Is A Beard The Hallmark Of High Testosterone Levels?

Beards are en vogue at the moment, that’s great if you can grow a nice, thick busy beard but what about those with the wisps of a teenage boy? Does it mean they have lower testosterone levels?

Those who can’t grow a beard are often ridiculed by their peers and unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a magic pill or potion offered by science to offer any help at all.

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Why is this?

Most people associate a manly beard with higher levels of testosterone and it sort of makes sense or it would seem so anyway. However, it is not exactly that clear cut, testosterone is an androgen hormone which regulate secondary sex characteristics.

These sex characteristics do cover male characteristics such as a deep voice and more muscle development than the opposite sex. Yet, they are not directly involved in reproduction.

Now, the chemical that is responsible for beard growth is called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), this chemical is a potent form of testosterone, yet strangely DHT can also be associated with hair loss!

In fact you may have heard that one of the possible side effects of taking synthetic testosterone is hair loss.

Can we clarify?

The real reason behind beard growth is to do with how many androgen receptors in the skin can actually bind with DHT. If you are blessed(?) with many of these receptors around your chin you will be bestowed with a nice thick facial bush.

Yet, this is a twist and a half, if you have too many of these receptors on the top of your head it will actually trigger baldness. Nightmare, especially if you have loads in your scalp and none on your chin.

Is it to do with testosterone then?

In a word, no. It is to do with genetics. These androgens are decided by the genes passed on to you from your parents. Strangely all of the men in my dad’s side of the family are bald on their scalp and clean shaven although they can grow a beard, and this is the same on my mother’s side of the family.

However, my father has a full head of hair, barely any grey hair and a full beard at 69 years old. I appear to have benefited from these genes too.

So I’m fucked, right?

Not entirely fucked, but almost…

There’s a little glimmer of hope, if you are noticing baldness creeping in, there are medications that can lower the amount of DHT in the body, but, there’s nothing that can boost the androgen receptors which would bind to the DHT.