KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Do women have testosterone? Yes, testosterone is an essential hormone in women that contributes significantly to libido, energy levels, muscle mass and mood.
• Testosterone levels in women — what’s normal: Testosterone levels in women can vary substantially from person to person and fluctuate throughout a woman’s different stages of life
• Off-label testosterone therapy: Have a conversation with an OhioHealth women’s health provider before starting any medication.
SUMMARY:
Women naturally produce testosterone, and it plays an important role in energy, mood, muscle mass and libido. Learn how testosterone levels change throughout life, what symptoms may signal an imbalance and when to talk to your doctor.
Maybe you realize it’s been weeks — or months — since you’ve had sex. Maybe you feel exhausted, no matter how early you go to bed the night before. Maybe you find yourself feeling “meh” about doing things that used to bring you joy.
For many premenopausal and post-menopausal women, it can be easy to blame these common experiences on stress or physiological aging. If you’re in a busy season of life, you may tend to push these symptoms and feelings aside, dismissing them as not meriting further investigation.
But low libido, fatigue and mood changes are health conditions that matter. Your health matters. If you’re feeling unwell, you owe it to yourself to investigate the cause. For some women, a change in hormone levels can affect their energy, sex drive, mood — and so much more.
One of those hormones may surprise you: testosterone.
Do women have testosterone?
Yes, women have testosterone. Testosterone is an androgen, a class of steroid hormones commonly termed sex hormones. Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men. Estrogen is the primary sex hormone in women. Women have much higher levels of estrogen compared to testosterone, but the presence and amount of testosterone contribute substantially to female health outcomes.
Testosterone is mainly produced in women’s and men’s gonads (sex organs). In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and various peripheral tissues. Having either a high or low testosterone level can cause health issues.
Let’s take a look at how and why changing levels of testosterone play a subtle but vital role in your health and overall well-being, and why it’s important to share how you’re feeling — physically, mentally and emotionally — with your OhioHealth provider.
What does testosterone do in a woman’s body?
Healthy levels of testosterone support women’s libido, energy and mood. Hormones, often characterized as chemical messengers, transmit signals throughout your body to help regulate physiological processes. Testosterone travels throughout your body, prompting biological functions to respond in specific ways.
Healthy levels of testosterone support:
- Bone density
- Energy and motivation
- General sense of well-being
- Libido and sexual function
- Menstrual cycle and fertility
- Mood stability
- Muscle mass
The role testosterone plays in a woman’s body
A simple blood test can tell you whether or not your testosterone levels are high or low. However, maintaining awareness of your body and day-to-day changes in how you feel may help you recognize recurring symptoms that could signal it’s time to talk to your doctor.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you feel sluggish throughout the day?
- Are you not as inspired to tackle your to-do list?
- Do you have trouble getting aroused?
- Have you experienced a recent fracture?
- Are you plucking unwanted chin hairs more often?
- Do you feel anxious a lot?
- Are you experiencing acne as an adult?
- Are you not in the mood to have sex as often as you did in the past?
- Have you been more irritable lately?
- Are your periods irregular?
- Is brain fog a common occurrence?
There are myriad mental and emotional reasons as to why you might answer yes to one or more of these questions. If you answered yes to any of them, address your concerns the next time you have a doctor’s appointment. Changes in testosterone levels, whether high or low, may be the cause.
How testosterone levels change across life stages
Testosterone levels change throughout a woman’s life, largely in response to your reproductive lifespan.
While every woman’s hormone levels are unique, testosterone generally follows this pattern across different age ranges:
- 0 to 1: Women are born with a small amount of testosterone, which plays a role in sexual differentiation
- 1 to 5: Testosterone typically drops
- 6 to 10: Testosterone begins to slightly rise
- 11 to 17: Testosterone peaks in response to puberty
- 18 to early 30s: Testosterone declines slightly, but remains high throughout your peak reproductive years
- Late 30s to 40s: Testosterone begins a long and gradual decline, in preparation for perimenopause
- 40s to mid-70s: Testosterone continues to decline, even after menopause
- Mid 70s and up: For some women, testosterone stabilizes
No matter your age, you may have low levels of testosterone if you have had both your ovaries removed. Low-functioning ovaries, sometimes the result of chemotherapy or early menopause, can also cause low levels of testosterone.
Signs that testosterone may be low
Normal testosterone levels vary widely from person to person. Low levels of testosterone can cause adverse symptoms. These symptoms can have many causes, including the normal shifting of testosterone levels.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be worthwhile to consult your doctor:
- Brain fog
- Decreased sense of well-being
- Difficulty building or maintaining muscle
- Fatigue
- Mood changes, including low motivation and mild depression
- Reduced libido
Signs you may have high testosterone
Some women have elevated levels of testosterone, which can also cause undesirable symptoms. A broad spectrum of health conditions may account for these symptoms.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, consider discussing them with a healthcare professional:
- Acne
- Irregular periods
- Unwanted hair growth
These symptoms can also be signs of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which has been recently renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). High levels of testosterone have been associated with PCOS/PMOS, a complex hormonal or endocrine imbalance that can affect ovulation.
Additional signs and symptoms of PCOS/PMOS include:
- Infertility
- Obesity
- Oily skin
- Polycystic ovaries (ovaries that may be slightly bigger or are surrounded by small, fluid-filled sacs)
Testosterone therapy: What women should know
Some doctors prescribe off-label perimenopausal and post-menopausal testosterone therapy to women experiencing low libido that can’t be linked to another cause. Off-label means the prescribed therapy is used in a way that hasn’t been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA-approved therapies and medications are supported by rigorous research, robust data and extensive clinical trials. According to Cleveland Clinic, many testosterone treatment methods aren’t regulated and haven’t been well-studied.
Currently, there are no FDA-approved testosterone therapy products on the market for women. However, several international medical societies, including the Endocrine Society, have issued guidance around testosterone therapy for women seeking to enhance their libido.
According to Mayo Clinic, testosterone therapy should not be used to treat:
- Bone density loss
- Depression
- Feeling better, in a general sense
- Mental clarity
- Muscle weakness
- Obesity
If you want to know more about testosterone therapy, consult your doctor.
When to talk to your doctor
Tiredness isn’t solely driven by busyness, and a sudden decline in sexual desire may be independent of relationship factors. Your hormone levels fluctuate significantly throughout your life, especially as you go through perimenopause and into the post-menopausal stage of life.
Common signs and symptoms of both low and high testosterone are often non-specific and may be associated with a wide range of other health conditions, arising from a complex mix of different issues. Find a provider who takes the time to listen to your concerns and answer your questions. If you have been feeling unwell, even in a general sense, for several weeks or months, seek support from a doctor.
Ready to learn more about your hormone health? OhioHealth’s women’s health team can help you understand what’s happening in your body and what options may be right for you.
FAQ/People also ask
What are the signs of low testosterone in females?
Symptoms and signs of low testosterone in females include low libido, fatigue, mood changes and difficulty maintaining muscle mass. These symptoms are also linked to many other health conditions. Talk to your doctor for guidance, including testing recommendations.
How does a woman know if she needs testosterone?
A woman knows she needs testosterone only after experiencing symptoms, blood tests and conversations with her doctor. We check testosterone levels through routine blood draws.
What can testosterone do to a female body?
In a female body, healthy levels of testosterone support energy, libido, mood and muscle. Low levels of testosterone may contribute to fatigue, a low sex drive and unwanted shifts in mood. High levels of testosterone may cause acne, unwanted hair growth and irregular periods.
What happens when a woman has high testosterone?
A woman with high testosterone may experience irregular or absent periods, acne, excess facial or body hair, or be diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which has been recently renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Talk to your doctor for more information.
What raises testosterone in women?
Adequate sleep, managing stress and resistance exercise may support healthy hormone levels.
Can GLP-1 medications affect testosterone levels in women?
Some early evidence suggests that GLP-1 medications may influence women’s hormone levels, but this is an emerging area of research and more studies are needed. If you’re curious about how GLP-1 medication can affect your hormones, talk to your doctor.
