How does testosterone improve mood?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), specifically testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), strongly elevates men’s mood. It sparks enthusiasm and increases a man’s interest in activities, other people, and life in general. It’s been said, testosterone is one of the top three natural antidepressant substances.

Testosterone is similar in many ways to thyroid hormones, and thyroid hormones are the equivalent of strong anti-depressants. Both testosterone and thyroid hormones produce antidepressant effects by significantly increasing production of many important other hormones. This revitalizes almost the entire endocrine (hormone) system, which explains why their antidepressant effect may outclass that of pharmaceutical antidepressants, whose effect on the endocrine system commonly inhibits hormone production, reducing endocrine effects. For example, Fluoxetine (Prozac) reduces the suppression of oxytocin, a hormone associated with warm-hearted feelings, affection for others, social interaction, and even orgasms, which explains why people taking this type of drug may smile less and present less emotion.
Results for depression are not always consistent, but TRT has been repeatedly shown to improve states of depression, like those experienced by men around age-40 or those who do not respond to antidepressants as desired.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is simple and affordable
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Erik J Giltay, Roos C van der Mast, Esther Lauwen, Annemieke C Heijboer, Margot W M de Waal, Hannie C Comijs. Plasma Testosterone and the Course of Major Depressive Disorder in Older Men and Women. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry . 2017 Apr;25(4):425-437.
Lee T Gettler, Rahul C Oka. Are testosterone levels and depression risk linked based on partnering and parenting? Evidence from a large population-representative study of U.S. men and women. Soc Sci Med . 2016 Aug;163:157-67.
Christopher J Westley, Richard L Amdur, Michael S Irwig. High Rates of Depression and Depressive Symptoms among Men Referred for Borderline Testosterone Levels. J Sex Med . 2015 Aug;12(8):1753-60.
Hisashi Matsuzaka, Hitoshi Maeshima, Sayaka Kida, Hirofumi Kurita, Takahisa Shimano, Yoshiyuki Nakano, Hajime Baba, Toshihito Suzuki, Heii Arai. Gender differences in serum testosterone and cortisol in patients with major depressive disorder compared with controls. Int J Psychiatry Med . 2013;46(2):203-21.
R M Bercea, F R Patacchioli, C Ghiciuc, C Elena, T Mihaescu. Serum testosterone and depressive symptoms in severe OSA patients. Andrologia. 2013 Oct;45(5):345-50.
Umit Aydogan, Aydogan Aydogdu, Halil Akbulut, Alper Sonmez, Servet Yuksel, Yalcin Basaran, Ozcan Uzun, Erol Bolu, Kenan Saglam. Increased frequency of anxiety, depression, quality of life and sexual life in young hypogonadotropic hypogonadal males and impacts of testosterone replacement therapy on these conditions. Endocr J . 2012;59(12):1099-105.
Molly M Shores, Kevin L Sloan, Alvin M. Matsumoto. Increased Incidence of Diagnosed Depressive Illness in Hypogonadal Older Men. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004;61(2):162-167.
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