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Levels of Testosterone for Women

Too much testosterone in females is not good and deficient testosterone levels in females can also be problematic. When a woman is in menopause her testosterone levels will diminish. When that occurs, loss of libido can occur. Some women consider taking testosterone therapy but keep in mind that this approach has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with good reason.

  1. PCOS

    • If a woman has too much testosterone in her system, this can result in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects one out of 10 women, especially younger women, according to Youngwomenshealth.org.

    PCOS Outcome

    • PCOS is the result of an imbalance in hormones, which causes insulin levels to become too high. When this occurs, too much testosterone is produced by the ovaries. Women who have PCOS may not ovulate and may, as a consequence, find it difficult to become pregnant. PCOS is often treated with oral contraceptives, which, among other things, will lower your testosterone level. The result is that you will experience less hair growth on the face and body, your acne will improve and this will correct your hormone imbalance.

    Hysterectomy

    • If you have a hysterectomy and both ovaries are removed you may experience a 50 percent reduction in your testosterone level, particularly if you are a young woman at the time of the surgery, according to the Australasian Menopause Society.

    Aging and Its Effects

    • Testosterone has a vital role. It helps us keep healthy and enables us to have and enjoy healthy sexual function. Testosterone levels in women and men naturally and gradually decline as we age. The eventual deficit in this hormone may become all to apparent to us when we discover that we've lost our sex drive, our energy and muscle mass. Nevertheless, undergoing testosterone therapy is not the universally recommended course of action for women who are suffering from a low sex drive because taking testosterone can result in facial and body hair growth (hirsutism), lowering of the voice, acne, liver problems, mood and personality changes and enlargement of the clitoris, the latter being permanent, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Considerations

    • The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism notes that the role of androgens (testosterone) in women is certainly recognized; however, undergoing testosterone therapy for androgen deficiency in women remains an iffy proposition because not enough research has yet been done.

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