Male Softy Study: Dad's Testosterone Levels Drop After New Baby Is Born

Ever wonder what your dad was like before you were born? A new study says he was probably a little more macho -- more manly even.

After a baby is born, a study states, a father's levels of testosterone to go down, making him more nurturing and committed to the family.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science by Canadian researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland, measured testosterone levels in 600 men when they were 21 and four years later at 25. What it found was that testosterone levels in men who had had children dropped significantly more than men who hadn't yet. And, men who spent three or more hours a day with their child had an even lower drop than men who weren't as involved in care.

The New York Times has more:

“The real take-home message,” said Peter Ellison, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard who was not involved in the study, is that “male parental care is important. It’s important enough that it’s actually shaped the physiology of men.”

“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.”

Watch the New York Times webcast on the study:

So if you're a father who pre-child said you would never be one of those dads that put a dress up crown on your head to amuse your daughter, and then you did, your hormone levels could be why. But as Gizmodo states nicely, these changes are nothing to scoff at; they actually help dads be better parents.

[H/T Gizmodo]