Re: Testosterone campaign by drug companies raises concerns (Carly Weeks, Globe and Mail, Sept. 22, L6).
Men’s testosterone normally falls when they get married or otherwise partnered, and falls again when their babies are born (see References, below). Scientists interpret this as a natural switch from mate-seeking to parenting. At the same time, other hormones that are associated with love, trust, contentment and satisfaction in relationships increase. Evolutionary biologists view these normal changes as associated with pair-bonding, monogamy, and paternal care of young that developed millions of years ago in our proto-human ancestors. Men who, through biological or physical accident, have no or poorly functioning testes, may need supplemental testosterone, but the rest of us don’t. Drug companies know this and should be honest with consumers instead of trying to invent an illness where none exists.
References
KUZAWA, C. W., L. T. GETTLER, M. N. MULLER, T. W. MCDADE, AND A. B. FERANIL. 2009. Fatherhood, pairbonding and testosterone in the Philippines, Hormones and behavior 56:429-435.
GETTLER, L. T., T. W. MCDADE, A. B. FERANIL, AND C. W. KUZAWA. 2011. Longitudinal evidence that fatherhood decreases testosterone in human males, Proceedings of the National Acadademy of Sciences (USA) Published online before print September 12, 2011
FERNANDEZ-DUQUE, E., C. R. VALEGGIA, AND S. P. MENDOZA. 2009. The biology of paternal care in human and nonhuman primates, Annual Review of Anthropology 38:115-130
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