Sex Hormones in Men—Testosterone, Estrogen, SHBG, and Progesterone While the most well-known sex hormone in men is testosterone, there are a number of sex hormones that play a role in a man’s body.
Testosterone in Men
Testosterone is the most well-known male hormone in men’s bodies. Testosterone plays a critical role in regulating:- Muscle and bone strength
- Muscle growth
- Sexual function
- Fertility
- Regulation of fat (both amount and distribution)
- Production of red blood cells
- Reduced sex drive
- Inability to maintain an erection or weak erections
- Fatigue
- Mild depression or low mood
- Mild anxiety
- Irritability
- Inability to concentrate
- Increased body fat
- Inability to gain muscle or decreased muscle mass
- Mood swings
- Anemia
Estrogen in Men
While estrogen does indeed appear in the bodies of men and plays a critical role, its levels are much lower than in a woman’s body. Further, high estrogen in men can cause a number of negative symptoms, as can low estrogen. Symptoms of high estrogen levels in men are often similar to low testosterone in men and include:- Low muscle mass
- Inability to gain muscle
- Increased body fat, especially visceral fat (fat around the abdomen)
- Development of breast tissue
- Erectile dysfunction (inability to achieve or maintain an erection)
- Fatigue
- Night sweats or sweating in general