In The Know Mom: The male hormone cycle

What about a boy's hormone cycle?

Your daughter isn't the only ones with a hormone cycle. Your son (and your hubby and all the other guys in your life) have a hormone cycle, too!

However, there are big differences. For instance, instead of having a month-long hormone cycle like your daughter, your son goes through an entire hormone cycle in a single 24 hours.

Also, guys have 10 times more testosterone than women, so their hormone cycle is all about how their testosterone affects them. A boy's body does make estrogen and progesterone like a woman's body, though in much smaller amounts.

So what’s your son's 24-hour hormone cycle like? His testosterone is highest in the morning when he wakes up and his testosterone gets lower as the day goes on. Here’s some of what you can expect throughout your son's day:

Morning: Testosterone is highest
How your son's hormones have him feeling: He’s at his most energetic, talkative, aggressive, focused, competitive, independent, impulsive and confident. He also may be “antsy” or quick to anger and is more likely to say “no” to a favor or request, such as asking him to clean his room. His ability to read maps and do spatial thinking is at its peak.
Best time for him to… Put together or fix something, compete in a contest, do a project by himself, figure out the best route to a location, exercise.

Afternoon: Testosterone has declined to the middle of its cycle
How your son's hormones have him feeling: He’s a tad mellower than his morning self, but isn’t going on empty just yet. As a result, he still upbeat, driven and focused, but not as quick to anger. He’s more open to working with others rather than going solo. You'll also catch him smiling more now than in the morning.
Best time for him to… Work as part of a team, give an oral presentation, brainstorm ideas, do homework.

Evening: Testosterone is lowest
How your son's hormones have him feeling: He’s more passive and low-key. Ask him for a favor (such as cleaning his room this weekend) in these later hours of the day since low testosterone makes him more agreeable and more likely to say "yes". He may feel tired or have “fuzzy” thinking.
Best time for him to… Hang out with friends and family, do his favorite hobbies, read.

The exceptions: A guy’s testosterone is affected by things he does. For instance, his testosterone level rises when he sees an action movie, plays video games or competes in or anticipates a sports game or game of chess, or drinks alcohol. His testosterone also rises when he watches his favorite team compete. While his testosterone stays high if his team wins, it plunges if his team loses, making him feel blue, cranky or lethargic.

Will your son go through menopause? Some say men go through a "menopause", but it's not the kind women do. A man's testosterone decreases as he ages, but he'll continue to have the same 24-hour hormone cycle his entire life. By contrast, a woman's hormone cycle stops when she goes through menopause.