Darby Saxbe Argues Fatherhood Lowers Testosterone as 12 Million Prescriptions Fuel a 'Testosterone Moment'
Updated
Updated · aibm.org · Jul 10
Darby Saxbe Argues Fatherhood Lowers Testosterone as 12 Million Prescriptions Fuel a 'Testosterone Moment'
3 articles · Updated · aibm.org · Jul 10
Summary
Darby Saxbe’s “Dad Brain” argues that a mild testosterone drop in new fathers can be healthy, framing it as an adaptive shift toward caregiving rather than a sign of masculine decline.
Lee Gettler’s longitudinal research found men’s testosterone falls around the transition to fatherhood, with bigger declines linked to more hands-on childcare; Saxbe says pushing testosterone higher could disrupt that adjustment.
Cross-cultural evidence complicates simple “high-T” ideals: among the BaYaka in the Congo Basin, the best-regarded fathers had the lowest testosterone, while in the more hierarchical Bandongo community, top-rated dads had the highest.
Saxbe places that science against a broader testosterone boom — 12 million prescriptions were issued in 2025 — while arguing fears of collapsing male T are overstated and often tied to outdated masculinity ideals.
The broader takeaway is that men’s hormones appear to shift with life stage and social role, and midrange testosterone may best support parenting, relationships, and mental health.