When I say Testosterone, what do you think?
Most people think: men, male. Some people think trans,* transgender, or FTM. Very few people will think “the most abundant sex hormone across a women’s lifespan and an important sex hormone for all genders.”
All of the above is the correct answer.
Estrogen and Testosterone have been sequestered into gendered boxes, but both are equally important sex hormones for human health. Functional and biologically active androgenic receptors are located throughout the body in both sexes. Testosterone receptors are found in the breasts, heart, blood vessels, digestive tract, lung, brain, spinal cord, nerves, bladder, uterus, ovaries, skin, bone, bone marrow, muscles and fat cells of all women. This wide diversity of receptor locations illustrates the panorama of body systems that rely on adequate levels of testosterone for optimal female function.
And yet, this important hormone is routinely ignored in women of all ages and especially those in their 30’s and 40’s who are exhibiting signs of testosterone deficiency including: dysphoric mood, muscle loss, cognitive decline, insomnia, breast pain, rheumatic and other pain, incontinence and sexual dysfunction.
Think you might be T deficient? Take our Eve test now! http://www.agemanagementcenter.com/eve-scale/
Around menopause, testosterone and other pro-androgens like DHEA, DHEA-S, and androstenedione become the primary hormones available as estrogen and progesterone levels decline. The ovaries stop becoming the major source of hormonal production, and the adrenal glands take over. As early as 1937, testosterone was used as a successful and important bioidentical hormone replacement option for menopausal women. Seventy-seven years later, doctors still do not routinely address testosterone deficiency in this population, nor do they even test for it!
Symptoms are not enough to assess hormonal balance. Accurate bloodwork including Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, Estradiol, Total Estrogen, Progesterone and DHEA-S must be assessed to have a clear picture of hormone health for all genders.
Many endogenous hormones can be converted into other hormones, like Testosterone being aromatized to Estradiol and DHEA-S into Testosterone or Estrogen. Understanding these pathways and monitoring the blood levels over time is the best way to achieve optimized hormone status. No hormone should be ignored based on presenting gender or sex, as it is the delicate interplay of hormones that creates vibrant wellness.
For more information on women and testosterone make an appointment to consult with Dr. Wright now. To schedule bloodwork to assess your testosterone and other hormone levels, call Kristen at 207 774-1356. Free initial consults are available. www.agemanagementcenter.com
References:
Transdermal testosterone therapy improves wellbeing, mood, and sexual function in premenopausal women. Goldstat, Rebecca MPH1; Briganti, Esther MD2; Tran, Jane MD1;
Wolfe, Rory PhD2; Davis, Susan R. MD, PhD1 Menopause. September 2003 – Volume 10 – Issue 5 – pp 390-398
Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions Rebecca Glasera,b,∗, Constantine Dimitrakakisc, Maturitas 74 (2013) 230– 234
Current perspectives on testosterone therapy for women. Susan Davis MB, Bs, FRAC-P, PhD., Sonia Davidson MB, Bs, FRAC-P, PhD. Menopausal Medicine. Volume 2 0 , No. 2 — Ma y 2 0 1 2
