Love Kudos: Male Brain: Beer and Testosterone

Written and compiled by Lindsay K. of Love Kudos

We all know that Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus, but what really differentiates us? Louann Brizendine, in her article The 'Male Brain': So that explains it, reveals that the male brain and testosterone are two contributing factors for our differences.

The article reads, "The female brain is driven to seek security and reliability in a potential mate before she has sex. But a male brain is fueled to mate and mate again. Until, that is, he mates for life."

Test your Tone (testosterone)

According to Wikipedia, testosterone plays a "key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass and hair growth." We all know that this hormone is important for increasing libido and erections in men.

Brizendine gives an example of the changes a male goes through in puberty, "If testosterone were beer, a 9-year-old boy would be getting the equivalent of a cup a day. But a 15-year-old would be getting the equivalent of two gallons a day."

That's a lot of beer (testosterone) for a 15 year old kid.

Emotional Poker Face

I've only seen my father cry twice in my life. Once when his grandmother passed away and the other when he was recovering from open heart surgery. Brizendine says, "Studies of men's faces show that the male brain's initial emotional reaction can be stronger than the female brain's. But within 2.5 seconds, he changes his face to hide the emotion, or even reverse it. The repeated practice of hiding his emotions gives men the classic poker face."

"It's his poker face and his analytical response to personal problems that can put him in the doghouse. She's crying as she talks about what's wrong with the relationship, and instead of hugging her, his mind is racing to find a way to resolve the problem as soon as possible. With practice and because of the way their brains are wired, men use their analytical brain structures, not their emotional ones, to find a solution."

Lust and Love Collide

Brizendine continues, "Despite stereotypes to the contrary, the male brain can fall in love just as hard and fast as the female brain, and maybe more so. When he meets and sets his sights on capturing "the one," mating with her becomes his prime directive. And when he succeeds, his brain makes an indelible imprint of her. Lust and love collide and he's hooked."

"When his mate becomes pregnant, she'll emit pheromones that will waft into his nostrils, stimulating his brain to make more of a hormone called prolactin. Her pheromones will also cause his testosterone production to drop by 30 percent. These hormonal changes make him more likely to help with the baby. They also change his perceptual circuitry, increasing his ability to hear a baby cry, something many men can't do very well before their wives are pregnant."

Lauren K. says, "I have noticed that many of my male friends have become more emotionally intune to their wive's moods during their pregnancies. They are also protective of their unborn young, so they want her to be in good spirits. Of course, eventually, the testosterone must return back to normal, because the male sensitivity gene does not seem to remain present for the rest of their lives. I like most of the benefits of lots of testosterone; high libido and physical strength, but I could do without the unnecessary roughness that usually accompanies it."

Just some thoughts on the chemical differences between men and women from Love Kudos.

Edited and image selection by Lauren K.