Men's Health Concepts
Neutral, cited definitions of the hormones and concepts that show up repeatedly in men's bloodwork and clinical conversation. Sourced from peer-reviewed literature.
- Testosterone →
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, an androgen produced mainly in the testes that regulates libido, muscle mass, bone density, red blood cell production, and mood.
- Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) →
SHBG is a liver-produced glycoprotein that binds sex hormones (primarily testosterone and oestradiol) in the bloodstream, regulating their bioavailability.
- Cortisol →
Cortisol is the principal glucocorticoid stress hormone produced by the adrenal cortex, regulating glucose metabolism, immune function, and the body's response to physiological and psychological stress.
- Estradiol in Men →
Estradiol (E2) is the most potent oestrogen, produced in men primarily through aromatisation of testosterone in adipose, brain, and bone tissue, and is essential for bone health, libido, cognition, and cardiovascular function.
- Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) →
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen converted from testosterone by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, playing a key role in male sexual differentiation, prostate growth, and hair follicle miniaturisation.
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH) →
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a pituitary gonadotropin that stimulates testosterone production in men by acting on Leydig cells of the testes, serving as a key regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) →
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a pituitary gonadotropin that in men stimulates Sertoli cells in the testes to support spermatogenesis, and is a key marker for evaluating male fertility and testicular function.
- Prolactin in Men →
Prolactin is a pituitary hormone that in men, when chronically elevated, suppresses the HPG axis and causes hypogonadism, sexual dysfunction, and infertility — most commonly due to a benign pituitary prolactinoma.
- Insulin Resistance →
Insulin resistance is a pathophysiological state in which cells fail to respond normally to insulin, leading to compensatory hyperinsulinaemia and eventually impaired glucose regulation — a central driver of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hormonal dysfunction in men.
- HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin) →
HbA1c is a blood test measuring the proportion of haemoglobin that is glycated (glucose-bound), reflecting average blood glucose levels over the preceding 2-3 months, and is the primary diagnostic and monitoring tool for diabetes mellitus.
- High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) →
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a plasma marker of systemic inflammation produced by the liver in response to cytokines such as IL-6, measured at low concentrations to predict cardiovascular risk and assess chronic low-grade inflammatory states.
- Ferritin →
Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular iron-storage protein whose serum concentration serves as the principal clinical marker for assessing body iron stores, diagnosing iron deficiency, and — at elevated levels — indicating iron overload or systemic inflammation.