We are aware of the two sex hormones present in men and women. A woman is mostly driven by oestrogen while a man is mostly fuelled by testosterone. Mark the word “mostly” here. It’s because both the genders have both the sex hormones, albeit in varied proportions, the difference being that women have a higher level of oestrogen as compared to testosterone, wherever in a man the situation is vice versa.
Now, testosterone is an androgen that plays a role in reproduction, growth and maintenance of a healthy body. The male sex hormone is produced in the testes in a male body, while testosterone in women is produced in the ovaries, adrenal gland, fat cells and in skin cells. In general, a female body makes 1/20th of the amount of testosterone than that of a male body.
Moving ahead, if there is an imbalance in the level of testosterone produced in a female body, it can have damaging effects on women’s health as well as sex drive. This is how the levels of testosterone play a different role in men and women.
8 Functions Of Testosterone In Men
After a brief discussion about the testosterone levels in women, let us now understand what is the role that the testosterone levels play in male and female body. In men, testosterone and other androgens is responsible for the following:
- Body fat distribution
- Healthy bone density
- Hair on the face and body
- Drives the mood
- Muscle growth and strength
- Production of red blood cells
- Production of sperm
- Sex drive
6 Functions Of Testosterone In Women
Males do have a higher level of testosterone in them. However, the testosterone produced in the female body plays an equally important role in a women, they are:
- Bone health
- Breast health
- Fertility
- Sex drive
- Menstrual health
- Vaginal health
3 Interesting Facts About How Testosterone Works In Women
- Generally a female body converts the testosterone produced in their body into female sex hormones. During puberty, male and females experience a surge of testosterone and oestrogen. This initial surge lasts throughout their lives, until their final stage of adulthood.
- Majorly the roles of these sex hormones help in the development of the secondary sex characteristics such as deep or higher voices, facial hair growth, and breast development. There are a lot of times the females do not develop any male characteristics as testosterone acts differently in their bodies and they readily get converted to oestrogens.
- When there is an imbalance in conversion of testosterone to oestrogen in a female body, women may experience masculinisation.
In such cases, they develop more male secondary sex characteristics, such as facial hair and male pattern baldness.
What Is The Normal Testosterone Level In Women?
It requires a blood test to measure the levels of testosterone in women or other androgens in women. The normal testosterone levels in women or normal testosterone levels in females range from 15 to 70 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) of blood.
Possible After-Effect Of High Testosterone Levels In Women
High levels of testosterone in women might lead to tumours on the ovaries or on the adrenal glands. Definitely, all this sounds scary or dangerous. However, when it comes to treatment of an underlying health condition, balancing out the production of testosterone may be of help. However, in some cases, the treatment of the already existing issue might not be of any help in the treatment of high levels of testosterone.
4 Drugs That Treat High Testosterone Levels In Women
There are women who seek medical treatment in order to reduce the testosterone levels in their body. This helps them to reduce any masculine traits that are associated with the symptoms of high testosterone in women.
Women with high testosterone in women are most commonly treated with:
- Glucocorticosteroids
- Metformin
- Oral contraceptives
- Spironolactone
12 DIY Treatment Options To Treat High Testosterone Levels In Women
If you find out that your testosterone levels are higher, and that you need that to be treated, you can try treating it with the below natural remedies.
- Chaste tree (chasteberry)
- Black cohosh
- Flaxseed
- Green tea
- Licorice root
- Mint
- Nuts
- Reishi
- Saw palmetto
- Soy
- Vegetable oil
- White peony
When To See A Doctor?
Before you add any kind of herbal treatment to your diet in order to treat high levels of testosterone, it is recommended that you consult a doctor. Despite being herbal, these might interact with drugs that you might be consuming and lead to severe medical issues.
What Can Low Testosterone Levels Lead To?
There are conditions when a woman might produce low levels of testosterone in the body. These could be because of natural reasons or some underlying health issues, or surgery that involves removal of ovaries.
Testosterone levels naturally decrease with age and, therefore, there are no major concerns related to lower levels of testosterone.
9 Possible Signs Of Low Testosterone
Let us learn about some symptoms if you have high testosterone levels:
- Excess body hair, specifically facial hair
- Early balding
- Fatigue
- Acne or pimples
- Enlarged clitoris
- Decreased breast size
- Deepening of the voice
- Increased muscle mass
- Depression
Causes Of Low Testosterone Levels In Women
Low testosterone in women usually occurs because of low libido. However, low testosterone is just one possible reason for low libido.
Treatment For Low Testosterone Levels In Women
These issues can be addressed with a mix of therapy, stress-reduction techniques now available, along with the proper rest that your body needs. There are a lot of times that the body is over-stressed. Even counselling can be of great help!
Precautions For Low Testosterone Levels In Women
There are still less studies that dictate what could be the possible low testosterone cause or signs in a female body and, therefore, the low testosterone treatment is yet unknown. A woman might go through a reduction of testosterone while she reaches menopause. The side effects of low testosterone are yet unknown.
There are times that a supplement or a stress reduction therapy might cause severe effects on your body. Hence, it is suggested that you consult a doctor.
5 Tips To Maintain The Right Testosterone Levels
1. Improve Your Diet
A healthy mind lies in a healthy body, and a healthy body is achieved when your diet is well-balanced and clean. Improve your diet if you overindulge in junk, carbs or fatty foods. There should be a balanced diet consumed to keep testosterone deficiency symptoms under control.
2. Mix Cardio With Strength Training
One must indulge in exercise for treating testosterone imbalance. However, it is advisable that along with cardio one must include strength training as well.
3. Get Plenty Of Sleep
The more your body feels relaxed, the better are the chances of your body maintaining a healthy balance of testosterone levels. As we have discussed above, lack of adequate sleep might adversely affect testosterone levels.
4. Take Steps To Reduce Stress
Apart from sleep and rest, keeping a relaxed mind is a key ingredient for maintaining a balanced testosterone level. Spend quality time in activities that keep you happy.
5. Address Any Underlying Medical Conditions
Underlying health issues might cause an imbalance of testosterone levels. Treat any health issue that causes stress in your body and your mind to improve your testosterone levels.
Abnormal testosterone levels may not always cause serious health concerns. However, that does just not justify you leaving it untreated. Treating it in time will ensure that it does not get aggravated and lead to other medical conditions. If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms of abnormal testosterone levels, see a doctor and let the expert decide on the future course of action.
Open up like never before and participate in conversations about beauty, entrepreneurship, mental health, menstrual & sexual health, and more. Desi women, join our community NOW!