Testosterone makes you a risk taker
I found the headlines to this article pretty provocative, “Women with high testosterone take more money risks” as seen in USA Today on August 24, 2009. What struck me was how testosterone seemed to be the key indicator in risk taking. The quote from one of the researchers is interesting:
Women with more testosterone tend to behave more like men when taking financial risks, according to a new study.
“Women with higher levels of testosterone turn out to be less risk averse, more willing to take risks,” Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago said in a telephone interview.
What’s really interesting is that among men and women with relatively low levels of testosterone there was virtually no difference in risk taking. Another interesting tidbit? If you are married, your testosterone decreases to the non-risk taking level (maybe that is the real reason for those marriages without sex!)
It’s a fun article with eye opening results that will make you think what really does drive us? You can read the piece at USA Today’s site at this link here.
I totally agree. I have been crossdressing since early childhood. I find times that, if not kept in check, my testostrone makes me do things I otherwise would not do.
Thank you Tommie for your contribution to our post
I wonder if crossdressing reduces testosterone or perhaps it’s effects? Like the married couple noted in the study, testosterone is reduced to the levels of not helping to increase risk taking behavior. I couldn’t find any studies to that effect (nor why a married persons testosterone is reduced).
One piece that did peak my interest that was somewhat related to this post was by Dr. Anne Vitale. She wrote a brief on her thoughts on “Testosterone Toxicity Implicated in Male-To-Female Transsexuals”. It’s interesting in light of our article and your comments. Our readers may read Dr. Vitale’s article at her site here: http://www.avitale.com/TNote15Testosterone.htm
How does one measure their testosterone level without a visit to an endocrinologist? I have taken so many blood tests and of course those can predict your prostate activity but do not measure testosterone.
Looking at my body, I have very little hair growth. I never have to shave my legs, ( I know that most women would die for this) and very seldom shave under my arms or shave my arms. My beard is also getting lighter all the time.
Of course, age probably has something to do with it, but I still consider myself virile. I am not on any HRT program which could e xplain that. Perhaps the fact that I have had so many surgical procedures in my life and also quite a few very serious staph infections resulting from those surgeries and have been given so many antibiotics that my whole system has become immune.
Oh, I am not complaining. On the contrary, except for a few misplaced body parts, I could pass so easily as a woman. I feel so badly for those men who have such a strong need to crossdress but cannot do so in the summer because of excess body hair.
Still, I think that it could be interesting to find out exactly what my testosterone levels are.
Hi Rita,
Thanks so much for your contribution to our discussion and for spending some of your time with us at Beck’s Cafe. I can tell you’ve been thinking this through! To answer your question, “How does one measure their testosterone level without a visit to an endocrinologist?” You can do it through a company called LabSafe they are a “direct to consumer” lab test provider. Some of their hormone level tests are at the Lab Safe site here.
I’ve had blood tests done through them. They were affordable, efficient and professional and I was pleased with their service.