Are you over the age of 35 and feeling run down and weak, gaining weight more easily, having brain fog, moodiness, and have absolutely no interest in sex? Low testosterone may be the culprit. Testosterone deficiency is often ignored or overlooked in women because it is generally considered a male hormone. Daniel Amen, a leading expert in brain health, points out that 20 percent of women have low testosterone. Unfortunately, these numbers reflect the number of people who have gone to the doctor and are experiencing symptoms. Chances are, many more women have testosterone levels out of balance and you may be one of them.
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a steroid hormone found in the androgen group. It is made from cholesterol and is often thought of as “the male hormone.” However, testosterone for women is produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands. The ovaries help produce testosterone even after menopause. Therefore, women who have their ovaries removed are at significant risk for decreased testosterone levels and the subsequent symptoms associated with it. Men aged 30-70 will lose one to three percent of their total testosterone every year and women will lose half of their testosterone production between the ages of 20 and 40.
Common Symptoms of Low Testosterone
Many women begin their struggle with low testosterone beginning in their late 30s. Common symptoms of too little testosterone include:
- Fatigue/lack of energy
- Difficulty concentrating/brain fog
- Struggle losing weight
- Joint pain
- Depression
- Lips thinning
- Mood swings
- Thinning and dry hair
- Difficulty building muscle/muscle wasting
- Low or absent libido
- Low self-esteem
- Decreased HDL (the good cholesterol)
- Dry, thin skin with poor elasticity
- Droopy eyelids
- Sagging cheeks
- Anxiety
Causes of Low Testosterone
- Menopause
- Childbirth
- Chemotherapy
- Adrenal stress or burnout
- Endometriosis
- Depression
- Psychological trauma
- Birth control pills
- Statin drugs (ie. simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin)
Role of Testosterone in Female Health
Testosterone is not a “male only” hormone. It’s the most abundant biologically active female hormone. Testosterone’s role in women’s health goes well beyond sex drive and libido. There are androgen receptors located in almost all tissues including the breast, heart, blood vessels, GI tract, lung, brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, uterus, bladder, ovaries, vaginal tissue, endocrine glands, skin, bone, bone marrow, synovium, muscle and adipose tissue.
Testosterone was successfully used to treat the symptoms of menopause as early as 1937. It has been used to treat signs of androgen deficiency in females, including mood swings, anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, tearfulness, muscle loss, bone loss, memory lapse, and hot ashes, as well as sexual dysfunction.
Multiple studies now show that testosterone may help guard women against breast cancer. A study in 2000 looked at the effects of testosterone and tamoxifen (a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer) on breast cell stimulation. The study showed that breast cells exposed to estrogen showed cancer-like rapid growth, but showed significantly less growth when also exposed to testosterone. Another study published in 2003 also showed that testosterone significantly inhibits breast cell growth, leading researchers to conclude that testosterone may protect against breast cancer.
Women struggle with maintaining their weight when testosterone is too low. Muscle mass decreases with age. As women, we struggle with increasing metabolically active muscle and instead find ourselves with a higher fat composition without adequate testosterone. Our energy also dips without an adequate amount of testosterone on board. As a result we don’t have the “get up and go” like we used to, and lethargy leads to depression and other mood disturbances.
Low testosterone can put you at risk for type 2 diabetes. Since muscle is the main storage area of glucose, muscle loss contributes to insulin resistance which is a precursor to developing diabetes. Also, testosterone improves memory, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking in both men and women.
Conclusion
If you’ve got symptoms of low testosterone and feel that you’re trying your best to do the right thing for yourself and not having much improvement, get tested! Then you don’t miss out on the benefits of the very hormone that your body naturally makes but is no longer making enough of to support optimum health. Saliva testing and blood testing are available. Get help today! Your body will thank you!
