Let’s talk about Testosterone – Pranitha

We often talk about estrogen and progesterone when discussing the hormonal cycle, but there’s a third player that is silently running in the background. Testosterone spikes alongside ovulation and quietly supports bone strength and immune system activity, among other processes of the body.

Before the body produces estradiol (the primary form of estrogen), it actually needs testosterone. In the ovaries, theca cells produce testosterone, which is then converted to estradiol by ovarian granulosa cells. This means that an adequate amount of testosterone levels are needed during the early follicular phase for normal follicle development and ovulation to occur.

Without enough local testosterone, ovulation can be disrupted [1-2]. Lower testosterone also means lower levels of estrogen during the follicular phase, leading to fatigue, brain fog, and lower subjective energy levels.

Many people are surprised to learn that in terms of overall serum concentration, or how much of something is actually in your blood, premenopausal females often have higher circulating levels of total androgens (testosterone and its precursor forms of it) than estrogens. The key difference here is that the organs in the female body have more estrogen receptors (essentially doors that only estrogen can fit through); therefore, the female body is more sensitive to changes in circulating estrogen concentrations than androgen concentrations [2-3].

Not all testosterone in the body is converted to estrogen. The presence of testosterone plays a protective role in immune regulation. It acts as an anti-inflammatory signal, helping suppress pro-inflammatory biomarkers such as cytokines, various interleukins, and C-reactive proteins (CRPs) [4].

Emerging research is currently exploring how low baseline testosterone levels correlate with higher susceptibility to inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and metabolic issues like insulin resistance [4-5].

How does the testosterone curve look through the cycle? Testosterone also looks like a surge right around the time of ovulation, similar to the peaks in Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and estrogen.

This mid-cycle peak testosterone aligns with: [5-7]

• Bone formation
• Heightened energy
• Increased libido and elevated confidence
• Preserving lean muscle mass and metabolic rate

Beyond physical strength, androgen receptors can be found in the brain, influencing: [5-7]

• Spatial memory
• Focus
• Motivation

Your body produces testosterone on its own using nutrients from the food you eat, rather than absorbing the hormone directly from what’s on your plate.

A couple nutrients that your body uses for synthesizing testosterone are:

• Zinc
• Vitamin D
• Healthy fats

Zinc is an essential mineral that can be found in oysters, shellfish, red-meat, pumpkin seeds, and beans [8].

Foods high in Vitamin D are fatty fish like salmon or sardines, egg yolks, and fortified milk (or fortified plant-sourced milk).

Healthy fats and cholesterol can be found in avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kale contain compounds called indoles (such as indole-3-carbinol). These support healthy estrogen metabolism, helping maintain an optimal range of circulating androgens in the body [9-10].

Lifestyle factors often have an even bigger impact on natural testosterone synthesis than diet alone. Consistent, quality sleep (7-9 hours), resistance training, managing stress (cortisol lowers testosterone), and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption are additional factors that influence testosterone balance [10-11].

References

1. Walters, K. A., Gilchrist, R. B., Pfeffer, A., Rodriguez, K. F., & Handlesman, D. J. (2018). Androgen action in the ovary. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 9, 452. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6097027/.
2. Hammes, S. R., & Levin, E. R. (2019). Impact of estrogens in males and androgens in females. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 129(5), 1818–1826. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6486327/.
3. Atukorala, K. R., Silva, W., Amarasiri, L., & Fernando, D. M. S. (2022). Changes in serum testosterone during the menstrual cycle – an integrative systematic review of published literature. Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology and Metabolism, 3(1), 9–20. https://gremjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/02_GREM-Journal_1-2022_Aturokala.pdf.
4. Rothman, M. S., Carlson, N. E., Xu, M., Wang, C., Swerdloff, R., Lee, P., Goh, V. H. H., Ridgway, E. C., & Wierman, M. E. (2011). Reexamination of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol and estrone levels across the menstrual cycle and in postmenopausal women measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Steroids, 76(1–2), 177–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.steroids.2010.10.010.
5. Bianchi, V. E. (2018). The anti-inflammatory effects of testosterone. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 3(1), 91–107. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6299269/.
6. Bui, H. N., Sluss, P. M., Blankenstein, M. A., & Heijboer, A. C. (2013). Dynamics of serum testosterone during the menstrual cycle evaluated by daily measurements with an ID-LC-MS/MS method and a 2nd generation automated immunoassay. Steroids, 78(1), 96–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.steroids.2012.10.010.
7. Gubbels Bupp, M. R., & Jorgensen, T. N. (2018). Androgen-induced immunosuppression operating in the regulation of autoimmune disease susceptibility. Frontiers in Immunology, 9, 1394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00794.
8. Prasad, A. S., Mantzoros, C. S., Beck, F. W., Hess, J. W., & Brewer, G. J. (1996). Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition, 12(5), 344–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-9007(96)80058-X.
9. Zamir, A., Ben-Zeev, T., & Hoffman, J. R. (2021). Manipulation of dietary intake on changes in circulating testosterone concentrations. Nutrients, 13(10), 3375. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103375.
10. Volek, J. S., Kraemer, W. J., Bush, J. A., Incledon, T., & Boetes, M. (1997). Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 82(1), 49–54. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1997.82.1.49.
11. Lateef, O. M., & Akintubosun, M. O. (2020). Sleep and reproductive health. Journal of Circadian Rhythms, 18, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.5334/jcr.190.