The main hormone responsible for deepening the male voice during puberty is testosterone. Testosterone causes growth and changes in the larynx, also known as the voice box, leading to a lower-pitched, more resonant voice.
What happens during puberty to change the voice?
During puberty, rising levels of testosterone in boys spur growth and development of the larynx. The larynx grows longer and thicker, while the vocal cords become thicker and denser. This leads to a dramatic drop in the pitch of the voice.
Some key changes to the larynx during puberty include:
- The larynx (voice box) grows significantly larger, by 50% on average.
- The vocal cords become 60% longer and thicker.
- The vocal tract (throat) also lengthens, allowing deeper resonance.
Along with physical changes to the vocal anatomy, the muscles and neurological control of the voice matures. This allows males to control their voice pitch and use their voice more powerfully.
When does the voice start changing in males?
The timing of voice changes varies significantly among boys going through puberty. On average:
- Voice changes usually start around ages 11-15.
- The voice begins “cracking” and switching between high and low pitches.
- By age 16, the larynx has usually grown to nearly adult size.
- Changes often last 1-2 years, but may persist up to age 21.
How much does testosterone deepen the voice?
Boys going through puberty will typically experience a dramatic drop in the pitch of their voice, enabled by testosterone. Some averages include:
- Pitch drops by about one octave – from around middle C to low C on a piano.
- Fundamental frequency drops from 250 Hz to 125 Hz.
- Vocal range shrinks from 2-3 octaves down to just over 1 octave.
However, the amount of change is highly individual. Genetics plays a major role in determining the lowest pitch a male voice can reach after puberty.
What other factors affect voice pitch?
While testosterone has the dominant influence in lowering voice pitch in males, other factors play a role as well:
- Genetics – Voice pitch has high heritability, meaning a strong genetic component.
- Body size – Larger individuals tend to have lower-pitched voices.
- Smoking – Smoking can limit full growth of the vocal anatomy.
- Home environment – Secondhand smoke exposure may affect development.
- Recreational activities – Participation in sports and other physical activity may correlate with lower voice pitch.
Can hormones change a female’s voice?
In contrast to teenage boys, puberty in females does not significantly alter voice pitch. Estrogen levels rise but do not change vocal anatomy.
However, women’s voices can be altered by:
- Anabolic steroid use – Illegally used by some athletes and bodybuilders.
- Hormone therapy – Part of gender transition for transgender women.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome – A hormonal disorder causing excess androgen.
- Oral contraceptives – May subtly deepen pitch due to progesterone.
In these cases, increased testosterone exposure thickens and lengthens the vocal cords, dropping voice pitch modestly. But the female larynx still retains smaller size compared to males.
Can trans males deepen their voices with hormones?
Yes, trans males (female-to-male transgender individuals) can develop deeper voices through testosterone therapy during gender transition. The effects are similar to male puberty.
The onset of voice changes varies by age when starting testosterone:
- Younger trans males before or early into female puberty will have the most significant voice changes.
- Those starting hormones after female puberty may see more modest voice changes.
- Voice pitch usually drops most dramatically within the first 3-12 months.
The degree of voice deepening depends on various factors like genetics, lifestyle habits, and dosage/duration of testosterone therapy.
Can voice pitch increase naturally with age?
After adolescence, most males retain a relatively stable voice pitch throughout early and middle adulthood. However, some subtle changes occur with aging later in life:
- Voices may rise in pitch slightly in older males due to muscle loss around the larynx and stiffening of vocal cords.
- Vocal control and power tends to diminish.
- Changes are more noticeable in singers and those who rely on their voice professionally.
Females also experience a moderate rise in voice pitch with menopause as estrogen levels decline. But in most cases, these age-related changes are fairly small compared to puberty changes.
Can I consciously control my voice pitch?
To a certain extent, yes. With practice and training, many individuals can control their habitual voice pitch and vocal qualities like resonance.
Voice training techniques like these may help alter pitch:
- Vocal exercises to stretch and strengthen voice muscles.
- Practicing speaking in the desired pitch range.
- Changing vocal tract shape through jaw/tongue positions.
- Imitating vocal models to develop new habits.
However, the underlying anatomical factors still limit the overall pitch range. And it’s difficult to override the pitch your vocal cords naturally vibrate at.
What health problems can affect voice pitch?
Some examples of health conditions that may alter voice pitch include:
- Swollen vocal cords due to infections, reflux, straining, or thyroid conditions.
- Polyps or nodules on the vocal cords altering vibration.
- Paralysis or weakness of vocal cord muscles due to neurological conditions.
- Benign growths like cysts or polyps.
- Cancer of the larynx, vocal cords, or thyroid.
Hoarseness, loss of vocal range, sudden voice changes, or pain when speaking warrant medical attention to identify the cause.
Conclusion
The predominant factor influencing male voice pitch is testosterone exposure during adolescence. Testosterone triggers growth of the larynx and thickening of vocal cords. Most males experience a dramatic drop in voice pitch of around one octave due to anatomical changes enabled by this hormone. While some natural variation exists, genetics and health of the vocal mechanism also affect the lowest pitch a male voice can produce.