Testosterone for Women
Although you might find this surprising, testosterone is vital to women’s health. A testosterone deficiency can cause many undesirable symptoms in women of all ages—symptoms that are often mistakenly attributed to estrogen imbalances, thyroid issues or other causes. The Age Management Center of New England can help ensure that your testosterone is at a healthy level to avoid and eliminate the many negative effects of low T.Testosterone is not just for men! Women need testosterone for vibrant health and wellness.
When we hear the word testosterone, most people think MEN. Some also think of transgender individuals who use hormones like testosterone as part of a healthy transition.
Unfortunately, very few people know that for WOMEN testosterone is a vital hormone as well. In fact, science shows that “testosterone is the most abundant sex hormone across a women’s lifespan and an important sex hormone for all genders.”
- Mood disorders
- Cognitive decline
- Insomnia
- Breast and skeletal pain
- Fatigue
- Decreased energy
- Low sex drive
- Loss of sexual satisfaction
- Incontinence
- Muscle loss
- Diminished endurance
- Mood disorders
- Cognitive decline
- Insomnia
- Breast and skeletal pain
- Fatigue
- Decreased energy
- Low sex drive
- Loss of sexual satisfaction
- Incontinence
- Muscle loss
- Diminished endurance
Estrogen and testosterone have historically been placed into gender-specific boxes. But in fact, both sex hormones are equally important to both sexes, just in differing amounts. Biologically active testosterone receptors are located throughout the body in both sexes.
In women, testosterone receptors are found in:
- Uterus
- Breasts
- Blood vessels
- Ovaries
- Heart
- Digestive tract
- Muscles
- Lungs
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Nerves
- Bladder
- Skin
- Bone and bone marrow
- Fat cells
- Uterus
- Breasts
- Blood vessels
- Ovaries
- Heart
- Digestive tract
- Muscles
- Lungs
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Nerves
- Bladder
- Skin
- Bone and bone marrow
- Fat cells
The diversity of receptor locations illustrates the important role testosterone plays in a woman’s health. And yet still, despite all of this information, this important hormone is routinely ignored in women of all ages, especially women in their 30s and 40s who exhibit signs of testosterone deficiency.Testosterone often starts to decline well before menopause, but too often goes ignored or untested until a woman reaches her 50s and beyond.
As early as 1937, testosterone was used as a successful and important bioidentical hormone replacement option for menopausal women. But somehow, decades later, doctors still do not routinely address testosterone deficiency in women, nor do they even test for it. This is especially true among YOUNGER WOMEN.
Evaluating symptoms alone is not a sufficient approach to accurately assess one’s hormonal equilibrium. To have a clear picture of a woman’s hormonal health, an expert must assess the following lab values:
- Total Testosterone
- Free Testosterone
- Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
- Estradiol
- Total Estrogen
- Progesterone
- DHEA
No hormone should be ignored based on presenting gender or sex; it is precisely the delicate interplay of hormones that leads to vibrant wellness.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed above, contact us today to schedule your consultation. We’ll help you determine if testosterone is to blame. Whatever the cause, we can help to recommend an effective treatment solution.
References:
Transdermal testosterone therapy improves wellbeing, mood, and sexual function in premenopausal women. Goldstat, Rebecca MPH1; Briganti, Esther MD2; Tran, Jane MD1;Wolfe, Rory PhD2; Davis, Susan R. MD, PhD1 Menopause. September 2003 – Volume 10 – Issue 5 – pp 390-398
Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions Rebecca Glaser, b,∗, Constantine Dimitrakakisc, Maturitas 74 (2013) 230– 234
Current perspectives on testosterone therapy for women. Susan Davis MB, Bs, FRAC-P, PhD., Sonia Davidson MB, Bs, FRAC-P, PhD. Menopausal Medicine. Volume 20, No. 2 — May 2012