Written by Kirsten Yovino | CPT Brookbush Institute
Fact checked by Andrew Lenau, ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
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Even though the symptoms are common, low testosterone in women is rarely, if ever, thought about. A lack of energy, low sex drive, and poor mental health can be pretty debilitating, yet women experiencing these symptoms often don't consider it's due to low T.
As such, it continues to go undiagnosed, often causing symptoms to worsen. To change that, education about how the "man hormone" affects women's bodies is crucial.
In this article, we'll go over everything you need to know about low testosterone in women, how to identify it, and how to fix it.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Testosterone?
- What Does Testosterone Do For Women?
- Signs Of Decreased Testosterone In Women
- What Happens If Testosterone Is Low In Females?
- How To Treat Low Testosterone In Females
- What Are Testosterone Boosters?
- What Are The Best Testosterone Boosters For Women?
- FAQs
What Is Testosterone?
Even compared to other sex hormones, testosterone is a potent androgen hormone generally associated with men. As this primary sex hormone rises during male puberty, it creates male sex characteristics, such as:
- Facial hair
- Broad shoulders
- Increase muscle mass
- Increased sex drive
- Sexual desire
In men, the testes are the main site for testosterone production. Women produce testosterone instead in the ovaries and adrenal glands.
What Does Testosterone Do For Women?
Although it's generally associated with being the primary male sex hormone, testosterone still plays a significant role in women's health.
Normal testosterone levels in women come to about 15-70 ng/dL, or 1/20 or 1/40 of that in men1.
But just because women's testosterone levels are much smaller than men, doesn't make them useless. Testosterone in women is responsible for the following:
- Increased sex drive
- Increased libido
- Bone support
- Increase muscle mass
- Regulates mood
- Maintains energy levels
- Plays a role in menstrual cycle and fertility
As you can see, properly regulating testosterone and other hormones is vital2. Not only are testosterone levels important for women, but their ratio with other hormones is critical as well. Major issues can arise if a woman experiences too little or too much testosterone.
Simply put, testosterone is the compound that gives us a zest for life. It makes us feel young and healthy while giving us energy and improved mental wellness.
Signs of Low Testosterone In Women
Low testosterone in women is a concern and can affect anyone - from post-menopausal women to young, active adults. Similar to low testosterone in men, signs generally take a while to appear. As time goes on, the severity and amount of symptoms will increase.
Symptoms of low testosterone in women include:
- Low sexual desire and satisfaction (difficulty climaxing)
- Anxiety or depression
- Highly emotional
- Physical fatigue
- Bone weakness
- Joint pain
- Cognitive changes
- Insomnia
- Dry skin and thinning hair
- Weight gain
- Loss of muscle mass
- Feeling a lack of motivation
Unfortunately, many of those signs can be chalked up to things like poor sleep or stress, as many women may not even be aware that low testosterone could be to blame.
What Happens If Testosterone Is Low In Females?
From experience with friends with low T and stories on Reddit and other forums, a woman with low testosterone will slowly experience worse and worse symptoms, making life increasingly less enjoyable.
Many women will report that their first sign is usually just not feeling like themselves. Almost like depression, things that used to be fun seem to no longer have the same enjoyment factor. Many women also report that their sleep begins to deteriorate, which only amplifies other conditions.
They then begin to notice their desire for sex is extremely low, which is currently the only symptom for which exogenous testosterone may be prescribed. Finally, there are the physical effects. These might manifest as increased soreness or longer muscle recovery from training, which evolves into muscle weakness and even loss.
It's important to remember that every woman can experience different symptoms to different degrees. As mentioned, low testosterone in women generally shows up as a loss of enjoyment in life, since testosterone plays a role in regulating many things that make us who we are.
How To Treat Low Testosterone In Females
Luckily, there are many ways for women to raise their testosterone levels.
Many are simple lifestyle changes, while a few supplemental remedies also exist. After you go through these, we encourage you to visit our article that dives into 5 Ways Women Can Naturally Increase Testosterone Levels.
In addition, our comprehensive guide on How to Increase Testosterone has even more information we're certain you'll find helpful.
- Improve Sleep: Inadequate sleep is a significant cause of low testosterone in women. Inadequate sleep can disrupt many physiological systems, including the adrenal glands. As mentioned above, adrenal glands and testosterone production have a close relationship3. The good thing is that it's an easy fix, or it should be. Work to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
- Exercise Regularly: Exercise is perhaps one of the best things we can do to maintain healthy hormone levels. However, this needs to include resistance training. Spending hours and hours doing cardio will only raise cortisol levels. Find a good workout split for women and stick to it!
- Eat Healthy: We all know that eating processed foods and added sugar isn't good for us. It can cause obesity and weight gain, putting us at increased risk for a host of other issues. However, poor diet can also play a role in causing low testosterone in women. Studies have shown that eating diets with processed foods and added sugar4. Therefore, one of the best things you can do to treat low testosterone is simply to eat a healthy diet.
- Increase Zinc: While your body only requires a small amount of zinc, that little bit plays a big role. One of the functions that zinc has is it plays a major part in the production of testosterone. Studies have even shown that women with insufficient zinc levels can have low testosterone and that zinc supplementation can help5. In fact, zinc plays such an important role in increasing T that it even made our list of 8 Best Supplements to Increase Testosterone Naturally.
- Take Ashwagandha & Licorice Root: Both ashwagandha and licorice root have been said to be effective in treating adrenal fatigue and androgen deficiency. Ashwagandha has slightly more scientific evidence and has been shown to improve testosterone levels independently6. You can't go wrong with any of these 7 Best Ashwagandha Supplements.
- Take A Testosterone Booster: You can also explore a testosterone booster. These are simply a supplemental addition to your regime that requires taking them daily.
What Are Testosterone Boosters?
Testosterone boosters are a form of nutritional supplement formulated from various herbs, plants, vitamins, and minerals to boost testosterone levels.
How the testosterone booster works is dependent on its ingredients list, but most test boosters, particularly those including vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium, work to replenish vitamin deficiencies.
And to be clear, testosterone boosters are not testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). TRT is another form of testosterone therapy in which synthetic testosterone is injected. Treating low testosterone in this way requires more medical supervision, so it's important to consult with a doctor.
TRT Clinics can be an awesome option if you're looking for 1-on-1 guidance and a regimen that goes beyond over-the-counter products. And it's now even easier to do this, as we've vetted 8 Online TRT Clinics that will meet with and treat you virtually.
If you're looking for an online TRT clinic recommendation, I highly recommend Fountain TRT, which begins with a free personalized TRT evaluation that consists of a testosterone test and 1-on-1 video call with a Fountain provider to discuss your test results.
Learn more about TRT in our Ultimate Guide to Using TRT For Bodybuilding.
We help men boost their testosterone up to a healthy, normal level using testosterone therapy. With our online doctor’s visits, treatment is a breeze. Start your personalized evaluation...
What Are The Best Testosterone Boosters For Women?
As mentioned, testosterone boosters are supplement blends that increase testosterone levels naturally. Their effectiveness varies depending on the exact supplement, so we want to give you our top two picks.
TestoPrime is one of the top testosterone boosters on the market. It is a multi-ingredient, top-rated supplement formulated with some of the best ingredients, such as ashwagandha.
TestoPrime is an all-natural testosterone support that can help any man take control of his youthful vitality with a flood of new and natural testosterone...
Hunter Test is another great option. We love it because it contains two of the most effective ingredients for testosterone production: ashwagandha and D-aspartic acid.
To learn more about these products along with five other great options, check out our article on the 7 Best Testosterone Booster Supplements.
FAQs
Before we close out, let's answer some of the more frequently asked questions about testosterone levels in women.
What causes low testosterone in females?
Low testosterone in women could result from several things, but here is a quick list of the most common causes: adrenal insufficiency, poor lifestyle habits, excessive cardio, and a poor diet of chronically eating too few calories.
Do women have more testosterone than estrogen?
No. Estrogen is a woman's primary sex hormone.
What are normal testosterone levels in women?
Women's average range for testosterone is 15-70 ng/dL.
What are the side effects of low testosterone in females?
The list of symptoms of testosterone insufficiency in women is huge. That said, the general effects are: loss of muscle tone and strength, lack of sexual desire or function, decrease in mental well-being, and fatigue and low energy levels.
Low Testosterone In Women: A Summary
Low testosterone levels in ladies is rarely talked about, often to the detriment of women. However, now that you understand the symptoms, you can see the impact it can have on your life.
If you have these symptoms but haven't been able to pinpoint the cause, visit a doctor or consult with an online TRT clinic for a proper blood test to check your testosterone levels. And even without a blood test, you can start taking the necessary lifestyle steps to treat low testosterone today.
I promise exercise, sleep, and a healthy diet won't hurt you.
Pairing a testosterone booster with a healthy lifestyle is a great way to increase your T levels. Check out our article on the 7 Best Testosterone Booster Supplements to find your perfect fit. And for those interested in our top T-boosting recommendation, head to our TestoPrime Review for more information on this effective product.
References:
- Olson BR. MON-LB002 Compounded Testosterone Preparations Raise Testosterone Levels to Premenopausal Ranges in Postmenopausal Women With Hypo-Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). Journal of the Endocrine Society. 2020. doi:https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.2008
- Davis, S. R., & Wahlin-Jacobsen, S. (2015). Testosterone in women--the clinical significance. The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00284-3
- Elizabeth Barrett-Connor and others, The Association of Testosterone Levels with Overall Sleep Quality, Sleep Architecture, and Sleep-Disordered Breathing, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 93, Issue 7, 1 July 2008. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2007-2622
- Chen, L., Xie, YM., Pei, JH. et al. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and serum testosterone levels in adult males 20–39 years old in the United States. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-018-0378-2
- Mazaheri Nia, L., Iravani, M., Abedi, P., & Cheraghian, B. (2021). Effect of Zinc on Testosterone Levels and Sexual Function of Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of sex & marital therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2021.1957732
- Kalani, A., Bahtiyar, G., & Sacerdote, A. (2012). Ashwagandha root in the treatment of non-classical adrenal hyperplasia. BMJ case reports, 2012, bcr2012006989. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-006989
Kirsten Yovino
Author