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Testosterone Research

In 1929, University of Chicago professor Fred Koch and his coworkers mashed up several tons of bovine testicles, extracting in the process–for the first time in human history–a few ounces of pure testosterone. With this pioneering work, Koch and his long line of descendant researchers knew they had hit upon something preternaturally potent.

Soon after the initial extraction, another professor, W.C. Allee, injected a smidgen of testosterone into the bloodstreams of hens. Overnight, submissive egg-layers transmogrified into bombastic she-roosters prone not only to boisterous cockadoodling but also to aggressive courtship with other hens.

Flash forward to the modern day, and the genie unleashed from bull balls 76 years ago has become the most famous–and infamous –celebrity hormone on the face of the earth. Scientists know more than ever about how the T regularly released from human testicles moderates the minds, bodies, and spirits of men. As the substance circulates to every tissue within us, it binds to specialized cell receptors, or penetrates deep within the cells themselves and activates dormant genes in our DNA. Through such triggering mechanisms, T initiates complex biochemical chain reactions that temper everything from our will to dominate and mate, to our visual-spatial acuity, and even to the quality of our REM sleep.

"When testosterone first starts to surge in our bloodstreams at puberty, everything changes," says endocrinologist Richard Spark, M.D., an associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard and the author of Sexual Health for Men: The Complete Guide. "You become interested in girls, you start getting erections, your body transforms–and all of this comes suddenly, without any warning. Testosterone is, by definition, a very sexy substance. It’s not surprising that anything involved with testosterone seems to make headlines."

Source:

http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/other-diseases-ailments/maximum-testosterone/article/6f5a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd/2

Wrote the book:

Practical Methods in Biochemistry. Fourth edition (Koch, Frederick C.; Hanke, Martin E.)
David Lyman Davidson
J. Chem. Educ., 1945, 22 (4), p 204
DOI: 10.1021/ed022p204.2
Publication Date: April 1945

PRACTICAM~.E THODSIN BIOCHEMISTRYF. rederick C. Koch,
Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry. University of Chicago,
and Director of Biochemical Research, Armour & Co., Chicago,
and Martin E. Hankc. Associate Professor of Biochemistry,
Universitv of Chicago. The Williams & Wilkim Co.. Balti- ~ -~~ ~
more. ~ & t h ~dition, 1943. vii + 353 pp. 41 tahies. 20
figs. 16 X 23.5 cm. 52.25.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/ed022p204.2

From Wikipedia:

The trail remained cold until the University of Chicago’s Professor of Physiologic Chemistry, Fred C. Koch, established easy access to a large source of bovine testicles—the Chicago stockyards—and to students willing to endure the ceaseless toil of extracting their isolates. In 1927, Koch and his student, Lemuel McGee, derived 20 mg of a substance from a supply of 40 pounds of bovine testicles that, when administered to castrated roosters, pigs and rats, remasculinized them.[82] The group of Ernst Laqueur at the University of Amsterdam purified testosterone from bovine testicles in a similar manner in 1934, but isolation of the hormone from animal tissues in amounts permitting serious study in humans was not feasible until three European pharmaceutical giants—Schering (Berlin, Germany), Organon (Oss, Netherlands) and Ciba (Basel, Switzerland)—began full-scale steroid research and development programs in the 1930s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone

Study cited in the print source: Gallagher TF, Koch FC (November 1929). "The Testicular Horomone". J. Biol. Chem. 84 (2): 495–500.

WC Allee

Biographical information, including published studies on animal behavior and aggressiveness and what makes them so (referring to testosterone tests)
http://people.wku.edu/charles.smith/chronob/ALLE1885.htm

Warder Clyde Allee Bio

Wikipedia Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warder_Clyde_Allee

Science Direct:

Academic paper on testosterone done in 1989, based on early work with Allee and Koch, purchase is necessary for the full PDF of the academic paper.
Paper name: Male-male competition, ornamentation and the role of testosterone in sexual selection in red jungle fowl

Scientific Journal Article on Testosterone and Biology:

From the population to society: The cooperative metaphors of W.C. Allee and A.E. Emerson
Journal of the History of Biology
http://www.springerlink.com/content/n1n35v363h5v64g5/

Interview with William Kraemer Ph.D

Interview in Body Building.com talks about avoiding low fat diets because they kill testosterone levels.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/billkraemerinterview.htm

Same guy, head of the center for aging at UCONN, includes a long list of publications and studies.
http://www.agingnet.uchc.edu/bios/kraemer.html

Men’s Health Article

Article with David Cumming M.D. talking about importance of testosterone levels
http://menshealth.intoday.in/menshealth/story.jsp?contentid=2713&sid=5&cid=22&page=1

Print Source:
Booth, A., & J. Dabbs. 1993. Testosterone and Men’s Marriages. Social Forces, 72,463-477.
Author’s online bio:
Alan Booth, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Human Development, and Demography
http://www.sociology.psu.edu/people/faculty/booth.shtml

Booth, A. , G. Shelley , A. Mazur , G. Tharp and R. Kittok (1989). "Testosterone, and Winning and Losing in Human Competition." Hormones and Behavior 23(4):556-571.
Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588-0324.

Abstract

Testosterone and cortisol were measured in six university tennis players across six matches during their varsity season. Testosterone rose just before most matches, and players with the highest prematch testosterone had the most positive improvement in mood before their matches. After matches, mean testosterone rose for winners relative to losers, especially for winners with very positive moods after their victories and who evaluated their own performance highly. Winners with rising testosterone had higher testosterone before their next match, in contrast to losers with falling testosterone, who had lower testosterone before their next match. Cortisol was not related to winning or losing, but it was related to seed (top players having low cortisol), and cortisol generally declined as the season progressed. These results are consistent with a biosocial theory of status.

Booth, A. and D.W. Osgood (1993). "The Influence on Testosterone on Deviance in Adulthood: Assessing and Explaining the Relationship." Criminology 31:93-117

Booth, A. , D.R. Johnson and D.A. Granger (1999). "Testosterone and Men’s Depression: The Role of Social Behavior." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 40(2):130-140.

Booth, A. , D.R. Johnson and D.A. Granger (1999). "Testosterone and Men’s Health." Journal of Behavioral Medicine 22(1):1-19. |

Testosterone and "Male Menopause":

Andropause Mystery, Unraveling the Truth about Male Menopause and Conquering its Symptoms
http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/andropause-mystery-unraveling-the-truth-about-male-menopause-and-conquering-its-symptoms.html

References from book: The Andropause Mystery: Unraveling Truths About the Male Menopause – Paperback (Mar. 7, 2009) by Robert S. Tan, M.D.

Testosterone Research Paper Abstracts and Summaries

Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Bone and Muscle in Older Men With Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels
http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/56/5/M266.abstract

Testosterone: The Good, the Bad, and the Contradictory

By Lane Lenard, PhD

The researchers, led by Dr. Alan Booth, a professor of sociology and human development at Penn State University, measured testosterone levels (using saliva samples) in more than 4,300 men between the ages of 32 and 44 years. They found that those men who had the highest levels of testosterone had a 45% lower risk of high blood pressure, a 72% lower risk of having a heart attack, and an 8% lower risk of having three or more colds a year. These men were also 45% less likely to rate their health as fair or poor.

On the other hand, the men with high testosterone levels were 25% more likely to report injuries, 32% more likely to drink alcohol heavily (5 or more drinks per day), and 151% more likely to smoke tobacco.

The health benefits of high testosterone suggested in this study confirm what has been seen in scores of other studies over the last 60 to 70 years, but the men’s high risk behavior remains a bit of a puzzle. Since the Penn State researchers measured testosterone levels but did not attempt to alter them, it is impossible to say, based on their results, whether the high testosterone levels caused the high risk behavior, or was merely a result of them.

In fact, other research by Booth and colleagues suggests that testosterone levels may rise as a result of, or even in anticipation of certain behaviors, such as athletic competition. The possibility remains, therefore, that the self-destructive behaviors they found in the current study might be the cause of the high testosterone and not the result.

Dr. Lenard is the co-author, with Jonathan Wright, MD, of the book, Maximize Your Vitality & Potency For Men Over 40. He is also author of The Smart Guide to Andro. (Andro is a supplement that effectively raises testosterone levels.)

References:

1. Booth A, Johnson DR, Granger DA. Testosterone and men’s health. J Behav Med. 1999;22:1-19
2. Booth A, Mazur AC, Dabbs JM, Jr. Endogenous testosterone and competition: the effect of "fasting". Steroids. 1993;58:348-50.
3. Booth A, Shelley G, Mazur A, Tharp G, Kittok R. Testosterone, and winning and losing in human competition. Horm Behav. 1989;23:556-71.

Why More Isn’t Always Better

According to a study in the April 1999 Journal of Behavioral Medicine, higher-than-average testosterone levels offer certain benefits but also carry some serious risks. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Penn., reviewed the records of 4,393 men between the ages of 32 and 44 who had served in the military between 1965 and 1971. Their blood had been drawn to determine testosterone levels — which ranged from 53 to 1,500 nanograms per deciliter, with an average of 679. (The normal range in males is 270 to 1,070 nanograms.)
Men whose testosterone levels were slightly above average were 45% less likely to have high blood pressure, 72% less likely to have experienced a heart attack and 75% less likely to be obese than men whose levels were slightly below average. These men were also 45% less likely to rate their own health as fair or poor.

But the results weren’t all rosy. These men were also 24% more likely to report one or more injuries, 32% more likely to consume five or more drinks in a day, 35% more likely to have had a sexually transmitted infection, and 151% more likely to smoke.
The news got worse at very high testosterone levels (1000 nanograms), where men were even more likely to engage in risky behavior — and less likely to reap the positive health benefits of testosterone.

The results aren’t really surprising, says lead author Alan Booth, PhD — a professor of sociology and human development — because testosterone has been associated with risky behavior in many studies. Men with high testosterone levels are more likely to be involved in criminal activity and antisocial behavior, get in trouble in school, remain single, and be unemployed.
But this doesn’t mean that all men with high testosterone levels are doomed to a bad fate, he said. "There’s lots of high testosterone people out there with good marriages who don’t commit crimes."

Taking all the factors together, researchers found that the healthiest men overall had testosterone levels between 400 to 600 nanograms. They seemed to enjoy the most benefits and experience the least risks associated with the hormone.

Testosterone levels and men’s health

Higher levels of the hormone testosterone can have significant health benefits for some middle-aged men, according to a Penn State study.
"Men with higher testosterone seem to be less vulnerable to high blood pressure, heart attacks, frequent colds and obesity," says Dr. Alan Booth, professor of sociology and human development.

"Also, they are more likely to rate their health as excellent or good rather than fair or poor. Studies show self ratings of health correlate highly with doctor’s assessments.

"The benefits of higher testosterone levels have a down side, however," Booth notes. "Some, but not all, men with elevated levels of testosterone are more likely to engage in behavior that negates the beneficial effects of testosterone."

Those men with higher levels of testosterone are more inclined to smoke, drink alcohol excessively and indulge in risky behavior that leads to injury. The biggest detriment to health by far is the tendency for high testosterone men to smoke.

The researchers studied testosterone and health in a sample of 4,393 men between the ages of Thirty-two and Forty-four who had served in the armed forces between 1965 and 1971. The men were interviewed and medically examined. Testosterone was measured in plasma from blood drawn at 8 a.m. Concentrations ranged from 53 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl) to 1,500 with an average of 679.

Dr. Douglas A. Granger, assistant professor of biobehavioral health and director of Pennsylvania State’s Behavioral Endocrinology Laboratory in the College of Health and Human Development; and Dr. David R. Johnson, professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, have published their work in the research paper, "Testosterone and Men’s Health, in a recent issue of the Journal Of Behavioral Medicine.
"Comparison of men with slightly below average levels of testosterone (400/ng/dl) with men with slightly above average levels (800 ng/dl) revealed significant differences in the indicators of health," Booth says.

Men at the higher level were Forty-five percent less likely to have high blood pressure, Seventy-two percent less likely to have experienced a heart attack, Eight percent less likely to have 3 or more colds in a year, and forty-five percent less likely to rate their health as fair or poor.

On the negative side, men at the higher level were Twenty-five percent more likely to report one or more injuries, Thirty-two percent more likely to imbibe 5 or more drinks in a single day and 151 percent more likely to smoke tabacco.

"We don’t yet fully understand how testosterone benefits health or leads to behaviors detrimental to health," Booth says. "More studies are needed to discover the missing pieces to this puzzle.

What is clear is that men with higher testosterone levels are at higher risk for negative health outcomes. But there are many men with higher testosterone who don’t engage in health risk behavior and who do realize testosterone-related health benefits."
Increasing men’s awareness of their testosterone levels may be worthwhile in terms of health promotion and disease prevention efforts, say the researchers. Regular monitoring of testosterone levels would make it easier to optimize the sensitive balance between testosterone’s positive and negative effects, especially if it is done as part of overall physical checkups.

Testosterone

The evidence regarding divorce, marriage, and T (sect. 9) is particularly difficult to evaluate. The U.S. Air Force data to which M&B refer is supported by two references, one unpublished and one in JAMA. M&B describe 2,100 U.S. Air Force veterans, yet the cited JAMA paper describes 995 veterans who were exposed to herbicides during aerial spraying of “Agent Orange” in Vietnam versus 1,299 comparison subjects. M&B report significant correlations between T level and marital status, claiming that 10 of 16 correlations were “significantly positive” and that T levels are highly responsive to marital status. However, T levels were apparently taken every 3 years, hence a man may have been divorced nearly 3 years prior to his T measurement and a multitude of life events and biological and psychological stressors may have occurred in the intervening period, all of which could conceivably have a significant effect on his endocrinological status. M&B claim that “T measured right after the divorce is the best predictor.”

What does “right after divorce” mean – some time within the preceding 3 years? If there is an association between high T and recent divorce, could this not perhaps reflect elevation of circulating T level following cessation of prolonged marital stress? As M&B state, the break-up of a marriage usually spans years, “accompanied by arguments and confrontations” (sect. 9). Hormone levels are multiply determined, and choosing a single crude demographic measure such as marital status (“because there was little behavioral measurement in the study”) and looking for endocrine associations is unlikely to lead to significant advances in our knowledge of endocrine–behaviour relationships in man.

In conclusion, the link between T and aggressive and sexual behaviour in lower animals (e.g., rodents) is clearly established.
However, as we ascend the phylogenetic ladder to humans, this relationship becomes less clear. This is not to deny that such a relationship exists, but the complexity of human social behaviour suggests that both behaviour and endocrine status are influenced by a wide variety of biological and psychological variables, and a multivariate approach is required. Furthermore, as a consequence of the pulsatile variability in circulating T levels in man, significant error variance is introduced into single-sample correlational studies. Definitive evidence is likely to come from placebocontrolled, double-blind experiments in which circulating T levels are manipulated and appropriately reliable and sensitive assays of behaviour are taken.

It follows from this that we would also expect to find, in “honour subcultures,” a suppressive effect of chronically elevated T levels on immune status and thus on health, although, among individuals within the population, great variability may still exist in the strength of any such effect. However, unless the chronically elevated T levels characterised as the product of an “honour subculture” among young adult males in the reciprocal model somehow influence the fetal hormonal environment of their offspring, we would not expect to see atypical patterns of adult male hand preference or other measures of cerebral dominance. If hand preference or any other measures of cerebral dominance were among the measures recorded in either of the large military samples discussed by M&B, then perhaps this further, indirect test of the reciprocal model could be carried out using adult data from a single point in time. [See commentary of Coren, this issue.] Would M&B elaborate on the social preconditions of honour subcultures? The sample of 4,462 army veterans among whom Mazur (1995) found an apparent effect on T and on behavioural deviance of participation in an inner-city, low-educational-attainment honour subculture is the same sample of 4,462 army veterans among whom Dabbs (1992), Booth and Dabbs (1993), and Booth and Osgood (1993) found correlations between elevated T and low occupational status, marital dissatisfaction, and criminality.

These correlations could therefore be due to latent socio- economic variables (mediated by the interaction of age, race, and educational level, in the terms of the veterans’ survey), rather than to the effects of T on behaviour.

References

(1995) Biosocial models of deviant behavior among army veterans. Biological
Psychology 41:271–93. [aAM, rAB]

Wolfe, W., Michalek, J., Miner, J., Rahe, A., Silva, J., Thomas, W., Grubbs, W.,
Lustik, M., Harrison, T., Roegner, R. & Williams, D. (1990) Health status of
Air Force veterans occupationally exposed to herbicides in Vietnam. Journal
of the American Medical Association 264:1824–36. [aAM]

Men’s Health Online: "Maximum Testosterone"