Psychological and Behavioural Effects of Endogenous Testosterone Levels and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids Among Males: A Review

by Michael S. Bahrke, Charles E. Yesalis III, and James E. Wright

3.3 Relationship of Testosterone to Moods Other Than Aggression

In a study of serum testosterone levels, social status and mood in male graduate students between the ages of 22 and 35, Mazur and Lamb (1980) reported that changes in testosterone levels did show a relationship to the subject’s moods. Specifically, their results suggest that when a man achieves a ‘rise in status through his own efforts’ (either graduation form medical school, winning a tennis match, or winning a lottery), and he has an elevation of mood as a result of the achievement, then that person is ‘likely’ to have a rise in testosterone. A recent study by Tanaka et al. (1989) found that positive mental health [vigour as measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) (McNair et al. 1971)] and athletic achievement motivation (challenge to higher goals, ‘fighting spirit’, and value athletics as determined by the Taikyo Sports Motivation Inventory) were each significantly correlated with higher levels of plasma testosterone. Elias (1981) has measured levels of circulating cortisol, testosterone and testosterone-binding globulin in 15 male wrestlers in relation to the outcome of wrestling bouts and found that concentrations of cortisol and testosterone increased consistently during wrestling bouts, while levels of testosterone-binding globulin dropped. Winners of competitive matches showed significantly greater increases in both hormones than losers. Although greater effort and/or haemoconcentration in the winners cannot be ruled out as an explanation, these findings are suggestive that humans, like other social mammals, might undergo specific endocrine changes in response to victory or defeat.

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Originally appearing in Sports Medicine 10(5) 303-337. 1990.

Copyright © 1990 by Adis International Limited. All rights reserved. Reprinted by MESO-Rx with permission.  Any duplication of this document by electronic or other means is strictly prohibited.