Low testosterone levels may cause multiple mental and physical health problems. Men can see a doctor and ask for a prescribed therapy, which includes testosterone as a Schedule III controlled substance. Or, they can purchase OTC supplements that may boost testosterone production in the body.
But can testosterone treatments improve mental health in men? Continue reading below to learn more about potential testosterone mental benefits and side effects.
Can Testosterone Boosters Improve Mental Health in Men?
Multiple clinical trials and studies show improvement in the participants’ mental health after testosterone application. The improvements included more balanced emotions, better dealing with stressful situations, decreased aggressive feelings, and reduced mood swings.
Even though the results are positive, the trials are limited to specific groups. We need more research and studies to confirm that testosterone can improve mental health.
Does testosterone improve mental health?
Testosterone plays a major role in multiple bodily functions, including muscle strength, sex drive, sperm production, and bone density. However, this hormone may also be a factor in cognitive functions, including but not limited to memory, resonating, and spatial abilities.
This study, for instance, showed significant improvements in cognition, specifically in spatial memory, ability, and verbal memory in older men.
While most of the studies on testosterone’s effects on brain function and emotions agree that this hormone is an antidepressant and improves spatial abilities, more research is needed to create a conclusion.
That’s because numerous variables impact the complex interactions between the hormone and the brain, such as the timing of the analysis, administration, age, sex, etc.
Does testosterone affect mental performance?
Some of the potential testosterone mental benefits may include enhanced memory, focus, and thinking speed. It would be best if you remembered that testosterone’s effect on mental performance depends on your age.
In fact, studies showing that testosterone improves mental performance are usually done on older men. Conversely, according to this study, higher levels of this hormone lowered the performance of thinking abilities in younger men.
Another important thing to mention is the link between testosterone levels and sleep. Multiple studies suggest that low testosterone levels may lead to a lack of sleep or nocturnal awakenings, interrupting the necessary sleep time.
Conversely, more studies are focused on how unhealthy sleep habits affect testosterone levels. Many researchers agree that bad sleeping habits indirectly influence testosterone production.
Directly or indirectly, it seems that testosterone may affect the sleeping pattern. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel disoriented, tired, unmotivated, and even experience brain fog. Therefore, testosterone may indirectly affect mental performance by causing sleeping issues.
Does testosterone help with depression and anxiety?
After analyzing 27 clinical trials that included 1,980 men, researchers concluded that the testosterone therapy significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to the placebo.
Once again, you should remember that although these analyses sound promising, scientists still have work to do since more studies are needed to confirm the potential testosterone mental benefits.
However, it’s not a complete surprise that analysts got those results. After all, normal testosterone levels significantly impact motivation and inner drive. People achieve their goals and feel more satisfied. Typically, in such cases, the chances of depression and anxiety symptoms are lower.
Do testosterone boosters help with depression?
Testosterone levels in men drop with age. Conversely, depression symptoms generally increase. Various studies were made to determine whether testosterone levels directly impact or trigger depression symptoms.
Furthermore, depression is one of the most common symptoms related to testosterone deficiency syndrome, or hypogonadism. Besides, testosterone deficit may cause decreased sex drive, low energy, brain fog, and increased body fat.
Therefore, many researchers believe that testosterone boosters may provide the necessary balance and thus help relieve these symptoms. Although scientists still analyze to find more concrete answers, multiple studies indicate that testosterone may affect the mood of patients suffering from depression.
Testosterone Booster Benefits and Side Effects
The potential testosterone mental benefits are emotional balance, mind clearance, sharper focus, improved memory, and motivational boost. These potential benefits impact the well-being and overall health of men.
Besides cognitive performance and mental health benefits, testosterone therapy may improve blood pressure. They may slow down fat accumulation and, thus, help the patient stay more physically active.
However, you should also consider the potential testosterone booster mental side effects. Patients taking testosterone supplements may feel frustrated and angry. Other effects that shouldn’t be excluded are euphoria and severe mood swings.
Besides mental side effects, testosterone supplements may have a negative impact on the skin, libido, infertility, heart, prostate, and liver. However, you should know that multiple studies show that the effects vary based on the dose size. So, depending on the patient, doctors can adjust the dose and remove the side effects.
Important note – Since testosterone therapy may cause various effects, you should always consult with a doctor and not make decisions on your own. The doctor will conduct the necessary tests to determine whether a testosterone booster suits you.