Gaby
American researchers have reached an unexpected conclusion: the hormone testosterone makes men more romantic. Moreover, it primarily promotes emotional courtship rather than just sexual attraction.
According to scientists from the University of California, Santa Barbara, their new study essentially indicates that high levels of testosterone activate competitive behavior among males.
What Did the Scientists Reveal?
For a long time, it was believed that a man’s sexual desire was closely linked to testosterone levels. But is that really the case? Could this hormone be responsible for more than just libido?
The research team collected daily data on testosterone levels and sexual desire from 41 single men over a span of 31 days. The researchers found no evidence that men experienced increased desire on days when their testosterone levels were elevated.
However, on those days when men interacted with potential romantic partners, they reported more active attempts at courtship.
The study’s results, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest that testosterone may be more closely related to courtship behaviors than to sexual desire.
“This research provides direct, naturalistic evidence that daily fluctuations in sexual desire among men are not significantly linked to daily fluctuations in testosterone levels,” the researchers stated.
In contrast, “when participants reported direct social interaction with a potential partner,” the scientists observed elevated levels of this hormone, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“The analyses demonstrated a positive connection between courtship and testosterone levels among single men,” the researchers noted. They even suggested that the findings challenge the appropriateness of prescribing testosterone to treat low sexual desire in men who already have normal hormone levels.
