People assigned female at birth need testosterone to make the female hormone estradiol.
It is also essential for maintaining healthy bones and muscles and making new red blood cells.
In women, testosterone is produced in theovaries,adrenal glands, and fat cells.
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The adrenal glands are organs on top of both kidneys that produce hormones.
Testosterone levels in women are usually highest in the morning and fall throughout the day.
Thehypothalamusand the pituitary gland control these levels.
The female body converts most testosterone to the female hormone estradiol.
The same goes forestrogen, a female hormone that is also produced in male bodies.
A mans estradiol levels vary widely; the normal male range is 28.0 to 156.0 pmol/L.
What Do Low Female Testosterone Levels Mean?
Female testosterone levels usually begin to rise in girls between 6 and 8.
When girls have their first period (menarche), the ovaries produce testosterone cyclically.
This means the levels change throughout the month based on ones menstrual cycle.
In women, testosterone levels peak mid-cycle and stay high during theluteal phase(last stage).
What Do High Female Testosterone Levels Mean?
Testosterone is anandrogenhormone that stimulates the development of male characteristics.
That means that women with a high testosterone level often experience physical changes associated with the male body.
A normal testosterone range in women is 15 to 46 ng/dL during the reproductive years.
Any value above 46 ng/dL is considered high.
Other possible causes of high testosterone include adrenal or pituitary gland disorders andovarian cancer.
In rare cases, benign ovarian tumors may also cause high testosterone.
Blood tests for testosterone include:
Balancing Female Testosterone
It is possible to balance your testosterone levels.
The treatment plan will depend on your hormone levels, the underlying cause, and overall health.
How to Raise Testosterone Levels
Low hormone levels are treated withhormone therapy (HT).
However, testosterone treatment in women is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
One study found that taking testosterone may improve muscle strength and cognitive performance inpostmenopausalwomen.
However, taking testosterone may also increase the risk of heart disease.
Women with low testosterone levels may benefit from hormone therapy but should discuss the risks with their healthcare providers.
A common cause of high testosterone in women is PCOS.
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