Testosterone levels in men depend on environment, not genes

Men whooers who grow up in harsher conditions, such as an environment where they are exposed to many infectious diseases, are likely to have lower testosterone levels in poA more recent life than those whooers spend their childhood in a healthier environment – say scientists from Durham University.

A study published in „Nature Ecology and Evolution” challenges the theory that testosterone levels are controlled by genes or race. His results suggest that the environment in which men spent their childhoods was the most important determinant of testosterone levels, height or age, in ktorym have reached sexual maturity.

British scientists cfobrought together five groups of men based on where they spent their childhoods. The groups consisted of: wealthy men born in Bangladesh, whoowho still live there, men born in Bangladesh, whoowho moved to London as children, men born in Bangladesh, whoowho moved to London as adults, men born in the UK, whoorych parents emigrated from Bangladesh and men whoowho were born in the UK and had European roots.

In total, the study included 359 men. The students collected information from them regarding, height, weight, age of sexual maturity and a range of other information. They also took from the subjects prob saliva to check their testosterone levels.

The study revealed some important rodifference between these groups. His results showed that men whooers who were born in Bangladesh or the UK, but grew up and lived as adults in the UK, had significantly higher testosterone levels in cfoIn comparison with other study groups. They were also taller and reached sexual maturity earlier. Men born and raised in Bangladesh – including those who are wealthy and those whooThey moved to the UK as adults – were lower, poWere entering puberty later and had lower testosterone levels.

The researchers claim that these roThe differences are due to the investment in the energy. High testosterone levels can be achieved if there are not many other energy requirements on the body, such as fighting infections. In environments in whichoin which people are more vulnerable to disease or poor nutrition, men direct energy toward survival at the expense of testosterone.

– It is unlikely that men’s testosterone levels relate to their ethnicity or where they wereorym they live, as adults. Instead, it reflects the environments in whichowho grew up – said headoin the paper’s lead author, Dr. Kesson Magid of Durham University’s Department of Anthropology.

Men with higher levels of testosterone are more vulnerable to the potential adverse effects of this hormone on health and aging. Very high levels can mean an increased risk of diseaseob prostate, including canceroin and are associated with higher aggression. In contrast, very low testosterone levels in men can include lack of energy, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.

– Very high and very low testosterone levels can affect men’s health. It’s important to learn more about their childhood situation to get a fuller picture of the factorow risk for someorych patientsob – admitted Gillian Bentley, cooauthor of the study. Bentley observed roAlso, that the environment in whichoThe environment in which girls grow up may affect the levels of their hormoneow, fertility and the risk level of someorych cancersow.

Because high testosterone levels potentially lead to an increased risk of diseaseob prostate, the researchers suggest that any study of the profile of theow risks may need to take into account the environment in which theorym the patient grew up.