Fatherhood leads to a drop in testosterone, study finds

Posted on: 5:17 pm, May 7, 2013, by Shaul Turner, updated on: 05:55pm, May 7, 2013

DENVER Fatherhood marks a wonderful time in a mans life. Yet its also a time when testosterone that most male of hormones takes a dive.

Experts say the reason is because mens bodies evolved hormonal systems that helped them commit to their families once children were born. It also suggests that mens behavior can influence hormonal signals in their bodies, and not the other way around.

The largest study of its kind looked at 600 men first then they were 21 and then five years later. It found fathers had more than double the amount of testosterone drop than childless men.

Men who spent more than three hours a day caring for children had the lowest testosterone.

The study is welcome news to moms.

I think being at home is just as difficult and I think its important to have support, said Denver momJulie Boone.

Proud father Andrew Southwell said the idea of a dip in testosterone doesnt bother him at all.

Im pretty confident in my own skin, have my own business have two boys so theres going to be plenty of testosterone flowing through the house here, Southwell said.

Researchers say the study also suggests lower testosterone is natures way of enforcing families. Lower testosterone can make a man less likely to to look other mates.

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Fatherhood leads to a drop in testosterone, study finds