When we talk about hormones in women, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, the conversation tends to focus on oestrogen and progesterone. But there is another important hormone that is sometimes overlooked: testosterone.
Yes, women produce testosterone too — and while we have much lower levels than men, it still has important effects within the female body.
What does testosterone do in women?
Testosterone is produced mainly by the ovaries and adrenal glands. Levels naturally change with age, and ovarian function also changes significantly around menopause.
Testosterone is associated with sexual desire and arousal, and androgens also play roles in areas including muscle and bone physiology. However, it is important not to attribute every symptom experienced during menopause to testosterone.
Women may experience:
The difficulty is that these symptoms aren’t specific to low testosterone. They can also occur because of changing oestrogen levels, stress, poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid problems, certain medications and numerous other health conditions.
And that is exactly why guessing isn’t particularly helpful.
🩸 Blood tests can be part of the bigger picture
If you feel significantly different from your usual self during perimenopause or menopause, speak to your GP or an appropriately qualified menopause clinician.
Depending on your symptoms and circumstances, they may recommend blood tests or other investigations.
For women over 45 with typical menopausal symptoms, UK guidance generally doesn’t require hormone blood tests simply to diagnose perimenopause or menopause. Hormone levels such as FSH can fluctuate considerably, so a single result doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
Testosterone testing has its own limitations too. A blood result should therefore be considered alongside symptoms, medical history, medications and any existing HRT, rather than being interpreted in isolation.
What about testosterone treatment?
This is another area where it’s important to separate evidence from some of the claims we see online.
In the UK, testosterone may be considered for some postmenopausal women experiencing low sexual desire associated with menopause when HRT alone hasn’t been effective. It isn’t currently recommended as a general treatment for tiredness, mood, cognition or building muscle simply because a blood result appears low.
If testosterone treatment is considered, it should be medically supervised, with appropriate monitoring to keep levels within the female physiological range.
Too much testosterone can cause side effects such as acne, increased facial or body hair and scalp hair changes. Higher exposure can potentially cause more significant androgenic effects, some of which may not be fully reversible.
More is definitely not better when it comes to hormones.
Knowledge is powerful — but context matters
Perimenopause and menopause can be incredibly confusing. Your body may suddenly feel different, your training may feel different, your sleep can change and even your mood or libido may feel unfamiliar.
Don’t dismiss those changes — but equally, don’t diagnose yourself from a symptom checklist on social media.
Ask questions. Speak to an appropriate healthcare professional. Have investigations when clinically indicated. And look at your health as a whole picture rather than one hormone or one number on a blood test.
At Ferocia Health & Fitness, we believe women should feel informed and empowered to understand their changing bodies.
Because when you understand what’s happening, you are in a much stronger position to make informed decisions about your health. 💗
