The Sex Organs - The Male Sex Organs

The Internal Sex Organs: The Production of Hormones

The Production of Hormones at Different Life Stages

Before puberty
Before puberty, the androgen and estrogen levels in boys and girls are nearly equal.

Puberty
During adolescence, the hormones balance begins to shift. In the male body the androgens rise to a slightly higher level than the estrogens, and in the female body the estrogens rise to a much higher level than the androgens. In the male the increase of androgens during puberty helps to produce the male secondary sexual characteristics. There is still much to be learned about the role of hormones in the human body. Nevertheless, a few basic facts have already been established:While the gonadal hormones are necessary for a young person's physical maturation, they are not essential for the continued sexual activity of adults. In other words, males and females need the gonadal hormones during adolescence to develop their full sexual potential.

Adulthood
Once the full sexual potential has been attained in adult men and women, they can – up to a point - function sexually without these hormones. This has long been recognized in the case of women whose gonads (the ovaries) cease functioning after menopause without diminishing their sexual responsiveness. Many people are less willing to concede that the same is also true for men who might be deprived of their gonadal hormones (by castration, for example). A castration will, in most cases and over time, greatly diminish a man’s sexual capacity and motivation. However, there are exceptions. In adult humans, sexual activity can be quite varied and need not be directly dependent on hormone levels, but is also influenced by social factors.