Men are often called as from Mars and Women from Venus but actually both are Earthbound. The biologic model of gender identity attributes the difference to hormones and genes, while the social model examines cultural, educational, and familial influences. In fact, both factors contribute to the behavioral differences, which remain pronounced even as our society becomes more egalitarian.

Men tend to be less social and more independent, less communicative and more active. Men take more risks and are more aggressive. Cultural expectations and peer pressures certainly account for many behavioral differences between the sexes. Testosterone contributes to aggressive behavior, especially in high doses. Men tend to perform better on certain spatial tasks, but women excel at certain manual tasks requiring precision. Men outperform women on tests of mathematical reasoning, but women do better on arithmetical calculation tests, Males tend to have superior musical and mathematical skills; women, enhanced verbal abilities.

Body’s attributes change with age, and mental function is no exception. Memory is the most fragile mental function. With age, new learning is slower, new information is processed less carefully, and details often slip. Short-term memory typically weakens, but long-term memory is well preserved. Testosterone levels decline with age, just when memory begins to slow. A study found that higher testosterone levels were associated with better cognitive performance in older men while no link was observed in younger individuals.

If high testosterone levels are indeed linked to better mental function, will treatments that reduce hormone levels lead to cognitive decline is a question our researchers are after. Until more convincing evidence is available, men should not use testosterone or any other and to improve mental function, researchers say. Studies of testosterone and mood are in their infancy. Small, short-term studies suggest that testosterone therapy may help alleviate symptoms of depression in some men but that very high doses may promote aggressive or manic behavior.

Memory is not the only thing that declines with age. Men also lose muscle mass and bone density; the red blood cell count drifts down; sexual ardor declines; and body fat increases. In theory, at least, testosterone therapy might attenuate or reverse each of these changes. Testosterone deficiency is called hypogonadism which is caused due to genetic errors, mumps, severe trauma, alcoholism, and cancer chemotherapy and radiation. The potential risks of testosterone therapy may outweigh the potential benefits and the most serious long-term risks of testosterone therapy are prostate diseases, both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Other potential side effects include polycythemia (an excessive number of red blood cells), sleep apnea (respiratory pauses during sleep that may increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke), gynecomastia (benign breast enlargement), acne, and liver disease.
Keep your mind young and supple with mental activity, physical exercise, good nutrition, and regular medical care. And you can also get many of the purported benefits of testosterone for your body without any of its risks. Healthy living may actually make you 10 years younger.