When most people hear the word “testosterone,” they think of men. But testosterone plays a crucial role in women’s health too, especially when it comes to energy, mood, and sex drive (or libido). While it’s true that women produce much less testosterone than men, even small shifts in the hormone’s levels can have a noticeable impact.
As women get older and approach menopause, testosterone levels naturally decline. This hormonal drop can lead to a range of symptoms that many women don’t realize are related to hormones, and when they do suspect it, they rarely think of testosterone as being to blame.
As a leading provider of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT), Shamsah Amersi, MD, helps women overcome hormonal imbalance issues with custom therapy focused on each woman’s unique hormone levels and symptoms. In this post, learn how HRT can help rebalance your testosterone levels for improved energy and enhanced libido.
Most testosterone is produced in the sex organs. In men, most testosterone is produced by the testes. In contrast, in women, the bulk of testosterone production occurs in the ovaries, with additional hormones produced by the adrenal glands, fat cells, and skin cells.
Like every other hormone, testosterone supports several key functions in women, most notably energy levels. When testosterone levels are low, it’s common to feel tired out regardless of how much good-quality sleep you get. You might also feel moody, irritable, or depressed, emotions that can feel worse when you’re also perpetually worn out.
As with men, low testosterone also decreases sex drive in women. In fact, for many women, a decline in testosterone means a noticeable drop in sexual interest or difficulty achieving orgasm.
Low energy associated with decreased testosterone compounds the problem: If you’re chronically tired, you’re less likely to want to engage in sex. The same is true if you feel irritable or depressed.
While low testosterone is a common “side effect” of getting older, other factors can contribute to testosterone decline, too, like:
Testosterone imbalance can also happen if your body makes too much estrogen. Then, the balance shifts, and the beneficial effects of testosterone become less pronounced.
HRT is routinely used to help women in menopause “reclaim” their normal levels of estrogen once they begin to decline. As estrogen levels plummet, women can experience problems like vaginal dryness and irritation, increased risk of urinary tract infections, incontinence symptoms, and changes in mood and energy.
Testosterone replacement therapy has been used for a long time in men experiencing the hormonal decline that goes along with middle and older age. But more recently, medical researchers have begun to appreciate the importance of rebalancing testosterone levels in women, as well.
As with men, testosterone HRT in women relies on administering small doses of the hormone consistently to mimic the hormone’s natural levels during our younger years. HRT is available in a variety of methods, including creams, gels, patches, injections, and pellets.
Therapy begins with a lab test to measure your levels of testosterone (and often other hormones). Dr. Amersi bases your dose on your individual needs, adjusting your therapy over time as those needs change. Over time, many women experience an increase in energy levels and a return to their normal level of sexual desire.
While it’s tempting to attribute low energy levels, mood shifts, and low libido as a consequence of leading a busy, stressed-out lifestyle, in many cases, it’s your hormones that are to blame. To find out more about your hormone levels and whether HRT is a good solution to your symptoms, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Amersi at her Santa Monica, California, office today.
