbeing. If you’re dealing with lower levels of the hormone, consult your doctor about different things you can do to boost them. Regular exercise, healthy diet, dietary supplements such as Alpha Fuel XT, and yoga are just some things that can help you resolve this issue in a natural manner.
Conclusion
Although it was widely believed that higher testosterone levels were only associated with violence, that’s not entirely correct. The latest study confirmed that aggressive behavior was displayed as a reaction to provocations. On the other hand, men with higher levels of the hormone also expressed prosocial behavior patterns as well.