Testosterone

Testosterone is a cholesterol-derived steroid hormone. Though often considered an exclusively male hormone, it plays an important role in the health of both men and women, promoting sexual maturation in males and system regulation in females.

About Testosterone

In females, testosterone also boosts strength, sex drive, and mental sharpness. It is produced primarily by the adrenal glands and in smaller amounts by the ovaries. Because menopause causes many hormonal changes, it is important to understand how fluctuating hormone levels can affect a woman before and after this transition.

Production of Testosterone

Women produce approximately one-seventh the amount of testosterone produced by the male body, but even this small quantity is essential for normal sexual development throughout life. As women age, however, they produce less and less testosterone, particularly during menopause.

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Testosterone Roles and Effects

Although testosterone is not present in females as in males, testosterone’s functions within the female body include important roles, such as:

• Boosting libido.
• Increasing fertility.
• Strengthening and energizing the body and brain tissue.

To read more about the effects of testosterone in women, go to testosterone´s role and effects, or read on for information about testosterone tests.

Testosterone Tests

Menopausal women wishing to check the body’s testosterone levels can undergo a simple blood test and receive results within two to three days. Evidence of abnormal testosterone levels includes low libido, the appearance of male features (such as facial hair), and irregular periods.

Click here to learn more about testosterone tests or continue reading to learn how to identify testosterone levels.

Testosterone Levels

Hormone levels can vary according to different factors, such as age, health, diet, etc. Therefore, there is no “normal” testosterone level for all women. However, some experts affirm that, in order to stay healthy, the level of testosterone should stay between 50 and 1000ng/dl (nanogram per deciliter). If they are significantly below or above this average range, many body discomforts might arise.

Click the following link for further information about testosterone levels or read on to learn about low testosterone levels.

Low Testosterone Levels

For women, low testosterone levels can result in a number of side effects. While not the most important hormone, testosterone in the female body has been linked to libido enhancement and is also a primary source of strength and energy.

In menopausal women, low levels of testosterone can cause symptoms such as an unusually low libido, depression, and osteoporosis.

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Causes of Low Testosterone Levels

Low testosterone levels can be caused by an array of factors. The following list mentions the most common ones:

• Ovary removal.
• Age.
• Low progesterone levels.
• Certain prescription medications.

Click the following link to learn more about causes of low testosterone levels or read on to find out about the symptoms of low testosterone levels.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone

Testosterone decrease can lead to troubling sexual, physical, or emotional health issues. Below is a list of common testosterone deficiency symptoms.



Click the following link to learn more about symptoms of low testosterone levels or read on for more information on high testosterone levels.

High Testosterone Levels

Although most women going through menopause will experience low testosterone levels, a testosterone surplus is possible due to the characteristic hormonal fluctuations of this time.

As with low testosterone levels, unusual high levels can be the cause of many physical and psychological discomforts.  Hormonal balance is delicate and easily varied. Click the following link to learn more about high testosterone levels, or keep reading about causes of high testosterone levels.

Causes of High Testosterone Levels

The most frequent causes of high testosterone are:

• Low estrogen levels.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• Dysfunctional adrenal glands.

Click the following link to learn more about causes of high testosterone levels, or continue reading to learn about the symptoms of high testosterone levels.

Symptoms of High Testosterone Levels

Abnormally high levels of testosterone can cause a variety of problematic and embarrassing symptoms. See the lines below for the most common symptoms:

• Increased hair growth.
• Deepening of the voice.
• Change in body shape.
• Skin problems.
• Mood swings.
• Baldness (in males).

Click the following link to discover more about symptoms of high testosterone levels or keep reading to learn more about testosterone and menopause.

Testosterone and Menopause

The normal fluctuation of testosterone levels becomes significantly more erratic as women enter menopause and experience its accompanying symptoms. The good news is that balancing testosterone, in various ways, can often help alleviate these symptoms. Depending on the current stage of menopause, testosterone can have a serious impact in women´s bodies.

Click the link for more information on testosterone and menopause or continue reading to learn about treatments for testosterone imbalance in women.

Testosterone Imbalance Treatments

When treating testosterone imbalance, women should consider making simple lifestyle changes in order to fight their hormonal imbalance symptoms before progressing to the next stage of treatment.

Lifestyle changes: Techniques for stress reduction (such as yoga or meditation) combined with regular exercise and an improved diet can be extremely effective and lead to better overall health in the process.

Herbal remedies: Herbal remedies are the leading type of alternative medicine and treat testosterone imbalance at the source. There are two types of herbs that can be used to treat hormonal imbalance – phytoestrogenic and non-estrogenic. They have proven to be effective when alleviating hormonal imbalance symptoms.

Drugs and HRT: The riskiest and oftentimes most expensive option for treating testosterone imbalance, drugs and Hormone Replacement Therapy can cause serious side effects as well as increase the risk of various cancers in women.

Today, most females find that to effectively deal with the symptoms of testosterone imbalance, a combination of healthy lifestyle choice and alternative treatments is best.

There is a lot more to be said about testosterone and its effects on women´s bodies. However, fully understanding the possibilities to find relief to testosterone imbalance is the first step to get better. Click the following link to read more about testosterone imbalance treatments.




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