Do women have testosterone? Read on to find out!
RELATED: Normal Testosterone Levels In Men And Women By Age
In this article:
- What Is Testosterone?
- What Does Testosterone Do for Men?
- Do Women Have Testosterone?
- How Much More Testosterone Do Men Have than Women?
- What Does Testosterone Do for Women?
- How Much Testosterone Do Women Have?
- What Happens When Women’s Testosterone Levels Are Low?
- What Happens When Women’s Testosterone Levels Are High?
- How Do You Treat Testosterone Imbalance in Women?
Do Women Have Testosterone? Everything You Need to Know About Testosterone in Women
What Is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a male sex hormone or an androgen. You can find it in both humans and animals.
It plays an important role in sexual development, especially for men. It also helps maintain both men’s and women’s overall health.
What Does Testosterone Do for Men?
Testosterone levels are normally higher in men than women. In men, most of their testosterone is produced in their testes.
It regulates important functions in a man’s body, including:
- Mood
- Bone density
- Body hair
- Facial hair
- Distribution of body fat
- Muscle strength
- Muscle mass
- Red blood cell production
- Sex drive
- Sperm production
In men, there’s a testosterone spike during puberty which leads to the development of secondary sex characteristics. This leads to a growth spurt, a deeper voice, and more body hair.
When men have low testosterone levels they may experience the following symptoms:
- Sleep disturbance
- Low libido
- Sexual dysfunction
- Infertility
- Moodiness
- Weight gain
- Weaker muscles
Do Women Have Testosterone?
Yes, women do have (and need) testosterone. In women, testosterone production happens in their adrenal glands, ovaries, skin cells, and fat cells.
How Much More Testosterone Do Men Have than Women?
On average, men have 7-8 times more testosterone than women (women will only have 5-10% of an average man’s testosterone levels). Even though women don’t have as much testosterone as men, it still plays an important role in their overall health.
What Does Testosterone Do for Women?
In women, testosterone promotes the following:
- Vaginal health
- Menstrual health
- Bone health
- Breast health
- Libido
- Fertility
Aside from these functions, women’s bodies also convert testosterone into other female sex hormones. Just like men, testosterone levels spike when women enter puberty.
It also contributes to voice changes in women. It also helps develop their breasts.
Testosterone is essential to women’s overall health, but it can become problematic when they produce too much. For instance, when there’s a surplus of testosterone, their bodies can’t convert it to other female sex hormones quickly enough.
RELATED: Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men
How Much Testosterone Do Women Have?
You can measure how much testosterone someone has through a blood test. Normal testosterone levels for women are between 15 and 70 nanograms per deciliter of blood (ng/dL).
Anything above or below these levels leads to a testosterone imbalance in women. In addition, a long term imbalance can lead to problematic symptoms.
What Happens When Women’s Testosterone Levels Are Low?
Testosterone levels below 15 ng/dL in women can lead to:
- Breast changes
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Vaginal changes
- Low libido
- Fertility issues
- Weaker bones
- Osteoporosis
It’s natural for testosterone levels to decline as women age. Apart from age-related decline, problems with their adrenal glands may also contribute to testosterone deficiency.
What Happens When Women’s Testosterone Levels Are High?
Testosterone levels above 70 ng/dL cause symptoms of virilization or masculinization where women begin to develop male secondary sex characteristics. For example, women with high testosterone levels may begin to grow more facial hair, or they may even exhibit symptoms of male pattern baldness.
Aside from masculinization, they may also experience these symptoms:
- Acne
- Blood sugar issues
- Fertility issues
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Weight gain
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a condition that can cause infertility in women during their childbearing years. On top of that, it may also lead to cholesterol and blood pressure issues.
How Do You Treat Testosterone Imbalance in Women?
Here are a few of the treatment options for testosterone imbalance in women:
- Surgical removal of ovarian tumors causing the hormonal imbalance.
- Doctors may prescribe oral medication, creams, injections, implants, or patches to increase or decrease testosterone levels.
- Health providers may also prescribe DHEA supplements to increase testosterone levels.
Aside from these treatment options, doctors may recommend certain lifestyle changes for women who have high testosterone levels. These lifestyle changes may include:
- Weight loss regimen – Losing 5-10% of body weight can help lower testosterone levels. Likewise, it may also improve PCOS symptoms.
- Dietary changes – There are foods and herbs which help lower testosterone levels naturally. For example, flaxseed, mint, and green tea can inhibit testosterone production.
Ultimately, the treatment for testosterone imbalance will depend on the cause of the imbalance. So it’s important to talk to a health professional before trying any new treatments.
It’s normal for women to have testosterone in their bodies. In fact, it’s necessary for optimal body functioning.
It only becomes problematic when women have too little or too much of it. If you think you may have a testosterone imbalance, talk to an integrative health specialist today.
Do you ever worry about your testosterone levels? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
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