Testosterone to Blame for the Credit Crunch?

Testosterone is a powerful force to be reckoned with, and can make emotions run high. We'd even go as far as saying it's sometimes fertilizer for the root of all evil. But could this hormone possibly be responsible for the global credit meltdown that's threatening to swallow the economy?

A new study linking risky financial decisions to guys who have higher levels of testosterone stokes that suspicion. Previous studies had determined that men were more likely than women to make risky moves with money, and another study showed that stock traders generally had more success on days when their hormones were on high. This new study indicates that guys with higher levels of testosterone tend to pick investments that are riskier, which could potentially lead to a pile-up of bad debt.

"Financial risk might be comparable to other risky male behaviors associated with reproduction," said Harvard researcher Coren Apicella, whose report was published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. She speculates that there may be an evolutionary function of this link between testosterone and risk. "Men may be more willing to take financial risks because the payoffs, in terms of attracting mates, could be higher for them."

Basically, if your broker inexplicably punches out valets or trolls bars for girls every night, cash out.