How Your Voice Will Change Over Time

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Have you ever listened to old recordings and noticed how your voice has changed over time? This happens because our voices are dynamic, changing in pitch and quality as we move through different stages of life. From the high-pitched voices of childhood to our deeper ones in adulthood, and finally to the subtle shifts that come with aging, our vocal cords evolve alongside us.

These changes are influenced by hormones, muscle tone, and even hydration levels. Understanding why our voices change can offer insight into vocal health and ways to keep our voices strong over time.

The Voice of Childhood

If you’ve ever spent time around children, you’ve probably noticed that young boys and girls tend to have similar, high-pitched voices. That’s because, before puberty, their vocal tracts are about the same size. However, once puberty hits, hormones take over and cause major changes.

In boys, an increase in testosterone thickens and lengthens the vocal cords, which slows down their vibration and results in a much deeper voice—sometimes dropping by a full octave. This also creates their visible "Adam’s apple."

Despite myths about castration leading to high voices, these changes are permanent once they occur. Likewise, transgender men who take testosterone supplementation will also experience a permanent deepening of their voices.

Girls' voices also change during puberty, but to a lesser degree. Estrogen lowers their pitch slightly—by about a third of an octave—giving them a more mature sound.

While biology plays a key role in male and female voice pitch differences, social expectations also influence how voices develop. Research shows that in societies with strict gender roles, the gap between average male and female voice pitch is larger than in cultures with more fluid gender norms. Even young children, before puberty alters their vocal cords, tend to adjust their voices—raising or lowering their pitch—to align with gendered expectations.

How Aging Affects the Voice

Just as our bodies change with age, so do our voices. Over time, a loss of muscle tone, more dryness, and increased stiffness in the vocal cords can make them weaker and less flexible, as well as lead to greater vocal fatigue. This can lead to a thinner, hoarser voice, and singers may notice they can’t sustain notes as easily. Lung capacity can also decrease, making it harder to project the voice.

Hormones play a role here, too. In men, declining testosterone levels can thin the vocal cords and raise pitch slightly. In women, lower estrogen and higher androgens can thicken the vocal cords, causing a deeper voice. However, hormone replacement therapy can sometimes counteract these changes.

Keeping Your Voice Healthy

The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your voice at any age. Staying hydrated, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, and giving your voice regular rest can help maintain vocal health. If hoarseness or vocal fatigue becomes an issue, voice therapy might be a good option.

Like the rest of our bodies, our voices need care to stay strong—a little vocal love can go a long way.

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