Girls, say yes to testosterone

It is interesting to know that several medical associations now include testosterone supplements for women, since this has always been a controversial topic.

The field of urology aims to provide new prescriptions and maintain safety for women and men who experience symptoms of low testosterone levels; therefore, these are cutting-edge ideas that demonstrate the biological importance of the quintessential male hormone for women.

“Low” testosterone in women

The most recent indications for pro-testosterone supplementation include its use after surgery to aid the recovery of wounds and/or injuries, among other applications.

Specialists who treat female fitness athletes seek to associate testosterone levels with symptoms such as weight gain or loss of muscle or bone mass, fatigue or lack of libido, hot flashes or even anemia, as well as mood disorders.

For men, “normal” testosterone levels range from 187 to 1300 ng/dl, depending on the laboratory used. For women, however, the data are uncertain, especially for women who train hard and are in the pre-, peri-, or postmenopausal stages.

Since testosterone levels decline with age in both sexes, it is difficult to determine the true “normal” level for any older man or woman.

Therefore, instead of targeting a specific testosterone number or range, the overall goal should be to relieve symptoms while monitoring test results, especially in adult female athletes.

Unfortunately, there is no testosterone level at which symptoms are predictive, so treating the condition correctly is an art form.

Low testosterone: what causes it?

It is well known that testosterone levels decline with age, beginning at age 40, and that from this age onward the risk of disease and osteoporosis also increases, especially in women.

But there are causes besides age, such as the use of certain drugs (opiates, marijuana) and exposure to certain chemicals and polluted environments.

There is a strong possibility that the loss of testosterone in men and women may contribute not only to reduced libido or gym performance, but also to an obvious decline in overall well-being.

Hormonal balance during training

This demonstrates that testosterone plays a very important role in both sexes, extending beyond libido or sexuality.

Along with strength training, anabolic hormones play an important role in hypertrophy, strength gains, and muscular leanness or definition.

Although testosterone levels in women may influence physiological adaptations to strength training, studies indicate that muscle accumulation and strength gains occur with or without an increase in testosterone (Kraemer and Ratamess, 2005).

Although research has been inconsistent regarding the effects of strength training on resting testosterone levels in women, it has been shown that over time (i.e., > 6 months), resting free testosterone (and post-exercise testosterone) increases in women, suggesting that long-term training is required to elicit a hormonal response (Häkkinen, Pakarinen, Kraemer, Newton and Alen, 2000; Marx, et al., 2001).

For female athletes, however, increases in strength and power have been correlated with testosterone levels before training or competition, which helps us better understand one hypothesis (Krahenbuhl, Archer & Pettit, 1978).

According to one study (Hakkinen, et al. 2000), we could say that testosterone levels in women indicate their training capacity, though not necessarily their results.

But how much testosterone is needed?

Generally, it is sufficient to use a compounded testosterone cream in low doses every other day, but if you are a responsible woman, you could consider using both extracts and foods that serve the same purpose.

Surprisingly, many women taking “male” doses and with serum testosterone levels in the range of 100-280 ng/dl never experience adverse side effects such as voice changes, acne, or hirsutism (the bearded-woman effect that many women not only hate but also fear).

In fact, many women have lost weight without changing their diet and have experienced improvements in their cholesterol and lipid levels, with a stable hematocrit and no increase in estradiol levels.

This differs from what is observed in men, suggesting that testosterone has overlapping but different roles in men and women.

So, the biological truth is that testosterone is necessary, but how much? Unfortunately, no one is completely sure, and there is no standard dose.

Don’t ignore the evidence

Perhaps the loss of testosterone in postmenopausal women or in certain women with hormonal imbalances is merely a consequence of aging rather than a physiological imperative.

But since pro-testosterone supplementation and supplements for powerful women do not have the same adverse consequences as estrogen/progesterone supplementation, they are therefore safer and more convenient for women.

Given that our species is unique because females survive beyond their reproductive capacity, living longer and stronger with a good quality of life should be the goal for women considering monitoring their hormone levels and using natural ways to balance them.

The idea of testosterone in women and men is a kind of controversial story between old ideas and new discoveries.

The important point is that fears of female masculinization should be reduced, since it appears safe to manage the hormone naturally and thereby provide several health benefits, especially during adulthood.