Unlike popular belief, women also produce testosterone in their body and actually it is very necessary for them too. In woman, testosterone is produced in various locations, such as, adrenal gland, ovaries and peripheral tissues.
Testosterone not only improves the libido of a woman, but it also takes care of her overall health and well being. There are awful lot of woman who suffers from testosterone deficiency. The testosterone deficiency in a woman usually goes undetected, due to the following reasons:
- Testosterone is not considered as a hormone for women, so, people don’t consider is as a factor.
- The symptoms of low testosterone and depression are very common.
So, testosterone deficiency usually goes untreated which makes the problem more severe as the time goes by.
Another reason why testosterone deficiency goes undetected is because of the normal range set by medical associations. For example, in a woman under the age 50, if the level of testosterone is <1.5 pg/ml, it indicates the deficiency of testosterone. But, if the level is a little bit more than 1.5 pg/ml, it is not considered deficiency and the doctors refrain from starting the treatment for low testosterone.Similar to males, the testosterone in females also increases in their teens and adulthood. And, after reaching a maximum level, the T level gradually starts decreasing with age. This reduction can start at a very young age of 18-20. But, as I have mentioned, it remains diagnosed due to the similarity in symptoms with other clinical conditions.
In this article, first we will discuss symptoms of low testosterone in women, then we will talk about what cause low level of T and finally we will focus on methods by which you can increase testosterone.
Symptoms of low testosterone in women:
Low libido
Women with low testosterone tend to have very low sex drive. This is probably the first thing that you will notice. In turns out, having low testosterone effects the sex drive of both man and woman. The real problem arises when it is perceived as a symptom of depression and anti-depression medication is prescribed for it.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is one of the most cost common anti-depressant medication. SSRI is known to reduce the libido further.
Muscle loss
One of the main job of the testosterone is to build muscles and strengthen them. If a woman has low testosterone level, she might notice some reduction in muscle mass or difficulty in gaining muscle in spite of putting lots of effort in the gym.
Increase in fat
Low testosterone causes storage of fat, especially in the abdominal region. Many woman, as they age, starts gaining weight at a rapid pace, this is generally considered as a sign of aging but in fact it is the low testosterone that is the real cause behind it.
Reduced pleasure in bed
Apart from reducing the sex drive, low T level also reduces the intensity and frequency of the orgasm. The vaginal sensation is also effected. Estrogen and testosterone are together responsible for vaginal lubrication. So, when the level of Testosterone drops low, vaginal dryness is observed.
Fatigue
Feeling low in energy all the time is also one of the major signs of low testosterone in women. This happens to many women in their 40’s and 50’s but they ignore it completely, considering it normal with their age.
Less bone density
Contradicting to popular belief, bone size and density do change over time. Like other body part, bone cells die and new cells grow to replace them. But, with age the dying rate becomes more than the production rate. This causes bone loss.
The bone loss occurs at a faster rate in women than in men. That is why, women are more affected by osteoporosis. Testosterone is responsible for increasing and maintaining the bone density. The effects of low t, on bones, in women are more noticeable.
Anemia
A test conducted on a group of women above 50, showed that women with low level of testosterone might be at the higher risk of having Anemia. The behind this is, testosterone is also responsible for altering iron metabolism. It means T incorporates iron into RBC’s. Therefore, Anemia is one clear symptom of low testosterone in women.
Insomnia
If you never had insomnia and it started in your late 30’s or early 40’s, then it is more of a hormonal problem. Many people believe it to be a sign and symptom of aging, but it fact, losing sleep is a true symptom of low testosterone level, especially if it is developed during your 40’s.
Women tend to get insomnia 5-10 years before man of the same age. Some women might not have insomnia per se but can have disturbed sleep, frequent waking up at night, etc.
Causes of low testosterone in women:
Stress
Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone. The level of cortisol increases or decreases depending upon the level of stress a person is going through. Cortisol is known to suppress the testosterone production. So, just being stress free can shoot up your T.
Too much alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can cause the testosterone level to drop. Chronic consumption of alcohol can permanently affect the body’s ability to make testosterone.
Sleep and rest
Among many other ingredients required to produce testosterone, sleep is one. Until and unless you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep, it is more unlikely, that your testosterone level will ever go up to an appropriate level. You should sleep more if you workout.
Less physical activity
When you do some work, your body automatically generate more testosterone in order to cope up with the increasing demands. People who do bare minimum physical activity are likely to have low testosterone.
Less sex
Testosterone is related to everything that is even minutely related to sex. Your body knows that you need testosterone in order to enjoy sex to its fullest. But, if your body is deprived of sexual contacts, it won’t feel the need to increase the production of testosterone and in fact in can decrease it also.
Removal of Ovaries
There are multiple reasons, due to which, a woman’s ovaries can be removed. Cancer is one of them. A good portion of testosterone is produced in the ovaries and after removing them, the level of T can drop by 40-50%.
DHEA
DHEA stands for “dehydroepiandrosterone”. DHEA is produced in the adrenal gland and gets converted into testosterone. Therefore, a low level of DHEA can cause low level of testosterone.
Low cholesterol
Now days, people feel proud to have a cholesterol free diet. But, instead of improving their health they are ending up with low level of free testosterone. The reason being that cholesterol is the building block of testosterone(testes convert cholesterol into testosterone). So, when you deprive your body of cholesterol, it is obvious that you get low in testosterone.
Benefits of High level of testosterone in women:
Gives you motivation
Low testosterone in a woman makes her passive, lazy and deprives her of motivation in life. This is a common thing you’ll see in women around 40’s. Low T sucks the “go-get-it” attitude out of women. On increasing their testosterone level naturally or artificially, a sense of motivation resurrects inside them.
There is a myth that testosterone makes you more aggressive, in reality, people with high testosterone do show some aggression in the way they deal with life, not with other people.
Prevents Osteoporosis
A high testosterone level helps in maintaining bone density both in men and women. The reason behind this is, it enhances the ability of bones to retain calcium. Although, in women, testosterone and estrogen are both responsible for maintaining bone density. And, it is seen women with osteoporosis are usually deficient in both estrogen and testosterone.
Strengthen cardio vascular system
As said earlier, the main job of testosterone is to make muscle strong and more efficient. And, as you might be knowing that heart itself is nothing but a muscle. It also dilates blood vessels. So, by strengthening heart and dilating vessels, T improves blood circulation. Testosterone also removes LDL (bad cholesterol) and prevent clogging of your arteries.
Skin
Testosterone is known to improve the texture of the skin. Apart from giving a natural glow to your skin, it also tightens the facial muscles to make them look more attractive. High T level increases collagen synthesis.
For those who don’t know, collagen is a kind of protein that gives structural strength. It can be found in abundance in the middle layer of the skin. It provides strength, elasticity and thickness to the skin. That is why, the skin of a woman is at its best, in the adulthood, when testosterone level is high.
A sense of well being
Testosterone not only helps you physically, but psychologically too. Testosterone in its uncanny way fills you up with happiness and delight. A lot of times as people age, they become less happy and forgets the joy of living. It may sound utterly poetic, but testosterone really does instills ability in you to feel the joy of life. Everything will look more beautiful.
Enhances sexual pleasures
On top of increasing your libido, testosterone also helps to enhance the pleasurable experience. It increases the frequency and intensity of the clitoral orgasm. Actually, vaginal dryness is considered as one of the most significant cause of low libido. Testosterone along with estrogen helps in preventing vaginal dryness.
Decrease mortality
When your heart will become stronger, your bones will have good density, your sex life will be improved, you will look better, it is but obvious that you will live a longer life. And, if my words are not enough, then you should see this study verifying my claims.
Natural ways to increase testosterone for women:
To explain the logic perfectly I’ll go step by step. What I mean by that, is, like every process there is a step involved in producing testosterone. By getting a good grasp over process flow you can understand it clearly and it will be much easier for you to apply it, in your life.
Let us begin, first of all, for producing an optimal amount of testosterone your body needs a good reason. In initial step, we will give our body a reason to increase testosterone production.
Use muscles more
When you exercise, no matter what body part you target, you are using some muscles. This will make your body feel the need to strengthen those muscles, which will be done by releasing more testosterone. And, the quantity of the testosterone secreted will depend upon the number of muscles you used and the size of those muscles.
So, if you want more testosterone you must train your legs, back and chest. Doing compound exercise brings many groups of muscle to use, simultaneously.
Have sex!
It is kind of a perpetual cycle. Testosterone is good for sex and sex is good for testosterone. So, having sex regularly gives a message to your body that more testosterone needs to be produced. First of all, sex is a good exercise, by itself. Secondly, when you have sex your body release testosterone to enhance the pleasure even more.
-> So, now you have given enough signals to your body that it needs more testosterone. Now, it finally decides to increase production, but it doesn’t have enough raw material for it. So, you need to provide it with the raw material.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is the first and foremost raw material needed to produce T. Actually, your body converts cholesterol to produce testosterone. So, increase cholesterol in your diet. But, which one? LDL(Bad) or HDL(Good)? For increasing testosterone you should have HDL(High density lipoprotein), which can be found in egg yolk.
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most important testosterone supplements for women. When you have enough cholesterol, then your body needs other supplements to start producing T. Zinc is one of those supplements. Zinc can be found in abundance in Oysters and pumpkin seeds. Apart from Zinc, selenium, magnesium and Vitamin-D are also required for testosterone production. Click here to check out foods for testosterone.
Omega-3
It is considered as essential fatty acid. Unlike, other fats Omega-3 is not harmful for your body, in fact, it reduces bad cholesterol and prevents your arteries from clogging. Omega-3 is responsible for the production of hormones, including, testosterone. Omega-3 can be found in fish oil and flax seeds.
-> We have given a reason to our body to produce more T and we have provided it with the raw material needed to do it. Now, we should give it an environment, in which, testosterone can be secreted with maximum efficiency.
Sleep
Sleep tremendously impact the release of all the hormones, let alone, testosterone. A sleep of about 8 hours is recommended if you want more T. But, not only the quantity but also the quality effects the testosterone production. To get a quality sleep you can have pumpkin seeds not only it has zinc in abundance but it also helps you with your sleep.
Remain stress free
Stress significantly effects the level of testosterone in your body. So, if you want an optimal amount of free testosterone, you got to stay stress free. You can do this with the help of meditation and yoga. Also, dark chocolates are known to have stress busting properties. It does that by decreasing stress hormone(cortisol). You should avoid drinking alcohol as it increases the cortisol level and prevents you from getting a quality sleep.
We discussed everything about low testosterone in women and how it can be identified. We also talked about the benefits of testosterone in women and how a high testosterone can be achieve naturally.
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