Androgens

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The activation of men’s sexual organs would be androgen hormones. Androgens are a major contributor in male’s sexual hormones. Testosterone is the most commonly known active and abundant androgen hormone. Androsterone is an inactive androgen that is made by the metabolism of testosterone and is developed in the male testes. Androgens have the ability to influence several different actions and desires within men. Usually, androgens are known as the masculine hormones although they are also found in women as well. Although not an androgen, many studies observe cortisol along with androgens because cortisol is a response to stress, also known as the "get-up-and-go" hormone. It gives men bravery to overcome challenges to reach their goals. It appears that men pride themselves in having high levels of androgens because it makes a man, a “macho man.” But what happens to androgen levels when these masculine men are exposed to situations in which they are expected to act graciously? What happens to these levels when they are preforming a task that is thought of as un-masculine? For instance, do androgen hormones levels rise or fall when men are in a relationship or become fathers? It is hypothesized that androgen levels would be lower in men who are in a committed relationship and/or in men who are fathers. Perhaps this is caused by the stress obtained or lack thereof from being in a relationship or from being a father. In this paper, we will discuss the effects of stress on men and their androgen levels, determine how being in a committed relationship can effect androgen levels, determine whether or not sexual orientation is a factor in these effects, and lastly we will be looking at how being a father or desiring to be a father can effe...

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...ly, many hypotheses were examined in this study and it is unclear what exactly this difference was. The data did not show whether it was heterosexual men or homosexual men who had an effect, if any, on androgen levels while in a relationship. It is clear in both studies that sexual orientation does have an effect on androgen levels in men who are in relationships. Perhaps this is due to the fact that men cannot reproduce with another man and know that they cannot naturally achieve a child in a homosexual relationship. It is possible that sub-consciously these men are still looking for a mate who can fulfill their ultimate goal of reproducing. Unfortunately, not much study has gone into detail about the effect of sexual orientation on androgen levels of men in relationships. On the contrary, many studies have been made about the effects of androgen levels in fathers.

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