The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland are important in controlling the amount of testosterone produced by the testes. The regulation of testosterone production is tightly controlled to maintain normal levels in blood, although levels are usually highest in the morning and fall after that. The majority of testosterone produced in the ovary is converted to the principle female sex hormone, oestradiol. In women, testosterone is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands. To effect these changes, testosterone is often converted into another androgen called dihydrotestosterone. It also regulates the secretion of luteinising hormone and follicle stimulating hormone.
Testosterone is linked to many of the changes seen in boys during puberty (including an increase in height, body and pubic hair growth, enlargement of the penis, testes and prostate gland, and changes in sexual and aggressive behaviour). This hormone also signals the body to make new blood cells, ensures that muscles and bones stay strong during and after puberty and enhances libido both in men and women. Present in much greater levels in men than women, testosterone initiates the development of the male internal and external reproductive organs during foetal development and is essential for the production of sperm in adult life. It is an androgen, meaning that it stimulates the development of male characteristics. Testosterone is produced by the gonads (by the Leydig cells in testes in men and by the ovaries in women), although small quantities are also produced by the adrenal glands in both sexes. Testo (brand name for testosterone formulations) 4-androsten-17β-ol-3-one What is testosterone?
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