It is very well established the connection between optimal levels of testosterone and:

·      Higher muscle mass

·      Low levels of fat

·      Great physical endurance.

However, the effects of testosterone in men are not only relinquished to the physical plane. This hormone plays a major role in psychological and social behaviours.

 

If you are in a social scenario overthinking, feeling insecure, having that sensation of not fitting in, having thoughts such as “Why is he/she not looking at me when speaking, I am not important enough. Maybe I should say something, or maybe I should be quiet and show interest”. This is called social insecurity. We all have experienced this at some point in our lives. And while some insecurity is human and normal, having these thoughts and feelings every time you jump into a social interaction can play against you. It can make you look less confident, finding hard to do well in an interview to get a job, struggle to obtain and maintain a healthy partnership and even prevent you from performing well during sex.

 

Yes, low testosterone can have all these consequences.

 

At this stage, you may be thinking:

1. Are all these based on scientific research? Are there any studies on this topic?

2.     How can I know if the source of my social insecurity is linked to low testosterone?

 

The Scientific Research

Yes, there are a few papers describing the relationship between low free testosterone levels in men and feelings of social insecurity. One study published in the journal Hormones and Behaviour in 2016 established the relationship between social anxiety and subordination with low levels of free testosterone. Some of the signs used by the researchers to identify social insecurity or subordination included blushing, inability to hold eye contact and anxiety. In the same study, the administration of testosterone to those identified with low baseline levels of Testosterone led to a more leader behaviour style and improved competition for status (Terburg et al., 2016)

 

But this is not the only study. Research published in 2011 showed how social anxiety has been linked to lower Testosterone levels. In this study, an increased level of testosterone was linked to improved capability to find a suitable mate (Gray, 2011)

 

These two studies indicate how boosting your testosterone to optimal levels can promote:

·      Better social interactions and reduced overthinking

·      Improve capacity to find a partner

·      Increase confidence & quality of your friendships

·      Find a better job or be promoted

 

 

How you can find out if your testosterone is the driving factor.

If you are experiencing anxiety during social interactions while on a date, at work, or even with your friends, and you want to know if low testosterone is the cause. You need a blood test. It is the only objective method to determine whether someone has or hasn’t low free testosterone levels. Anything else is just guessing.

 

When you are getting your blood checked, it is important to check both, Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone.

 

If you are under 45, and your Free Testosterone comes back lower than 400ng/dL you are an ideal candidate to improve the quality of your life and social interactions by Testosterone Optimization.

 

But remember, the younger you are the higher the value should be for Free Testosterone. If you are under 35, your testosterone should at least be 500ng/dL.

 

Please, remember the reference range for free testosterone is 265 to 923ng/dL. This range is too wide. You should consider your age when interpreting Free Testosterone. If you are 80 years old and your Free Testosterone is around 250ng/dL, this is normal. But no when you are young and should be at the peak of your life!

If you need help booking or interpreting your blood test, book a 15-minute discovery call here.

 

Gray, P. B. (2011). The descent of a man’s testosterone. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(39), 16141–16142. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1113323108

Terburg, D., Syal, S., Rosenberger, L. A., Heany, S. J., Stein, D. J., & Honk, J. van. (2016). Testosterone abolishes implicit subordination in social anxiety. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 72, 205–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.203