Understanding Hormone Testing and Replacement for Women with Dr Deborah Matthew

How to Interpret Your Estradiol Blood Test Results

This is why a lot of healthcare practitioners, a lot of doctors will refuse to measure hormone levels because in their mind, first of all, they weren’t taught to do it so it’s not like a normal thing to dout . Bin their mind, they’re thinking, Well, you’re here today on a random Tuesday afternoon in my office, but I can order your hormone levels today, but they’re just going to be different next week. Although the role of testosterone in women is not as well understood as it is in men, the hormone is known to affect ovarian function, bone strength, and is believed to contribute to sexual desire (libido).

Maintaining hormonal balance, including adequate testosterone levels, optimizes physical performance, improves muscle strength, and promotes overall health and vitality13. Low free testosterone levels in females can lead to symptoms such as decreased libido, fatigue, mood changes, weight gain, and muscle weakness. It may also have an impact on bone health and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Typically, adult males have a testosterone concentration between 265 and 923 nanograms per deciliter in their blood, whereas adult females have considerably lower levels. Testosterone levels can vary widely between individuals and throughout a person’s life. Generally, males have substantially higher testosterone levels than females. Testosterone, an androgen hormone, is essential for both males and females. While commonly recognized as a primary male sex hormone, females also require certain levels of testosterone. In females, a significant portion of testosterone converts into the sex hormone estradiol.

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They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.

They can perform a blood test to determine your hormone levels and can help develop a treatment plan if necessary. Treatment options may include hormone replacement therapy or lifestyle changes to help improve testosterone levels. In conclusion, several factors can affect testosterone levels in women, including age, hormonal imbalances, medications, lifestyle factors, and stress. Understanding these factors and their impact on testosterone levels can help women navigate their health and well-being effectively. It is always advisable to seek professional medical advice if there are concerns about testosterone levels to ensure proper evaluation and personalized recommendations. While many scientific studies and huge amounts of data show the safety of supplemental testosterone in postmenopausal women, only about 50% of women who take it experience a significant increase in sex drive. That’s because while testosterone plays a big role in pumping up sexual desire, it is far from the only thing that drives libido, which means that if yours is lacking, low testosterone may not be your issue.

And your levels may be low immediately after childbirth and during breastfeeding. As they travel through your body, they control many bodily functions, such as growth, metabolism, reproduction, and mood. If symptoms are severe, talk to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It’s important to find what’s right for you based on your health history. Poor sleep and chronic stress affect your hormone production, so prioritize getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep and managing your stress. Common signs of low estrogen include hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, dry skin, and irregular or missed periods. In the long term, low estradiol can affect bone strength and heart health.

These are synthetic or bioidentical forms of the hormone and can be taken orally, topically, or injected. A healthcare provider prescribes and monitors HRT to ensure efficacy and safety. Apart from blood and saliva testing, free testosterone levels can also be measured using urine tests. Urine testing is another non-invasive method that involves collecting a urine sample from the individual. Urine testing measures the metabolites of testosterone, which can give an indication of the levels of free testosterone.

One concern with oral testosterone therapy in men is increased risk of blood clots, which does not appear to be as how much is testosterone replacement of a risk with skin application and is a theoretical risk in women. This is further complicated because laboratory tests are not sensitive enough to measure low testosterone levels in women. The lab results cannot reliably help clinicians differentiate low levels from very low levels in women.