Spend any amount of time online researching testosterone therapy for women, and you will get conflicting reports. One website says not to use testosterone as it does nothing for a female’s sexual desire or arousal. Another tells you that testosterone drives desire and fantasy. What do you believe?
To understand why you may want to consider testosterone therapy, it might help to know what testosterone does in the female body.
Testosterone is an androgen hormone produced primarily in the ovaries and adrenal glands of the female body. The hormones progesterone, DHEA, and androstenedione are precursors to testosterone, which, itself, is a precursor to estrogen.
Testosterone is more than just a male sex hormone. The body is full of androgen receptors – on tissues such as muscle, bones, and even in the brain. If these receptors do not receive a plentiful supply of testosterone, they cannot perform their functions.
Today, research shows us that testosterone plays vital roles in metabolism, cognitive functions, bone strength, muscle tone, fertility, red blood cell production, and fat distribution.
Now, imagine if your body did not have enough testosterone. What could happen in all those areas?
The simple answer is this – their functions would decline. That is why some doctors prescribe testosterone therapy for women diagnosed with testosterone deficiency.
What is testosterone replacement therapy for women and who should receive it?
Much like estrogen or progesterone therapy, supplemental testosterone replenishes low hormone levels. In this report, we will cover:
- Why some women need testosterone therapy
- How to know if you need supplemental testosterone
- The benefits of testosterone therapy for women
- The safety of using testosterone therapy
- How to get testosterone treatment
Testosterone therapy offers important benefits for women diagnosed with testosterone deficiency.
Why Do Women Need Testosterone Therapy?
The use of testosterone replacement therapy for women varies, depending on need and age. In younger women with infertility issues, testosterone may help improve the odds of conception. Testosterone production varies almost daily during a woman’s monthly cycle, increasing in the middle to help boost libido around conception time. Because testosterone also stimulates red blood cell production and circulation, it helps increase blood flow to the female pelvic region to stimulate cervical mucous production. Testosterone also helps follicle development in the ovaries and prevents early death (apoptosis) of follicular cells. Additionally, testosterone makes the follicles more sensitive to the effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which promotes the growth of the follicles.
What about the use of testosterone therapy for women over 50?
Menopause is another critical time when we look at testosterone levels in the female body. Although ovarian testosterone production slows down, there is still the adrenal glands. However, the adrenals also produce DHEA, the precursor to testosterone, which tends to decline with age, as well. The hormone specialist will look at many blood hormone levels when determining the ideal treatment for each woman.
Menopausal and postmenopausal women often benefit from testosterone therapy when they have symptoms of low testosterone (Low T). We will discuss this in the next section.
Women need testosterone for the following reasons:
- Testosterone has neuroprotective benefits for the brain, maintaining healthy cognitive functions as well as emotional well-being. Research has shown that postmenopausal women diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease had lower androgen and estrogen levels after age 80 than control subjects. Testosterone also helps reduce the amount of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain, a marker of Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of serum testosterone in the blood correlate with increased scores on spatial and mathematical testing.
- Testosterone is essential for strong and healthy bones as it impacts cortical and trabecular bone mineral density in women. Since the body naturally converts some testosterone into estrogen, which is vital for slowing down bone turnover, testosterone has both a direct and indirect influence on bone density.
- Testosterone helps a woman maintain healthy muscle mass which is crucial for protecting the bones from injury.
- Testosterone helps influence how well the body metabolizes food, reducing the risk of weight gain and insulin resistance.
- Low testosterone is often associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. Testosterone is crucial for helping maintain heart health.
Testosterone plays an essential role in many critical functions in a woman’s body.
How Do You Know If You Need Testosterone Therapy?
As with many health issues, low testosterone will let you know it has become a problem. While many women adjust quite fine to changes in their hormone levels as they age, there are some who do not. Warning signs that you might need or benefit from testosterone therapy for women include:
- Unexplained weight gain
- Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats
- Loss of muscle
- Thinning hair or hair loss
- Anemia
- Reduced bone density
- Height shrinkage
- Joint pains and body aches
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Increased anxiety and stress
- High cholesterol
- Low libido
- Vaginal dryness
- Reduced drive
- Forgetfulness
- Poor focus
- Impaired cognitive functions
- Broken bones
- Elevated blood pressure levels
- Insulin resistance
- Lack of productivity
- Decreased quality of life
If you have more than a few of these symptoms, you may be a candidate for testosterone for women. Therapy to increase low testosterone levels can help reverse these issues.
Testosterone deficiency will manifest itself with a variety of symptoms and potential health issues.
What Are the Benefits of Testosterone Therapy for Women?
It is easy to understand the benefits of testosterone therapy for women when you look back over the list of symptoms of testosterone deficiency in the previous section. Low T can lead to depression, social isolation, and a bleak outlook for the future.
The positive effects of testosterone therapy for women include:
- More energy, focus, stamina, and productivity
- Better sleep at night
- Improved metabolic functions resulting in weight loss, lower cholesterol levels, better glucose uptake, and normalized blood pressure
- Enhanced sexual desire, fantasies, vaginal lubrication, and pleasure
- Increased bone mineral density and reduced risk of osteoporosis and fractures
- Reduction in hot flashes and night sweats
- Sharper cognitive functions and memory
- Improved muscle tone, mass, and strength
- Happier mood and decreased feelings of stress and depression
- Better outlook and quality of life
Because of its protective nature, testosterone therapy can benefit a woman’s brain and heart health.
The benefits of testosterone therapy for women extend throughout her body.
Is Testosterone Therapy Safe for Women?
Concerns of testosterone therapy for women side effects are a legitimate issue to discuss. There have not been as many recent studies on the use of testosterone in females as there have been in males. That does not mean there should be issues of worry.
The studies that have been done have shown great promise and safety regarding the use of bioidentical testosterone replacement therapy for women. Testosterone helps to lower the risk of cardiovascular events, osteoporosis, and dementia – all serious concerns for women as they age. In fact, studies on the use of testosterone date as far back as 1937. Testosterone even has protective benefits for the breasts, potentially lowering breast cancer risk.
One of the reasons why testosterone is safe is because of the low dose testosterone therapy options for women. Unlike men who require a much higher amount of testosterone in their bloodstream, females have considerably less testosterone, to begin with. For that reason, a low-dose custom compounded testosterone cream is the best option.
The potential for side effects does exist for any medication – prescription or over-the-counter preparation. If testosterone levels get too high, the following side effects could occur:
- Edema
- Deepening of the voice
- Adult acne
- Oily skin
- Enlarged clitoris
- Breast shrinkage
- Male pattern balding
- Body or facial hair growth
Your hormone specialist will monitor your hormone levels to ensure you are receiving the proper treatment without side effects.
When prescribed by a hormone specialist, testosterone rarely causes side effects for women.
How Do You Get Testosterone Therapy?
Any women with concerns about testosterone deficiency should contact a hormone specialist. You want to speak with a doctor who focuses on treating hormonal imbalance in aging adults. A specialist recognizes the signs of hormone deficiency and knows which tests to run.
If you are looking for how to get testosterone therapy for women near me, here are your options:
- Contact a national hormone replacement therapy clinic
- Visit a local doctor who specializes in hormone treatment
The benefits of selecting RXHormone medical center include free consultations by phone, highly experienced, national hormone specialists, rapid testing and diagnosis, and affordable treatment options. Rather than visiting a local doctor and wasting time in a waiting room that could be better spent elsewhere, you can speak directly with a medical advisor by phone.
Following your consultation, we will direct you to local facilities near you for your blood test and examination. All medical forms are available online for easy completion. For any questions regarding testosterone therapy for women, or your free consultation, please contact our hormone clinic today.