Low Testosterone and Emotional Distress

Author: Chris Shugart

Introduction

Experiencing feelings of anger, irritability, or sadness? While these emotions could be a result of your current circumstances, there might be other underlying factors. Consider the following statements. Rate your agreement on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates "not true at all" and 7 represents "very true".

• I feel angry.

• I'm irritable.

• I feel nervous without a clear reason.

• I'm somewhat sad.

• I feel tired.

• I feel alert and ready to be active.

• I'm feeling friendly.

• I feel energetic and lively.

• I feel good (a general sense of positive well - being).

If you score highly on the first five questions, it suggests your mood is not optimal. Conversely, a high score on the last four questions and a low score on the previous ones indicate a good mood. Although the precise ratio calculations can be complex, the general concept is clear.

Likert Rating Scale in Research

This is an example of a Likert rating scale. Researchers commonly employ these scales before, during, and after various interventions. An "intervention" refers to any action that researchers implement between the initial and final times you answer the questions. This could include the administration of a drug, supplement, the application of a therapy technique, exercise, or other activities.

Study on Men with Low Testosterone

The above questionnaire was utilized in a study focused on men with low testosterone. The intervention in this case was testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), as one might expect. It's not difficult to predict the outcome: when the men were treated with testosterone at a dosage of 100 - 200mg per week, their moods significantly improved.

Just three weeks into this 60 - day study, the participants reported increased happiness and reduced irritability. While an increase in energy levels was expected, many were surprised to find that the men also became less angry and irritable. In fact, they exhibited friendlier and calmer behavior.

One might question, isn't testosterone known as the "aggression" hormone? Doesn't it lead to outbursts of rage in men? Well, in individuals with normal testosterone levels, high doses of testosterone might contribute to boorish behaviors, depending on one's pre - existing personality. However, the men in this study had been diagnosed with hypogonadism, a condition characterized by low testosterone.

At least ten other studies have also found that TRT acts as a mood booster and alleviates depressive symptoms.

Additional Effects of Testosterone Boost

There was a correlational finding in the study: the men also demonstrated improvements in sexual motivation and performance. "Sexual motivation" encompasses anticipation and desire for sex, increased flirting, and sexual daydreaming. "Sexual performance" is self - explanatory. This led the scientists to postulate that "The improvement in mood might be related to the changes in sexual function."

Testosterone administration is indeed associated with increased serotonin release and neuroplasticity. Thus, while their enhanced sex lives likely contributed to the mood boost, it wasn't the sole factor.

Moods in Men

Men and women express mood issues and depression differently. Women are more prone to experiencing general sadness, while men may present with anger and irritability. Clearly, there are numerous causes of mood problems, and testosterone is not a panacea. Nevertheless, it is advisable to have your testosterone levels checked before starting antidepressant medications.

Natural Testosterone Boost

In the aforementioned study, a healthy increase in testosterone improved both mood and sexual function. Even if your testosterone levels do not drop into the hypogonadal range (typically less than 300 ng/dL), any decline in testosterone can potentially affect your mood. Factors such as stress, poor sleep, overtraining, dieting, alcohol consumption, and illness can all cause a temporary decrease in testosterone levels.

If you encounter any of these situations, monitor your mood. Then, try this experiment: take 300 mg per day of Longjack (also known as Tongkat Ali and Eurycoma) for a few days. Observe if you start to feel better, regardless of external or situational factors.

When using the appropriate form, such as LJ100, in a bioavailable formulation like Omega - Man High Absorption Longjack (available for purchase on Amazon), Longjack has been proven to be a natural testosterone booster. Additionally, it is known to be an aphrodisiac, so expect some enhanced sexual daydreaming along with your improved mood.

Reference

Wang et al. "Testosterone Replacement Therapy Improves Mood in Hypogonadal Men - A Clinical Research Center Study." Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.