Low Libido? Testosterone is not just for men

Do you suffer from fatigue, mood changes, weight gain, and low libido? Millions of women suffer from hormonal imbalance and are often misdiagnosed as anxiety or depression. Interestingly, low libido is one of the most common complaints in women of all ages. Yes, young women in their 30’s can suffer from low libido too. Low libido affects about 40% of women, according to the American Medical Association; however, there is no FDA approved treatment for low libido in women (but not men). But not to worry, help is available!

Although doctors have known that women produce testosterone, most mainstream physicians have believed that hormones like testosterone are not important for women. Only levels of the “female” hormones, progesterone and estrogen, were thought to have any significant bearing on a woman’s health and well being. Over the last decade, however, more and more evidence has been brought forth suggesting that testosterone is a very important hormone for women, especially in terms of staying fit, lean, and sexually active.

Testosterone is a crucial hormone often overlooked in women. Although testosterone is traditionally thought of as a male hormone, women make testosterone too, just in much smaller quantities, about 1/10th the amount. Women make testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands. So if you are a woman who has had her ovaries removed and/or undergoing chronic stress in your life, it is no wonder that fatigue and low libido go hand in hand. That is why in women, it is critical to include testosterone into the balance of any type of hormone regiment when needed.

Not only can testosterone bring back libido, it also protects against the most common chronic health issues that women face, such as:
  • Relieving symptoms of menopause.
  • Enhancing mental clarity and focus.
  • Reducing anxiety, balancing mood and relieving depression combined with fatigue.
  • Increasing bone density, decreasing body fat and cellulite, and increasing lean muscle mass.
  • Offering protection against heart disease and diabetes type 2, by increasing blood flow and dilating blood vessels, and decreasing insulin resistance.
As with any substance, testosterone, when abused, can cause harmful side effects. However, testosterone has been used beneficially by men and women for over 40 years with minimal side effects. Some women believe that testosterone therapy will produce "masculinizing" traits, like hoarseness and aggression. While the hormone may sometimes cause inappropriate hair growth and acne, those side effects can be remedied by lowering the dose and reducing specific enzyme conversions. 

When used in conjunction and balance with bio-identical estrogen and progesterone, testosterone is a safe and effective treatment option, even in women with breast cancer. Many women have a knee-jerk suspicion that any hormone treatment can increase their risk of breast cancer. However, clinical studies show that bio-identical testosterone not only does not increase a woman's risk of breast cancer, it may play a key role in warding off the disease.

Hormones can be difficult to test via blood because they cycle up and down throughout the month and even throughout the day.  Some holistic doctors test using blood or saliva. I find that the best way to test is via 24 hr urine testing so you can catch the whole daily cycle of hormones. Interestingly, for women of Asian decent, urinary hormones are not accurate for testosterone, so a blood levels of testosterone is necessary. The key is to be informed. Ask your doctor if they have special training in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.  If not, you may be missing out on a very important tool to increase your quality of life, decrease risk of chronic disease, and help you regain your zest for life.


Author: Dr. Sonja Fung, ND

Dr. Sonja Fung, ND is a primary care, naturopathic doctor utilizing bio-identical hormone treatments at Live Well Clinic (behind Cost Plus and Office Depot in La Quinta). 

Live Happy, Live Well.
www.livewellclinic.org.  78900 Avenue 47 Suite 102 La Quinta, CA. 760-771-5970

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Food Addiction, Food Allergy and Overweight

By: Sephen Levine, Ph. D. Have you ever eaten something - a bowl of ice cream, a piece of cheese, an orange - and felt hungrier than before? Do you have urges for a particular food and find it hard to satisfy your craving unless you eat that particular food? If the answer is "yes" to either of these questions, then you have a food allergy. If you are also fat, then chances are your food allergy is making you fat. Food sensitivities may cause allergic people to crave those foods to which they are allergic. Just as a drug addict suffers withdrawal symptoms when the drug is withdrawn, allergic people experience discomfort when they lose access to a particular food. Obese people can testify to the overwhelming power of food allergy addiction. Compulsive eaters crave and continue to eat those allergenic foods to which they are addicted day after day. The obese person has no idea that his daily food cravings or eating habits are based on a physiological need to stop withdrawal symp
Read more

IV’s- Not Just for Dehydration

Image
By: Dr. Sonja Fung In the desert, we should always be cognizant of our hydration status, especially in the summer months. We are more prone to overheating and dehydration, sometimes to the point of needing IV (intravenous) hydration. We are all familiar with IV therapy in hospital settings, where drugs and other substances are administered during surgery or in emergency situations. But that’s not what I’m talking about today. The IV therapy I’m describing is like hydration with a boost! IV nutritional therapy is a highly concentrated infusion of vitamins, minerals, and other natural substances delivered directly into your cells to support optimal health and correct any nutrient deficiencies. IV administration of nutrients can achieve blood levels not attainable with oral routes, as digestion and absorption are not an issue. For example, high doses of Vitamin C have been shown to boost your immune system to help fight off a cold or flu. Doses as high as 15 grams of vitamin C are e
Read more

NAD: New Powerhouse in Cellular Repair and Anti-aging

Image
Why do we age? Your body is made up of about 10 trillion cells that form our tissue, organs, blood, etc. Each cell has an essential part called mitochondria which makes energy for the cell to use and a nucleus containing DNA to indicate how the cell should function. As our cells die or replicate, we lose a little bit of our telomeres (DNA length) each time. Telomere length represents our biological age as opposed to our chronological age. The more our DNA repairs by replication, the shorter the lifespan of the cell. As we age, oxidative stress from toxin exposures from the environment, smoking, what we eat and drink, and life stressors in general, can damage our DNA even faster, causing us to age faster, not counting our genetic health predispositions. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is one of the most important molecules involved in aging. It is used in every cell of your body and has been shown to decrease with age. NAD has multiple functions, but the top three anti
Read more