The Safe use of Bio-identical Testosterone Supplementation
Roles of Testosterone in women
- Improvement of mood and assertiveness
- Reduction in depression and anxiety
- Improvement of bone density
- Improvement of muscle size and strength
- Improvement of skin sebum secretion
- Enhancement of sex drive and sexual sensitivity including orgasm
- Maintenance of female genital system (nipples, vulva, clitoris)
- Possible protection against atherosclerosis
Normal daily production
- Young healthy women make approx. 250 micrograms/day
- 20-30 times lower than men
Progressive decline with age
- Women age 40 have less than half their level at age 21
Life Style factors that deplete Testosterone
- Intense physical activity e.g. Marathon training
- Intense emotional stress
- Diet high in sugars & refined carbohydrates
- Wholegrain cereals (lower the reabsorption of hormones in the digestive tract)
Symptoms of Testosterone deficiency
Mental complaints
- Lack of confidence
- Lack of mental firmness, hesitating
- Lack of assertiveness
- Depression
- Excessive emotions
- Excessive sensitivity to difficulties
- Low resistance to stress
- Excessive fear & anxiety
Physical complaints
- Abdominal obesity
- Reduced muscle strength
- Hot flushes
- Day & night sweat outbursts
- Fatigue that increases with physical activity
- Low energy, tires easily
- Back pain
- Joint pain
- Decreased or absent libido
- Decreased or absent ability to orgasm
- Urinary incontinence
- Painful intercourse
- Itchy vagina
Treatment
Bioidentical Testosterone cream 1mg-10mg/day
Apply to soles of feet or inner side of arm
Balancing with female hormones
- Most women who are testosterone deficient are also deficient in the female hormones estrogen & progesterone
Signs of Testosterone excess
- Note: a lack of female hormones can also cause this
- Women usually get the warning of acne & oily skin well before any body hair changes.
- Symptoms go away with decreasing dose of hormone treatment if this is the cause
- If you notice any of these symptoms developing on testosterone supplementation decrease your dose & discuss with one of our doctors
- Oily hair or skin
- Acne
- Excessive sex drive
- Excessive clitoral swelling or sensitivity
- Irritability
- Excessive muscle development
- Excessive body hair