Why Women May Need Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Hormones play a critical role in the body. While you might know about estrogen and progesterone, it’s important to also know about how testosterone affects us as women. Even though it’s known as the male hormone, our ovaries actually produce both estrogen and testosterone. In fact, testosterone does many important things in our bodies. Unfortunately, women can suffer from low testosterone just like with any other hormone and it can cause a lot of problems. In these cases, testosterone replacement therapy may prove really beneficial for your health and symptoms. Keep reading to learn how testosterone therapy may help you feel your best.
If you’re suffering from menopause symptoms, make an appointment with our team today to discuss hormone care solutions.
Menopausal Women Can Benefit from Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone replacement therapy can help with many of your symptoms during menopause.
As we enter menopause, our natural hormone production starts to decline for sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. This can cause many disruptive symptoms that can really affect your life and health. That’s why so many women begin hormone replacement therapy around the time of menopause so they can feel their best and reduce their risks for certain health conditions. Testosterone replacement therapy is one option for women suffering from low testosterone levels during menopause. Testosterone has been shown to improve many symptoms commonly associated with menopause, like low sex drive and increased belly fat. Our providers will work with you to find the right dose to help you feel great again.
How Much Testosterone is Normal for Women?
Many women don’t even know that they have testosterone because it’s so closely associated with men. However, there are normal ranges for testosterone in women. Our bodies produce about one-tenth to one-twentieth of the amount of testosterone that the male body does. This means that the normal testosterone range for women is between 15 ng/dL and 70 ng/dL. If you have less than this in your body around perimenopause and post menopause, then we may recommend testosterone replacement therapy to boost levels into that healthy range.
Symptoms Testosterone Replacement Therapy May Improve
Low testosterone in women can cause many symptoms and changes in the body. Testosterone is responsible for many things. Testosterone receptors can be found throughout our bodies, so low testosterone can really wreak havoc on our health. Some symptoms that testosterone replacement therapy may help in women include:
- Low sex drive
- Vaginal dryness
- Low bone density
- Low muscle mass
- Increased fat mass
- Fatigue
- Mood changes like depression and anxiety
Testosterone May Increase Sex Drive
Testosterone plays a really important role in sex drive for both men and women. In fact, testosterone replacement therapy is commonly used to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which is a type of sexual dysfunction many women suffer from. HSDD is a condition where you have low or no libido, so you may not experience any sexual thoughts or fantasies, feel disinterested in sex, lose interest during sex, have a hard time reaching orgasm, and may even try to avoid sex altogether. Testosterone has been found to increase libido in women. Therefore, if you’re experiencing low sex drive during menopause, then testosterone replacement therapy may be an option to improve your sex life.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy Can Improve Vaginal Health
Another common symptom you might notice during menopause is vaginal dryness. This is where you have less natural lubrication. The tissues of the vagina may also begin to thin. This creates the perfect recipe for tearing and discomfort from sex or even just from everyday activities like walking. Studies have found that testosterone can help improve vaginal lubrication so it’s less dry and prone to tearing.
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Improve Bone Health, Muscle Health, and Fat Distribution
Another reason you might consider testosterone for menopause treatment is that it can improve your bones, muscles, and fat distribution. Testosterone affects how strong and dense your bones are, how big and strong your muscles are, and can even affect where you store fat. Low testosterone in women is associated with weaker bones, loss of muscle mass, muscle weakness, and more visceral (belly) fat, which is associated with a lot of metabolic issues. Increasing your testosterone to normal ranges with testosterone replacement therapy can reduce these risks. You may feel stronger, look leaner, and enjoy lower risk for issues like osteoporosis and metabolic issues tied to belly fat.
Testosterone Can Improve Mood and Energy
Many women with low testosterone levels experience debilitating fatigue and mood changes like depression and anxiety. In fact, low testosterone is often mistaken as depression or high stress because of these symptoms. However, the good news is that increasing testosterone levels to normal ranges can help you feel more energetic and may boost your mood so you can enjoy your everyday activities.