Do gay men have less testosterone

Researchers at the Masters and Johnson sex research in stitute in St. Louis have found that young men who are pre dominantly or exclusively homosexual generally have lower levels of the male. Because some of these traits are organized by prenatal steroids, including testosterone, homosexual subjects were, on average, exposed to atypical endocrine conditions during development (atypical for their genetic/gonadal/genital sex; female-type endocrine conditions in male homosexuals and male-type endocrine conditions in female homosexuals).

Learn about Low T in homosexual men, including causes, symptoms, and tailored treatment options. Discover expert care at Florida Men’s Health. Plasma testosterone levels were measured in 28 homosexual men and correlated with psychological variables. The overall mean testosterone level for the homosexuals was somewhat lower than for a group of heterosexual controls, but the range of values for the two groups showed considerable overlap.

It is commonly believed that testosterone levels are higher in heterosexual males compared to gay males. However, scientific research has revealed that there is no significant difference in testosterone levels between gay and straight males. Posted December 11, Reviewed by Jessica Schrader. Most people think of testosterone as a "male" hormone. That is, a hormone that is responsible for much of what we think of as characteristically male such as assertiveness , impulsivity, competitiveness and, of course, sexuality.

There is substantial evidence that this is largely correct. Most of this evidence comes from studies on other species, particularly rodents. Many people imagine that humans, with their greater brains, are liberated from the control exerted in other species such as rodents by hormones like testosterone. But are they right? Have we really shrugged off our biological heritage? Is there any vestige of a similar process in women?

But here there is a surprise as well. Rats are born very immature, looking like fetuses.

Plasma testosterone levels were measured in

The testes of a new-born male rat secrete testosterone. If the testes are removed, then he grows up to behave more like a female. Conversely, if one gives a little newborn female some testosterone, then she will behave more like a male. Furthermore, she fails to show normal reproductive cycles. Similar results have been obtained in other species, including monkeys—though this happens well before birth, as it does in species that produce relatively mature young, such as guinea pigs.

So testosterone has a major role in determining sexuality in these species. What about humans? What does it do? Often they are not diagnosed until the age of expected puberty which, of course, does not happen. So testosterone early in life has a major influence on gender development and identity in humans as well.

There is recent evidence that this may come about as one result of testosterone acting on genes in the brain. What about sexual preference? Here the evidence is much less convincing, though there have been suggestions that lack of testosterone at some stage may predispose males towards being gay. This scenario suggests that females develop as such because of the absence of testosterone early in their lives: that is, being female is the default condition.

There is some recent evidence that this might not be the whole story, but we await more information.

Now to the adults. Castrate an adult male cat or the males of many other species and he will gradually lose the ability and motivation for sex. Amazingly, the same is true for human males, though what happens depends crucially on when castration takes place. Castration before puberty prevents much or all subsequent sexuality: such people were well known in antiquity, and called eunuchs.

But castration after puberty has much less effect, and although sexuality declines slowly, some a variable amount may remain. It is said that some of the supposed post-pubertal eunuchs guarding the harems of olden times took advantage of this without their masters knowing!