8 myths about testosterone in women that it's time to stop believing

Most of the research on testosterone levels and its impact on health is done on men. If women are involved in the experiment, most likely, we are talking about an attempt to increase their libido.

This imbalance can be explained by the fact that men have significantly more testosterone. At the same time, this steroid hormone is essential for the health and well-being of women, and many claims about its harm to the body are fiction and are not supported by scientific evidence.

Below, we'll break down eight common myths that keep women from thinking about boosting testosterone.

Myth 1. Testosterone is purely a male hormone.

Despite the fact that women have significantly less testosterone than men, it is still isR. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions / Maturitas the most abundant active steroid hormone. In healthy representatives of this sex, up to menopause it is 15–20 times exceedsR. Glazer, S. Kalantarido, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone implants in women: Pharmacological dosing for a physiologic effect / Maturitas

the amount of estradiol - a hormone from the group of estrogens, which are called "female".

Moreover, in both sexes noteR. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions / Maturitas the same number of androgen precursors. These are steroid hormones from which testosterone can be formed, and the genes for their receptors are contained on the X chromosome.

So you should not consider testosterone as purely male, as well as estrogen - only female. Both sexes have receptors that are sensitive to both steroid hormones.

Myth 2. Women need testosterone only to increase libido

Despite the many scientific papers on the effect of testosterone on sexual desire, the role of this hormone in the female body is much wider.

Androgen receptors locatedC.M. Wilson, M.J. McPhaul. A and B forms of the androgen receptor are expressed in a variety of human tissues / Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology in tissues of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract, brain and spinal cord, bladder, ovaries, endocrine glands, skin, bones, muscles and fat.

Age-related decline in testosterone and other androgens occurs in both sexes and can cause the following symptoms:

• mood disorders (anxiety, irritability, depression);
• physical fatigue;
• loss of bone and muscle mass;
• decrease in cognitive functions;
• insomnia;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• chest pain;
• difficulty urinating;
• sexual dysfunction.

All of the above occur in women after menopause and being treated1. R. Glaser, A.E. York, C. Dimitrakakis. Beneficial effects of testosterone therapy in women measured by the validated Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) / Maturitas
2. K. Maclaran, N. Panay. The safety of postmenopausal testosterone therapy / Womens Health
3. D. A. Davey. Androgens in women before and after the menopause and post bilateral oophorectomy: clinical effects and indications for testosterone therapy / Womens Health with testosterone therapy.

Thus, this androgen is necessary not only for normal libido, but also for the physical and mental health and well-being of a woman throughout her life.

Myth 3. Testosterone makes women look like men

Therapy with synthetic testosterone is indeed maybeR. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions / Maturitas provide hair growth on the face, arms and chest, as well as slightly increase clitoris.

The effect of the hormone depends on its amount, and unwanted manifestations can be removed by lowering the dosage. But since this will also reduce the health benefits, many women prefer to treat the side effects rather than reduce the dose.

At the same time, an increase in the production of one's own testosterone without injections does not affect the female and male features at all.

Myth 4. Testosterone makes the voice hoarse

There is no evidence that testosterone will make you talk hoarsely. Moreover, there is not even a physiological mechanism that could be responsible for this.

But the deficiency of this androgen maybeS.R. Schwartz, S.M. Cohen, S.H. Dailey. Clinical practice guideline: hoarseness (dysphonia)/ Otolaryngology‑Head and Neck Surgery cause hoarseness in the voice, since testosterone provides an anti-inflammatory effect, and its deficiency can increase the risk of infections.

In scientific literature meetR. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions / Maturitas several reports based on questionnaires in which people claim a change in voice from 400-800 mg / dl of danazol, an androgenic drug.

But studyF. Nordenskjöld, S. Fex Vocal. effects of danazol therapy / Acta Obstetricia and Gynecologica Scandinavica, in which participants' performance was measured, showed no significant change after 3 and 6 months of danazol 600 mg per day.

Myth 5. Testosterone causes hair loss

Some women with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin insensitivity have higher testosterone levels and lose hair, but this does not prove a link between the two factors. Baldness in general characteristically1. S. Arias‑Santiago, M.T. Gutierrez-Salmeron, L. Castellote Caballero. Androgenetic alopecia and cardiovascular risk factors in men and women: a comparative study / Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
2. v. Matilainen, M. Laakso, P. Hirsso. Hair loss, insulin resistance, and heredity in middle‑aged women. A population‑based study / European Journal of Cardiovascular Risk for people with impaired glucose metabolism, and it does not depend on gender.

Obesity and insulin resistance increaseJ.W. Tomlinson, J. Finney, B.A. Hughes. Reduced glucocorticoid production rate, decreased 5α-reductase activity, and adipose tissue insulin sensitization after weight loss / Diabetes the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which increases the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in the hair follicles. It is the latter that is considered the main hormone responsible for baldness.

In addition, obesity, age, alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle decrease testosterone levels and increase estradiol levels. These hormonal changes can lead to hair loss in genetically predisposed men and women. Stress and nutritional deficiencies can be additional factors.

Moreover, in one experiment, it was found that testosterone-delivering subcutaneous implants restoreR.L. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis, A.G. Messenger Improvement in scalp hair growth in androgen-deficient women treated with testosterone: a questionnaire study / British Journal of Dermatology hair growth in women. At least in those who do not suffer from excess weight, hypo- and hyperthyroidism or iron deficiency.

At the same time, none of the 285 patients treated with testosterone for 56 months noted hair loss.

Myth 6: Testosterone is bad for the heart.

Since men are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD), it is believed that androgens are involved in this.

At the same time, there is evidence that testosterone, on the contrary, protectsT.H. Jones, F. Saad The effects of testosterone on risk factors for, and the mediators of, the atherosclerotic process / Atherosclerosis heart: contributes to the growth of lean muscle mass, has a beneficial effect on glucose metabolism and lipid profile, expandsS. Worboys, D. Kotsopoulos, H. Teede, B. McGrath, S.R. Davis Evidence that parenteral testosterone therapy may improve endothelium‑dependent and‑independent vasodilation in postmenopausal women already receiving estrogen / Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism vessels.

In addition, one study found that testosterone supplements improveF. Iellamo, M. Volterrani, G. Camini, et al. Testosterone therapy in women with chronic heart failure: a pilot double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study / Journal of the American College of Cardiology fitness, increase insulin sensitivity and muscle strength in women with congestive heart failure.

Myth 7. Testosterone increases aggressiveness

Testosterone replacement therapy and even intramuscular administration of large doses of this hormone do not doD.B. O'Connor, J. Archer, F.C.W. Wu Effects of testosterone on mood, aggression, and sexual behavior in young men: a double‑blind, placebo‑controlled, cross‑over study / Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism people who are aggressive and angry.

At the same time, there is evidence that aggression and hostility connectedB.C. Trainor, H.H. Kyomen, C.A. Marler Estrogenic encounters: how interactions between aromatase and the environment modulate aggression / Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology with estrogen production. Since testosterone can be converted to estradiol, its involvement cannot be denied. At the same time, steroid hormones from the estrogen class can increase aggression without it, for example, under the influence of social factors.

In one study notedR. Glaser, A.E. York, C. Dimitrakakis Beneficial effects of testosterone therapy in women measured by the validated Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) / Maturitasthat in women with androgen deficiency, subcutaneous testosterone implant therapy helped to reduce aggression, irritability and anxiety by 90%.

Myth 8. Testosterone raises the risk of breast cancer

Research on primates and humans showed1. M. Hofling, A.L. Hirschberg, L. Skoog, E. Tanya, T. Hagerström, B. von Schoultz Testosterone inhibits estrogen/progestogen‑induced breast cell proliferation in postmenopausal women / Menopause
2. C. Dimitrakakis, J. Zhou, J. wang. A physiologic role for testosterone in limiting estrogenic stimulation of the breast / Menopausethat testosterone has a positive effect, reducing cell proliferation and protecting breast tissue from excessive estrogen stimulation.

Scientists noteR. Glasser, C. Dimitrakakis. Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions / Maturitasthat the balance between "male" and "female" hormones is more important than their quantity. Maybe that's why testosterone reducesC. Dimitrakakis, R.A. Jones, A. Liu, C.A. Bondy Breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal women using testosterone in addition to usual hormone therapy / Menopause the risk of breast cancer in women who are undergoing estrogen therapy.