The Check-Up: Dads Have Less Testosterone

Men, I hate to break it to you, but a new study found that a guy’s testosterone level drops after he becomes a parent. And what’s more, it keeps dropping as he becomes more engaged in his kids’ lives—reading bedtime stories, changing diapers, playing games. Before you freak out, a Harvard professor has the silver lining: “Male parental care is important. It’s important enough that it’s actually shaped the physiology of men,” Dr. Peter Ellison told the New York Times. “My hope would be that this kind of research has an impact on the American male. It would make them realize that we’re meant to be active fathers and participate in the care of our offspring.” Feel better?

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