This article is about testosterone in women. Do they need it, do they want it? What happens when a woman’s testosterone level is too high … or too low?
What Will I Learn
The Role Of Testosterone In Women
We all know that testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, responsible for helping to turn young boys into men, it controls virtually every aspect of being a man:
- Strength
- Muscularity
- Sex Drive and Performance
- Fertility
- Body Hair
- Deep Voice
- Dominance and Aggression.
That aside, its also responsible for red blood cell production, distribution of body fat, bone health, and moods.
“What you may not realise is that Testosterone has a crucial role to play in women too.”
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
The key difference between T levels in men and women is the amount that their bodies make. It is relatively easy to check your testosterone levels.
Men need and make a whole lot more testosterone than women. In fact its up to 15 times more than the amount produced in a women.
It’s actually the same in reverse when we consider Estrogen, the female sex hormone, it is required in small amounts in men.
Women usually have between 10 and 15 times more Estrogen than men.
Testosterone in men is made primarily by the Leidig cells in the testes, a smaller amount is also produced in the adrenal glands
In women, testosterone is produced by both the adrenal glands as well as the ovaries.
Most of the testosterone made in the ovaries is actually converted to the main form of Estrogen – namely Oestradiol
The reason why men are general larger, have bigger, stronger muscles is because they have a lot more testosterone in their bodies.
Any women with insufficient T production will find it very hard to maintain muscle tone, she could also experience reduced bone density too.
Low Testosterone In Women
T production reduces with age in both sexes.
However, because women tend to have less bone and muscle mass than men, they can actually experience a bigger impact (biologically speaking) than men. The negative effects can come on faster.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Women Can Include
- Poor tolerance for exercise
- Dry skin
- Thinning skin
- Lack of motivation
- Reduced muscle tone
- Loss of bone density
- Increased belly fat
- Reduced moods, anxiety or depression.
If a women can manage and maintain a healthy production for longer, she will enjoy a healthier, happier and hopefully longer life.
Reduced testosterone can also effect younger women.
This is especially the case in those who are using birth control pills. The ‘endocrine disrupting pseudo-hormones’ in the these medications lower the amount of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) in the body.
This has the responsibility of transporting sex hormones (including testosterone) around the body through the blood.
So although the ‘pill’ is highly effective at reducing unwanted pregnancies. It is also possible that its effects can cause an unwanted (and unhealthy) reduction in bone density and muscle tone
Some More Reasons Why Women Need Testosterone
Women are equipped with testosterone receptors all over their body.
They can be found in their brain, arteries and of course the reproductive organs.
They are there for a variety of reasons, with the main one being the control of sexual desire and response.
“It is clinically understood that females who have low T levels could be unable to reach climax during intercourse.”
Low T can also have a direct effect on a woman moods and feeling of well being. It can bring on sadness, depression and feelings of anxiety.
Like men, women with low T can also experience quite severe fatigue
By the time a woman reaches 40 year old her testosterone production is likely to be up to 50% lower than it was at its peak.
Low Testosterone Levels in Women
So although testosterone is unmistakably the key male sex hormone.
It is also crucial (although in smaller amounts) to females too, they need it for their overall health, and happiness.
Women can benefit from ensuring that their testosterone levels are maintained, and the use of a good vitamin supplement with T-boosting properties could well be a life saver.
Now for those of you that think that these kinds of supplements will give you huge muscles, and make you grow beards, stop worrying…
These are the type of effects that the use of illegal anabolic steroids will cause.
“Natural Vitamin Supplements Are Perfectly Safe.”
Taking one could help to help you retain your youthful muscle tone, safeguard your bone strength, boost your sex drive and ensure your long term health and well being.
In men, normal T levels range between 300ng.dl and 1000ng.dl. Women on the other hand need only a fraction of this amount, with their normal levels sitting at or around the 70ng.dl mark.
Normal Testosterone Levels In Women
Testosterone is generally considered to be the main male hormone. But did you know that women need it too?
Testosterone has several key functions in the female body, the first being the regulation and maintenance of bone strength and health, it also helps to regulate menstrual cycles and balances metabolism.
Why Women Need To Optimise Their Testosterone Too
Its scientifically recognised that by ensuring your testosterone levels are at their peak, you will remain leaner, fitter and full of self confidence.
The Importance of Testosterone In Women
It’s only been in recent years that scientists recognised the important role the testosterone plays in a woman’s body. Before then it was largely discounted as a male only hormone.
Testosterone in females is made by the ovaries and to a lesser degree the adrenal glands, it has a part to play in many bodily processes, from those involving hair and skin to muscles and sex drive.
In men, normal T levels range between 300ng.dl and 1000ng.dl.
Women on the other hand need only a fraction of this amount, with their normal levels sitting at or around the 70ng.dl mark.
Any more than that and they could start to develop masculine attributes (increased body or facial hair, deeper voices to name just 2 of many side effects) – Just look at female bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids!
In normal events, women’s testosterone largely acts as a hormonal regulator.
What this means is that it promotes and maintains femininity in females, when levels are at their peak, women should enjoy some goof health benefits:
- Increased stamina, fitness and performance
- Shapely muscle tone, strong bones
- Reduced body fat
- Good energy levels
- Higher sex drive
- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart problems and cognitive disorders
Low Testosterone In Females
Having optimum testosterone levels can benefit both health and performance. Just as it reduces in men, as a women reaches her 30’s her testosterone production can start to reduce.
Tests have demonstrated that 90% of all women have some shortfall in testosterone by the time they reach 45, with many women dropping below the lower end of normal which is 15ng.dl .
Low T in a women can have similar effects to that in a man with symptoms including:
- Weight gain
- Low libido and a lack of sexual arousal
- Tiredness
- Low moods and depression
- Poor sleep quality
- Mood swings
- Lost muscle tone
Boosting Testosterone Naturally
If you find yourself experiencing any of the above, you will be pleased to know that you can help rejuvenate your hormone balances.
“How you may ask?”
We are not talking drugs, injections or dangerous medications here.
You Can Do It Completely Naturally…. Heres How:
1. Hit The Gym
The best way a woman can rejuvenate her testosterone levels is by strength training. We are taking about lifting weights here, not running for hours on a treadmill.
Now that of course does wonders for your fitness, calorie counting and moods perhaps, but if you really want to boost your muscle tone and get that testosterone levels rising you need to push iron.
You don’t have to be over complicated about it, just include some weight lifting in your workouts 2-3 times per week.
Try and perform at least 8 exercises so that your whole body and all its muscle groups are worked.
Perform 3 sets of 6-12 reps with a weight heavy enough that you struggle to perform the last couple of reps.
8 examples are as follows:
- Chest Press
- Seated Row
- Goblet Squat
- Leg Press
- Leg Curl
- Dead Lift
- Shoulder Press
- Lat PullDown
2. Get More Sleep
A good nights rest is essential for your imbue system, brain health, energy levels and general and hormonal health.
There is a lot of research going on at the moment about sleep and its benefits.
It has been shown that a man or woman who gets just 5 hours of sleep per night will have some hormone deficiencies, whereas someone who sleeps 8 hours will have double the hormone concentration.
3. Eat More Fat
We all know the risks of too much fat in your diet, but cutting it out completely can have other negative effects.
Testosterone is derived directly from cholesterol which comes from fat.
Eating eggs, butter and avocados help to boost T levels because it provides the body with the nutrients it needs to produce increased hormone. As a cautionary not it may be advisable to lay off drinking milk as it could have the opposite effect.
Studies have proved that adding just a small amount of fat to your diet can raise levels by up to 13%
4. Come Off The Birth Control Pill
Studies have shown that taking the oral birth control pill can reduce T levels by as much as 61%.
Its main purpose is to reduce levels of estrogen and progesterone but it also has a direct effect on testosterone too.
It increases levels of an enzyme called SHBG (Sex Hormone bInding Globulin) this attaches itself to testosterone in the blood and renders it useless in the body
5. Take A Supplement Containing Proven T-boosting Ingredients
While I would not advocate for one minute taking anabolic steroids, largely because of the inherent health risks but also because of the fact that most owned not want to end up looking like the michelin man.
A well formulated natural T boosting supplement or specialist multi vitamin could however, provide some amazing results.
Look for one that contains effective ingredients, 3 in particular that are known to be truly effective and more importantly – Natural and SAFE.
Look For A T Boosting That Contains:
- Vitamin D3 – At least 3300iu per daily serving
- Magnesium – At least 200mg per day
- Zinc – At least 10mg per day
Other ingredients to look out for include:
- Vitamin B6
- D-aspartic acid
- Boron
- Fenugreek
Women and Testosterone – Summary
Testosterone is crucial regulator of both performance and health in women as well as men.
It helps boost brain, and muscle function, strengthens bones and controls body fat distribution.
It also gives your libido and sexual responses a welcome boost.
Try to keep your levels between 15ng.dl and 70ng.dl for maximum benefit.
Women need testosterone just as much as men do but at a vastly lower level.
