Month: April 2022

Testosterone Therapy for Women

Most conversations surrounding testosterone replacement are usually about men seeking treatment for low testosterone levels, or “low T.” Many men and women may not realize that women also need testosterone in smaller amounts.

Testosterone, one of the main sex hormones of a woman’s body, helps many bodily functions run properly, including her sexual desire, energy, and mood. Because of its crucial role in a woman’s everyday life, women may want to know whether or not they have lower testosterone than normal, and if so, explore possible testosterone therapy options.

Postmenopausal Women

During menopause, your estrogen levels fall. Some women get uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Hormone Replacement Therapy is one of the most effective treatments for menopausal women experiencing adverse menopause symptoms and may even play a role in preventing breast cancer.

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a type of mental and physical sexual dysfunction in which women lack motivation or lose the desire to have sex for an extended period of time (at least 6 months), causing significant levels of personal distress.

A testosterone deficiency may contribute to a loss in sexual function or desire, and testosterone supplementation has been shown to improve sexual function.

Testosterone Levels in Women

While it’s true that men produce far more testosterone than women do, during the early reproductive years women produce testosterone through their adrenal glands and have 10 times more testosterone than estrogen within their bodies.

Experts believe that testosterone loss may result in many of the symptoms women go through in midlife, such as low libido, fatigue, low muscle tone, weight gain, and loss of mental focus.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone Levels in Women

Low testosterone can cause one or more of the following symptoms in women:

• sluggishness
• loss of muscle mass
• fatigue
• sleep disturbances
• reduced sex drive
• decreased sexual satisfaction
• weight gain
• fertility issues
• irregular menstrual cycles
• vaginal dryness
• loss of bone density because the symptoms linked to low testosterone are so common, a doctor will look for signs of other issues or conditions before making a diagnosis, such as:
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • chronic stress
  • thyroid disease
  • transition to menopause

Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Testosterone therapy may be a consideration if you:

• Have moderate to severe hot flashes. Systemic hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for the relief of troublesome menopausal hot flashes and night sweats.
• Have other symptoms of menopause. Hormone therapy can ease vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, itching, burning and discomfort with intercourse.
• Need to prevent bone loss or fractures. Systemic estrogen helps protect against the bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis. However, doctors usually recommend medications called bisphosphonates to treat osteoporosis. Hormone therapy may help if you either can’t tolerate or aren’t benefiting from other treatments.
• Experience early menopause or have estrogen deficiency. If you had your ovaries surgically removed before age 45, stopped having periods before age 45 (premature or early menopause) or lost normal function of your ovaries before age 40 (primary ovarian insufficiency), your body has been exposed to less estrogen and testosterone than the bodies of women who experience typical menopause. Estrogen and other androgen therapy have been shown through randomised controlled trials to help decrease your risk of certain health conditions, including osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, dementia and mood changes. Increase WellbeingTestosterone in the female body supports our sense of wellbeing. It supports energy, endurance, stamina, and the ability to maintain muscle mass. When women maintain muscle mass it helps to maintain metabolism. Testosterone is vital for women in terms of women’s sexual health process. Testosterone treatment can boost collagen and skin thickness. Wrinkling of the skin happens as the skin becomes much thinner, due to a lack of collagen and a lack of testosterone. Testosterone helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system in both men and women. Testosterone has been shown to be apoptotic to breast cancer cells (meaning it can help to kill cancer cells) and has been used in oncology to treat breast cancer.

How to Check Your Hormone Levels

Hormone levels change as you age and some even change throughout the day. Hormone testing is used to detect and evaluate hormone imbalances that may be making you feel unwell. Hormone testing is often conducted using a blood sample, but some tests require urine or saliva samples.

Testosterone Therapy at Tucson Wellness

At Tucson Wellness, we use only bioidentical testosterone replacement therapy for women (TRT). Since bio-identical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones a woman’s body naturally produces, hormones can be properly used and naturally metabolized and excreted by the body.

If you think you might be suffering from low testosterone,  schedule your free consultation for testosterone replacement therapy for women. We offer same-day consultation that includes blood work to determine your current testosterone level. If you do have low testosterone, we use your numbers to dictate treatment so your body receives precisely what it needs to thrive. Learn more by continuing to explore our website.