Low testosterone in women has serious consequences for aging and health. Signs of low testosterone should be taken seriously and treating low testosterone is vital for women too. Thus women also need testosterone therapy.
Testosterone – Not Just For Men…
When you think of testosterone, you think that its the “male hormone,” but a woman’s body makes testosterone too and can’t function properly without it!
Testosterone is made in a woman’s ovaries and adrenal glands. The levels are about 10 percent of what a man’s are, peak in the early 20’s and then start declining.
Aging women and women who have undergone hysterectomies are at greater risk for low levels of this important hormone. Women with signs of low testosterone should seek out an antiaging doctor who understands the importance of testosterone for women.
Signs of Low Testosterone
Signs of low testosterone in women could be any one of the following:
Decreased energy and sense of well being
Decreased motivation
Decreased interest in sex
Sexual dysfunction
Increased feeling of fatigue
Gains in bodyfat levels
To be sure these symptoms may not be signs of low testosterone and could indicate other things so its important for an antiaging doctor to make a thorough diagnosis to be sure that low testosterone is what the problem is.
Treating Low Testosterone
Once your doctor has identified your problem as low testosterone you will want to correct this problem. An antiaging doctor that is skilled in bioidentical hormone therapy can and will address your hormonal imbalances in the right way using natural hormones.
This may come in the form of a cream that is rubbed on the skin and the hormone gets into the body. This method of treating low testosterone is called a “trans-dermal” form of hormone therapy.
There are also pellet implants which disperse the hormone into the bloodstream over a period of months, which mimics the natural hormone secretion patterns of your body. Your antiaging doctor will help you determine which approach is best for you.
The doctor will likely prescribe not just testosterone, but several hormones in a special formula which is customized for you and made by a compounding pharmacy. The doctor will make sure that the therapy puts you in the proper hormonal balance, by making sure all your hormones are at the optimal levels.
Are there natural ways of treating low testosterone in women? Yes there are, but keep in mind that theses methods alone may not achieve the required levels, but you should still try and optimize testosterone with natural means even if your antiaging doctor needs to supplement the levels.
A good strength training program will help raise your testosterone levels as well as avoiding foods or products which might contain xenoesterogens which are foreign to the body and quite harmful. These xenoestrogens can have the effect of lowering testosterone as well.
DHEA is a hormone that can be purchase over the counter and has a subtle positive effect on testosterone levels. However you should use DHEA under the supervision of your antiaging doctor as it has to be balanced with your other hormones.
Raising Testosterone and Your Quality of Life
Low testosterone in women can cause diminished health and quality of life for a woman. Bioidentical hormone therapy can correct this safely.
Some women may fear they will take on masculine characteristics or somehow lose their femininity by having testosterone therapy, but this is not true. The amount of testosterone used in this therapy is relatively small and is designed to raise your levels to about what they were when you were in your 30’s.
The key is that even when treating low testosterone with bioidentical hormone therapy, your testosterone levels will always be 10 times LESS that the level that a man has, and will ALWAYS be within the NORMAL range for a woman!
What can you look forward to if you have identified and treated low testosterone?
An increase in energy, motivation, and sense of well being A significant increase in sex drive and enjoyment Greater protection against cardiovascular disease.
Possible increased protection against breast cancer. Easier weight loss, and a firmer leaner “toned” body Lower risk of osteoporosis and sarcopenia (muscle loss).
As you can see there are many benefits to be had when testosterone levels are optimized. Low testosterone in women is beginning to be recognized as a problem that can be treated, giving women better health and quality of life as they age.
