This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Testosterone

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Testosterone is a C19 sex steroid hormone, that may be synthesized from:

  • androstenedione e.g. in the adrenal cortex
  • cholesterol in the Leydig cells of the testes
  • oestradiol
  • 17-ketosteroids

Actions of testosterone include:

  • the features of pubarche in puberty
  • anabolism
  • maintenance of gametogenesis; in the male the final maturation of spermatids to spermatozoa requires the action of testosterone on the Sertoli cells
  • negative feedback on secretion of luteinizing hormone by the pituitary

Transport:

  • 60-70% of testosterone is bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG); the majority of the remaining testosterone is loosely bound to albumin, alpha1 acid glycoprotein and transcortin
  • 2% of testosterone is not protein-bound and therefore can enter cells to bind to intracellular androgen receptors

Testosterone can be further converted in certain tissues, via the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, into its more potent metabolite, dihydrotestosterone. Also some testosterone is converted into oestradiol in the liver, adipose tissue and the CNS (1). Also testosterone is converted to inactive metabolites in the liver, adipose tissue, muscle and kidney. Renal excretion is facilitated via conjugation of such metabolites to glucoronides in the liver.

Testosterone secretion in males follows a circadian rhythm, with a peak at 7-9 am and trough in late afternoon.

Reference:

  • (1) Testosterone and other androgens: physiology, pharmacology, and therapeutic use. In DeGroot LJ (Ed). Endocrinology. 2010.

Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.