Is testosterone an androgen?

People do not have a detailed understanding of male and female hormones, and most of them only have a vague understanding of them. Sometimes medical diagnosis books contain some medical terms that people do not understand, which affects people's judgment. Many people are unsure whether testosterone is an androgen. In fact, androgen does not only refer to testosterone. Testosterone is a very active hormone among androgen.

1. Male hormone

Androgens mainly refer to a class of endocrine hormones synthesized by the gonads (testicles). The cells in the testicles that synthesize androgens are interstitial cells. In addition, the adrenal cortex can also synthesize a certain amount of male hormones, and the ovaries can also synthesize trace amounts of male hormones.

Testosterone (T) is a steroid hormone. It is the main male hormone in the human body and also the most active male hormone. In males, T is mainly secreted by interstitial cells of the testes. Female androgens mainly come from the peripheral conversion of hormone precursors by the ovaries, adrenal cortex and non-endocrine tissues. T can promote the development of Wolffian ducts into epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicles, promote the growth and development of external reproductive organs and secondary sexual characteristics, and affect sperm production. Regardless of male or female, it has an important impact on health and sex, including enhancing sexual desire, strength, immune function, and combating osteoporosis. In addition, T also has important physiological effects such as promoting protein synthesis, promoting bone growth, promoting the production of erythropoietin in the kidneys, counteracting estrogen, maintaining normal sexual function and mental sexual orientation. In recent years, studies have found that testosterone can protect pancreatic cells by enhancing the synthesis of DNA in pancreatic B cells and increasing the content of insulin in cells. The secretion of T is mainly regulated by luteinizing hormone (LH), and the blood testosterone level has a negative feedback effect on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. T is mainly degraded and inactivated in the liver, and its metabolite 17-ketosteroid is excreted from the body in the urine. According to statistics, the amount of testosterone secreted by adult males is 20 times that of adult females.

II. Overview

Androgens, also known as male hormones, are hormones that maintain normal sexual desire and reproductive function. Lack of male hormones can cause many health problems. Androgens can regulate the distribution and composition percentage of human adipose tissue and inhibit the increase or buildup of body fat. Low androgen levels can cause obesity, abdominal fat accumulation, and other metabolic diseases are likely to follow.

3. Physiological functions and metabolic effects

Androgen can promote the growth of male organs, spermatogenesis and the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, promote the appearance of male secondary sexual characteristics such as beard and pubic hair and maintain male sexual desire. In addition, it also plays a certain regulatory role in the body's metabolism. Androgen has a powerful effect in promoting protein synthesis and making the body have a positive nitrogen balance, which is particularly prominent in children. For example, it promotes skeletal muscle development, promotes calcium deposition in bones, makes bones thicker and grows, increases basal metabolism, and stimulates red blood cell production. Androgens can promote RNA polymerase and aminoacyl transferase, as well as hexokinase and phosphofructokinase in glycolysis, and mitochondrial cellular respiratory enzymes, thereby supplying the energy needed for cell anabolism.