Signs of Low Testosterone in Women
Testosterone is an important hormone for both women and men. Women have more testosterone in their body than estrogen (the hormone that gives us our lovely figure).
In women Testosterone is made in the ovaries, adrenal glands and fat. It’s important for strength and over all vitality.
Low testosterone is just as common in women as in men and happens earlier in women.
Testosterone and DHEA the precursor is fairly high in females until about their mid 20’s. Most young females are energetic, have a strong sex drive, and are confident due to their ability to build muscle and bone strength.
Unfortunately when women reach their 3rd decade of life their confidence, sex drive and ability to build strong muscles and bones decreases.
In women between the ages of 30-40, there is a sharp decline, approximately 50%, in testosterone along with DHEA the precursor to testosterone.
What happens to testosterone?
Testosterone gradually begins to decline both in men and women about their mid 20’s. Yep, the early 20’s were the best days for many of us (no worries, I will show you can still feel amazing).
Low testosterone in women can sometimes be worse for women than menopause and mistaken for early menopause for women in their 30’s.
Other reasons for low testosterone in women:
Birth control pills
Hysterectomy (complete)
Medication
Adrenal fatigue/dysfunction
Pituitary gland dysfunction
Lifestyle (stress, diet, sleep)
The top 3 signs/symptoms of low T in women:
Lack of motivation to work out
Loss of muscle mass & strength
Muscle soreness 1-2 days after a workout
Other signs and symptoms of low T in women:
Hair loss
Trouble sleeping
Inability to concentrate
Mood changes (depression, anxiety)
Fatigue
Thin & dry skin
Irregular menses
Fertility issues
Low T in women may be difficult to diagnose as they mimic other conditions (depression, low thyroid, low iron levels). When other hormones like estrogen and progesterone are not balanced they can worsen the intensity of the symptoms. It’s important to have your health care provider run a comprehensive blood test and preferably salivary or urine for hormone levels and other markers that impact your hormones.
What about high testosterone in women?
High testosterone in women is not as common as low testosterone but they are worth mentioning. The most common underlying causes of high T in women is insulin resistance and PCOS.
Common sign and symptoms of high T in women:
Acne or oily skin
Darker hair that grows on upper lip or chin
Periods that cease before menopause
Increased muscle mass or bulks easily
Male pattern baldness, mostly around the hairline
Deep tone of voice
How to boost testosterone levels naturally?
The 3 biggest changes you can make to naturally boost testosterone are simple but may not be easy.
Manage stress
Stress is the number one driver that interferes with production of testosterone. Meditation, walking, spending time outdoors, adequate sleep and even sufficient workout recovery time are important for healthy testosterone levels.
Decrease the toxic load
Toxins are a stressor to the body and show up in many forms. They are in your food (Check out our anti-inflammatory eating template or 28 day reset program to reduce the toxic load), perfumes, tooth fillings, lotions, home cleaning products, pesticides, herbicides, just to name a few. Swap out your toxic load for natural toxic free products.
Exercise
Lifting or pushing heavy things e.g. weight training to muscle failure are great strategies to build muscle and stimulate testosterone. If you are a cycling women the best time for heavy weight and lower rep training is in the first half of your cycle up to day 19 and higher reps, lower weight in the week before your cycle.