Study results - Do men in long-term relationships become less masculine? Testosterone levels are demonstrably falling
When a woman is in a bad mood, people like to make the joke "She must be on her period". As a woman, hormonal fluctuations and the associated impact on health are occasionally an issue due to menstruation, pregnancy and the menopause. However, it is less well known that men in long-term relationships reduce the male sex hormone testosterone - so does a man in a relationship become more sluggish and unmanly?
Researchers Daniel Farrelly, Rebecca Owens and Mark A. Wetherell addressed this question. They examined the hormonal balance of 75 men aged between 18 and 39 living in the north of England. In the study, the researchers used blood testosterone levels and saliva testosterone samples to examine the men's sex hormone levels and compared them with their relationship status.
The study revealed a correlation between testosterone levels and the length of the relationship. Put simply, the more ready a man is to mate, the higher his testosterone level. The lowest levels were found in men who were both in a long-term relationship and who were already fathers. The evolutionary explanation: testosterone plays an important role in men when they are looking for opportunities to mate with women. So when a man is no longer looking because he is in a long-term relationship, the sex hormone in his blood drops.
In addition to reproductive ability, testosterone is also responsible for sexual function, muscle growth, bone density and the regulation of fat metabolism. The results of the study therefore not only indicate a willingness to find a partner, but the decrease in testosterone can also lead to visual and behavioral changes.
In the first year of the partnership, men are still in "hunting mode"
Single men who were actively looking for a partner had one of the highest hormone levels. In addition, men who had been in a relationship for less than a year - they were still "on the hunt" and their hormone levels had not yet fully adapted to the new monogamous situation. Since the colloquial "hunting behavior" and a higher testosterone level go hand in hand, this also means that men living in polyamorous relationships also had an increased level compared to monogamous relationships.
Another interesting finding of the study is that even the constant desire for extramarital passion can increase hormone levels. In the study results, the researchers also referred to the fact that the age of the participants was not associated with a drop in testosterone levels. A previous study by researchers Anders and Watson had already shown that physical closeness, which is usually experienced more often in a relationship than as a single person, has no influence on the sex hormone.
In their analysis, the researchers also gave room for a theory: men with a higher baseline testosterone level presumably tend to stay on the "hunt" more often and end relationships more quickly.
Evolutionary conclusion: If the man still has to compete with other men for a suitable female, as in the animal world, the testosterone level does not fall.
Source: Study "The Effects of Being in a "New Relationship" on Levels of Testosterone in Men", Gesundheit.gv
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- Interestingly, the study also found that men in the first year of their relationship still maintain higher testosterone levels, as they are still in the "hunting mode".
- Men who are single and actively seeking a partner typically have some of the highest testosterone levels, indicating their readiness to mate.
- In a long-term relationship, men's testosterone levels can significantly drop due to a reduced need to compete for mates, as evidenced by the study in Northern England.
- The researchers pointed out that the age of the participants was not correlated with a drop in testosterone levels, contradicting previous assumptions about hormonal changes with age.
- Men in polyamorous relationships also tend to have higher testosterone levels, as the concept of "hunting behavior" and testosterone levels are often linked.
Source: www.stern.de
