Testosterone : sex, power, and the will to win /

Viewers who have seen any of the television commercials about low T will feel bad for men who suffer symptoms of dwindling testosterone levels. Herbert, a professor of neuroscience, stresses the significance of this chemical messenger. Of all the powerful hormones, none are more influential than testosterone. Its primary function is reproduction (by enabling male fertility and sexuality), but testosterone acts on many areas of the human body. Its effect on the male brain can provoke competitiveness, aggression, dominance-seeking, distrust, and risky behavior. Most testosterone in men is produced by the testes. In females, the hormone is manufactured by the ovaries and a larger amount by the adrenal glands. Premenopausal women have as much as five times more testosterone than estrogen in their blood (yet still only one-tenth the amount present in a man's blood). In the chapter Testosterone and War, Herbert concedes that testosterone is not the cause of war but wonders if war could ever happen without its influence. Reproductive physiology, evolutionary science, and biological fitness come together nicely in this portrait of an ancient and successful hormone.--Miksanek, Tony Copyright 2010 Booklist

Herbert (emeritus neuroscience, Cambridge Univ.; The Minder Brain) writes "Hormones are fascinating!" and digests the latest research on testosterone for a general audience. Testosterone is understood both culturally and scientifically as one of the most important hormones in forming maleness. Herbert explains what research has revealed to us about this hormone, but he also goes further, looking at the question of how testosterone may have shaped our world, too. His examinations show how the hormone affects the body, brain, sexual desire, and aggression, and how it relates to other hormones, such as androgen. Likewise, Herbert discusses testosterone's similarities and differences in males and females, since the hormone also plays an important role in female physiology. In addition, the author addresses the part testosterone may or may not have in behaviors that lead to making money or starting wars. VERDICT Herbert demonstrates how fascinating mere chemicals in our bodies are by showing how they affect physiology and behavior. This examination of the latest research is as riveting for what it says about testosterone as for what it reveals we don't know. Highly recommended to readers interested in medicine, gender studies, sexuality, and psychology.-Scott Vieira, Rice Univ. Lib., Houston © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.