The Testosterone Factor
High and low-testosterone men have different personality traits. But can boosting T change your personality? Here's what you need to know.
What makes you you? Most say it's your personality, that unique combo of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and characteristics that define how you consistently interact with and respond to the world. (That "consistent" part is key.)
But where does your personality come from? Are you born with it, or is it shaped by life experiences? Most experts today think your personality is "built" from both innate traits and later experiences. Part of your personality is genetic or biological and linked to brain chemistry. Other parts are more malleable.
But what about hormonal status and personality? There's no scientific argument about how a female's personality traits subtly shift throughout her menstrual cycle. Hormones like estrogen, LH, progesterone, and testosterone are in constant flux, and her behaviors and personality shift accordingly. Her core personality may not change, but there are oscillations within her innate boundaries.
So, what about men? How do their testosterone levels affect their personalities? And how does TRT or a T-boosting supplement (Buy at Amazon) affect it?
High vs. Low-T Personalities
Testosterone levels do influence men's personalities. These effects can vary widely in individuals, but we can observe some general trends:
The High-T Personality
- Men with high testosterone tend to display more dominant behaviors and are often more assertive or competitive. They might feel a stronger drive to excel and lead.
- While aggression isn't a guarantee, higher testosterone levels correlate with increased impulsive or risk-taking behavior. But this usually doesn't manifest in violent behaviors; it's more of a tendency to take calculated risks. And "aggression" often presents in a socially acceptable manner: aggressive in his career, aggressive in protecting his family, etc.
- Elevated testosterone levels boost confidence, self-esteem, and libido. Socially, a high-T man appears more extroverted or outgoing.
- Generally, a high-T man has a more stable mood and he's less likely to be neurotic.
- High-T men are often treated differently based on social perceptions. People notice a man with more muscle, less fat, a deeper voice, and more manly facial features, and change how they interact with him. You could argue that this affects the man's changeable/shiftable personality traits.
The Low-T Personality
- Very generally, men with low testosterone have reduced levels of motivation, ambition, and energy. So, they might be less competitive or at least less driven to seek challenges or take risks.
- They may have a higher level of emotional sensitivity and be more empathic and nurturing. During conflicts, they may take a more passive approach. They often have a heightened awareness of other people's feelings.
- Sometimes, low T correlates with low libido and low confidence. A low-T man is more prone to social withdrawal.
- Lower testosterone levels are linked to depressive symptoms, anxiety, and mood variability.
How Does a T Boost Affect Personality?
When a low-T male brings his levels up to normal or high normal with TRT or a testosterone-elevating supplement, many of his personality traits shift as you'd expect: he exhibits more high-T traits and fewer low-T traits.
Other traits are considered more set in stone. They're either innate or develop and "stick" in early childhood. Temperament or your baseline mood (positive or negative) is one example. But even those traits are considered interactive: they can change, at least subtly, based on life experiences and personal development.
The Great Testosterone Decline
One could argue that society needs both high-T and low-T men. One could also argue that we already have low-T humans: women. That masculine and feminine balance is already in place. It's a balance that works very well since any shortcoming of one sex is balanced by the strengths of the other.
The problem? Male testosterone levels are falling. Aging and fatherhood lower testosterone, but even younger, childless men are experiencing declines. Experts blame numerous things, from environmental endocrine disruptors (plastics) to poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, low vitamin D levels, and stress.
Here's something many overlook: Rising levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). It's a glycoprotein that binds to testosterone in the bloodstream, making it unavailable for use by the body. It lowers levels of free (bioavailable) testosterone. Your total T may be fine, but your free T is low, so you experience all the same symptoms of low testosterone.
Lots of things can cause an unwanted rise in SHBG:
- Stress (chronically elevated cortisol)
- Aging
- A long-term, low-carb diet (not enough insulin to suppress SHBG)
- A low-protein diet
- Excess abdominal fat
How Do We Fix This?
Testosterone replacement therapy can do the trick, but SHBG can still be elevated. Certain natural T-boosters reduce SHBG, which in turn increases free testosterone. Longjack (also called Tongkat Ali or Eurycoma) is one such supplement.
Longjack's bioactive compounds interact with various hormonal pathways, lowering SHBG production. It also lowers cortisol levels, which in turn reduces SHBG.
Longjack also increases androgen receptor sensitivity, improving the effectiveness of available testosterone. This increased receptor activity causes the body to "sense" higher levels of active testosterone, reducing the need for high SHBG levels to regulate testosterone availability.
If you want to try it, use only the patented LJ100 form of Longjack. Take 300 mg daily, which is a big dose. Omega-Man High Absorption Longjack (Buy at Amazon) contains this amount and uses a self-emulsifying delivery system to get all active fractions into your body.
Will your core personality change? Probably not, but you might experience a shift towards a higher-T personality: more assertive and competitive, a more stable mood, a stronger libido, and more drive.