Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men. In this article we will tell you what processes it is involved in, what affects testosterone levels in the body, and how to understand if there are problems with it.
How the body synthesizes testosterone
Testosterone in men is produced by Leydig cells, which are located in the testes or testicles. A small amount of it is also synthesized by the adrenal glands in both men and women.
5 milligrams of testosterone is synthesized in a healthy man every day.
Only 1-2% of testosterone remains unchanged when it enters the bloodstream. It is also called free testosterone. The rest is bound to two proteins: albumin and sex hormone-binding globulin (hSPH).
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The latter binds so tightly to the hormone that the body can no longer use it for its needs. Thus, the globulin controls the amount of testosterone that enters the cells and tissues.
Testosterone that binds to albumin, just like free testosterone, is easily consumed by the body’s cells and tissues, so they are called bioavailable. To avoid confusion about the different forms of testosterone, we have depicted them on the diagram.