Testosterone in women – What happens due to low testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone which has got another name of androgen and it is commonly called the male hormone. Nevertheless, even women have testosterone inside their bodies. If there is an imbalance of too much or too little testosterone, this can set an impact on the overall health of a woman. If you don’t know the benefits of testosterone for women, they include:

• Producing new red blood cells
• Boosting libido
• Influencing hormones which stimulate follicle and which can affect reproduction

As per the Department of Health & Human Services, production of testosterone in women is dependent on their age. By the time a woman is 40 years old, her androgen levels have fallen by half. Doctors are still researching on low levels of testosterone in woman and the treatments that are available for low testosterone.

Symptoms of low levels of testosterone

Few of the symptoms associated with low testosterone among women include:

• Affected sexual satisfaction
• Affected sexual desire
• Depressed mood
• Weakness of muscles and
• Lethargy

What causes low levels of testosterone among women?

Women’s body produces testosterone in different parts of their bodies which include:

• Adrenal glands
• Ovaries and
• Peripheral tissues

Due to the fact that the ovaries are the biggest producers of testosterone, the decrease in hormones which are produced by ovaries related to menopause means that few post-menopausal women might experience low levels of testosterone hormones. Decrease in libido has been attributed to post menopausal fall in estrogen levels.

Few other possible and potential reasons behind low testosterone among women can include:

• Adrenal insufficiency where the adrenal glands stop working in a manner as they should
• Surgical removal of ovaries of oophorectomy
• Hypopituitarism
• Taking estrogen oral therapy as this can drop production of testosterone
• Early menopause

What kind of treatments are there for low testosterone among women?

Medical experts haven’t largely studied about treatments for low testosterone among women. Since doctors know about the impacts of excess testosterone among women, the symptoms of too little testosterone aren’t known. Due to this, doctors often don’t have a pre-set regimen for treating low testosterone levels among women.

Few doctors might prescribe a medication which is named Estratest for post-menopausal women as this medicine has got both estrogen and testosterone in it. Doctors will even administer injections of testosterone and few medical researchers are still researching on the effects and impacts of testosterone patches and pellets which are implanted in the skin. If you have too much testosterone in your body, this can also have side-effects among women like:

• Facial hair
• Acne
• Fluid retention
• Masculine characteristics which include balding in the form of a male and deepened voice

Women who are pregnant or who will be pregnant should never take androgens. Women who are breastfeeding also shouldn’t take these medications as they will pass to your child. You should always speak to your doctor before beginning any testosterone or other supplements and medications.