Testosterone Therapy: What Men Need to Know About Low T and TRT Treatment Los Angeles Times

Understanding Low Testosterone Levels in Women: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

While the causes and effects of low testosterone aren’t completely known, your healthcare provider can run tests to help figure out what’s causing your symptoms. To make a real difference in women’s lives, several things need to happen. We still don’t fully understand why some women develop excess androgens while others don’t, or why symptoms vary so much between individuals. Research in women’s health has long been underfunded and androgen-related conditions are no exception.

The higher SHBG protein levels can attach quickly to lower your free testosterone levels. People who’ve had their ovaries removed (oophorectomy) will also have low testosterone levels because their ovaries are responsible for about half of all testosterone production. Testosterone is a type of androgen hormone (or sex hormone) in your body. Hormones are chemical messengers that tell your body how to work and what to do. Everyone makes testosterone, but males make the most testosterone.

With its clear benefits for women’s health and wellbeing, it can be surprising to know that current UK NHS guidelines only recommend testosterone for severely reduced libido. “Testosterone is a member of the androgen group of hormones,” says Elise. “In both women and men, it influences many physiological processes. Though this guide does feature plenty of information, it should by no means be in replacement for a professional opinion. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed in this article we urge you to get in contact with Balance My Hormones.

And plenty of other things can sabotage libido, including painful sex, medications, stress, insomnia, illness, and the monotony of monogamy. All this means that while it could be worth trying supplementation if your sex drive isn’t what you’d like it to be, increasing testosterone levels is not a quick, universal fix. A person may experience low testosterone levels because of natural declines or a chronic health condition.

And just as happens for men, women’s testosterone levels drop as they age. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment that involves supplementing the body with bioidentical hormones to address hormonal imbalances. These hormones are structurally identical to the hormones your body naturally produces, which means they blend in seamlessly with your hormonal ecosystem. Testosterone is also the hormone behind desire and arousal with your partner. Lack of sleep, diet choices, and even environmental toxins can affect our hormone levels from day to day. And if you’re a woman, your hormone levels will also change during your menstrual cycle. Beyond physical effects, low testosterone levels might influence your emotional and psychological well-being.

“For the majority of men, they will need to go onto testosterone replacement therapy. It not only improves symptoms, but can reduce long term health risks and even all cause mortality. “What is more common is the natural variation in testosterone requirements between individuals – both men and women,” says Dr Foster.

Your ovaries, adrenal glands and other tissues and cells produce testosterone. Too little or too much testosterone can affect your overall health and impact the levels of other sex hormones in your body. The side effects of testosterone on females aren’t fully understood. Many treatment methods for low testosterone are unregulated and homocysteine test price not widely studied. Only you and your healthcare provider can decide what’s best for you based on your symptoms and bloodwork. While women typically have much lower levels of testosterone than men, it’s still an important hormone for women’s overall physical and sexual health. Remember, an imbalance of any hormone in the body can create a cascade of health effects.

You can connect with a certified menopause specialist, who’s also known as a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, for more guidance as you go through this life stage. If you’re unsure whether you’ve entered perimenopause, try tracking your periods or speaking with a menopause specialist. You can also check for lesser-known symptoms, such as tingling limbs or brain fog. Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, is a board-certified internal medicine and palliative care physician practicing at City of Hope in Atlanta. Christopher Wolter, MD, is an assistant professor in urology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

In fact, failing relationships is the reason why men eventually seek professional help 80 per cent of the time. Dr Austen El-Osta, of Imperial College London, is one of the study’s lead researchers, which was a collaboration with the men’s healthcare platform Manual. Connect with your doctor or a menopause specialist about hormone tests and for more guidance.