Testosterone can make men more loving: Hormone promotes romantic behavior and not just sexual desire, study claims
It has long been thought that a man’s sex drive is closely linked to his testosterone levels.
But high levels of the hormone appear to have no effect on sexual desire, according to one study.
Instead, it appears to be closely linked to how romantic a man acts toward a potential new partner, researchers have found.
A team from the University of California, Santa Barbara collected daily measurements of both testosterone and levels of sexual desire for 31 days in a sample of 41 men.
They found no evidence that men experienced more desire on days when their testosterone levels were elevated.
However, when single men socialized with potential romantic partners, they reported greater courtship efforts on days when their testosterone was elevated.
The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest that testosterone may be more strongly linked to courtship efforts than to sexual desire, the scientists said.
‘There are several theories about testosterone concentrations that explain variation in desire between men, as well as gender differences in sexual desire.
Testosterone can make men more loving, a new study claims (stock image)
It has long been thought that a man’s sex drive is closely linked to his testosterone levels. But high levels of the hormone (pictured) appear to have no effect on sexual desire, according to one study
‘A likely consequence of this assumption is that testosterone is often marketed and prescribed as a treatment for low sexual desire.
‘This study provides direct, naturalistic evidence that daily fluctuations in men’s sexual desire are not significantly associated with daily fluctuations in their testosterone concentrations.
‘However, analyzes did provide evidence for a positive association between courtship efforts and testosterone among single men on days when participants reported direct social interaction with potential partners.’
They explained that their findings essentially indicate that higher testosterone levels help promote competitive efforts among single men.
They also suggest that their conclusions argue against the usefulness of testosterone prescriptions for treating low sexual desire in men with testosterone concentrations within the normal range.