Women and Testosterone

Although most people consider testosterone solely a male hormone, it manifests itself in women as well. By learning its pros and cons, you can understand when it may be useful to you and when it can do you harm.

Production

• Women's bodies create about one seventh the amount of testosterone men's bodies produce per day. Women who take estrogen treatment may produce even less than that.

Side Effects

• According to Dr Donnica.com, testosterone can cause acne, facial hair growth and head-hair loss, and can decrease "good" cholesterol (also known as high-density lipoprotein, or HDL).

Creation Location

• A woman creates testosterone both in her ovaries and in her adrenal glands.

Benefits

• Testosterone can build up and maintain both a woman's muscle and bone mass and increase her sex drive.

Age

• A woman's testosterone level is highest in her early 20s. The older she gets, the lower her levels may fall. This accounts for the loss of sex drive in many women as they age.