Finally! A question in my line of research. I'll give the short answer
with references. If you have any questions or would like a longer answer,
feel free to ask.
Okay, yes, it appears that testosterone does fluctuate in both males and
females. It's not unusual that you are not familiar with this, research
suggesting a male counterpart to menopause has been attempted; however,
there is a paucity of research examining a male counterpart to PMS.
According to my research, a biorhythm was found to exist in the pool of men
(in my study) and the behavioral correlates of testosterone were positively
correlated with subjects' experience of negative affect.
In a recent longitudinal study of male and female mood fluctuations in which
PMS, day of the week, and lunar cyclicity were assessed McFarlane and
Williams (1994) determined that cyclicity was the norm. Two-thirds of both
the women and men had one or more menstrual or lunar phases or days of the
week that were markedly positive and/or negative.
In a study investigating the relationship between mood and testosterone
levels, male college students were either successful or failed at a task
controlled entirely by chance (McCaul, Gladue, & Joppa, 1992). When the
participants' testosterone levels were assessed, winners exhibited
significantly higher testosterone levels than losers. The researchers
proposed that these differences suggested that mood, rather than feelings of
competence or inferences about skill, produced the testosterone changes.
Additionally, although the subjects were aware that success was purely by
chance and that winning or losing was beyond their control, winners reported
significantly less depression than losers. These findings are especially
intriguing as they suggest that mood, in a context independent of other
contextual factors, is suspected to influence testosterone (e.g.,
aggression, competition, sexual encounters) and may be the mediating factor.
This may be a subtle and complex process of endocrine-affect interactions.
There are marked circadic and cyclic testosterone cycles (Dabbs, 1992).
Testosterone is low in childhood, rises during adolescence and declines in
old age. The circadian cycles of testosterone decline about 50 percent from
early morning to late evening (Dabbs, 1990b). Testosterone is higher in
early winter than in spring and summer (Dabbs, 1990a) and among women it is
higher around ovulation (Dabbs & de La Rue, 1992).
Most investigations on the relationship between hormones and behavior in men
have focused upon testosterone levels and individual differences in
aggression, sexuality and mood (McCaul, Gladue, & Joppa, 1992). These
studies have been correlational and included testosterone levels and
aggression (Christiansen and Knussman, 1987; Dabbs, Frady, Carr, & Besch,
1987; Gladue, 1992). Additional studies have included sexual behavior
(Knussman, Christiansen, & Couwenbergs, 1986) and masculinity or femininity
and their relationships to testosterone levels (Baucom, Besch, & Callahan,
1985).
In 1958 Hollander & Hollander reported decreased concentrations of
testosterone in the testicular vein blood of elderly men. The highest
levels of testosterone levels observed were around 20-30 years. Recently,
it has been proposed that middle-aged males experience a hormonal-mediated
phenomenon similar to menopause in women, commonly referred to as male
climacterium or sensience (Stopes, 1936; Mayer, 1978; Oudshoorn, 1997).
However, little research exists chronicling a male counterpart to the female
premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Some research has revealed significant correlations between the behavioral
correlates of aggressiveness and plasma concentrations of testosterone.
Prisoners with histories of violent crimes have significantly higher levels
of plasma testosterone than nonviolent prisoners (Kreuz and Rose, 1972;
Ehrenkranx, Bliss, & Sheard, 1974). A recent study exploring the biological
basis of aggressiveness in men (Gerra, et al., 1996), i.e., the degree of
aggressiveness and its components (indirect and verbal aggression,
irritability, negativism, resentment, suspiciousness) attempted to measure
aggression using by the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI; Buss &
Durkee, 1957). The results of Pearson's coefficient of correlation between
single scores for the BDHI and biochemical parameters revealed a positive
correlation between "irritability" and the basal level of testosterone and
"resentment" and the basal level of testosterone.
One of my hypotheses, that men as a group would display a biorhythm was
examined by using each male's highest day of distress as a day one marker.
Subsequent individual total distress scores were then organized and
evaluated chronologically and the total mean daily distress scores were
graphed. The hypothesis was supported with a cycle of 16 days observed.
Also another hypothesis was supported: testosterone levels as measured by
the behavioral correlates increased sexual activity and increased
aggressiveness increased as males reports of loneliness, anxiety,
irritability, and mood swings increased, r (23) = .62, p<.01 Additionally,
the pain subscale reports increased as reports of nausea, dizziness, and
temperature changes (autonomic reactions) increased, r (23) = .55, p<.01.
As you can tell, I did a lot of cutting and pasting from my thesis to get to
your question. Hopefully it's not too confusing. I'd be happy to clarify
any questions you may still have.
References:
McFarlane, J.M., & Williams, T.M. (1990). The enigma of premenstrual
syndrome. Canadian Psychology, 31(2), 95-108.
Gerra, G., Avanzini, P., Zaimovic, A., Fertonani, G., Caccavari, R.,
Delsignore, R., Gardini, F., Talarico, E., Lecchini, R., Maestri, D., &
Brambilla, F. (1996). Neurotransmitter and enocrine modulation of
aggressive behavior and its components in normal humans. Behavioural Brain
Research, 81, 19-24.
Hollander, M., & Hollander, Y. (1958). The microdeteremination of
testosterone in human spermatic vein blood. Journal of Clinical
Endocrinological Metabolism, 18, 966-970.
McCaul, K.D., Gladue, B.A., & Joppa, M. (1992). Winning, losing, mood, and
testosterone. Hormones and Behavior, 26, 486-504.
Dabbs, J.M., Jr. (1992). Testosterone measurements in social and clinical
psychology. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 11(3), 302-321.
Dabbs, J.M., Jr. & de La Rue, D. (1992). Salivary testosterone measurements
among women: Relative magnitude of circadian and menstrual cycles. Hormone
Research, 35, 182-184.
Dabbs, J.M., Jr. (1990a). Age and seasonal variation in serum
testosterone concentration among men. Chronobiology International, 7,
245-249.
Kruez, L.E., & Rose, R.M. (1972). Assessment of aggressive behavior and
plasma testosterone in a young criminal population. Psychosomatic Medicine,
34, 321-332.
Ehrenkranz, J., Bliss, E., & Sheard, M.H. (1974). Plasma testosterone:
Correlation with aggressive behavior and social dominance in man.
Psychosomatic Medicine, 36, 469-475.
Stopes, M.C. (1936). Change of Life in Men and Women. London: Putnam.
Mayer, N. (1978). The Male Midlife Crisis. New York: Signet.
Oudshoorn, N.E.J. (1997). Menopause, only for women? The social
construction of menopause as an exclusively female condition. Journal of
Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 18, 137-144.
Christiansen, K., & Knussman, R. (1987). Androgen levels and components of
aggressive behavior in men. Hormones and Behavior, 21, 170-180.
Dabbs, J.M., Frady, R.L., Carr, T.S., & Besch, N.F. (1987). Saliva
testosterone and criminal violence in young adult prison inmates.
Psychosomatic Medicine, 49, 175-182.
Gladue, B.A. (1992). Aggressive behavioral characteristics, hormones, and
sexual orientation in men and women. Aggressive Behavior, 17, 313-326.
Knussman, R., Christiansen, K., & Couwenbergs, C. (1986). Relations
between sex hormone levels and sexual behavior in men. Archive of Sexual
Behavior, 15, 429-445.
Baucom, D.H., Besch, P.K., & Callahan, S. (1985). Relation between
testosterone concentration, sex role identification, and personality among
females. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1218-1226.
>From: Matthew Raney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Matthew Raney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Testosterone fluctuations?
>Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 09:49:40 -0400 (EDT)
>
>
>Hey, all,
>
>Once again, I had a student ask a good question for which I don't have the
>answer: do men have any type of cyclic fluctuation in testosterone
>levels? Another student was curious as to whether testosterone levels
>fluctuated and/or were different in men once they entered relationships.
>
>Thanks,
>Matt
>
>***************************************************************************
>Matthew L. Raney Work #: (919) 962-5082
>Graduate Student, Clinical Psychology
>Davie Hall, CB #3270
>Department of Psychology
>University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
>Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270
>***************************************************************************
>
>
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