Women’s Testosterone Levels Rise Even When They Just Act Like They Have Power U-M LSA Department of Psychology Links Between Testosterone Levels and Depression in Women Promises Behavioral Health My mission is to help women achieve healthy natural menstrual cycles without the use of hormonal birth control. These findings support our hypothesis that total testosterone isn’t a direct determinant of muscle strength and performance in females. But let’s look at what happens when testosterone can’t perform its job in the muscle. Notably, Professor Jerilynn Prior’s lab has just completed a clinical trial of cyclic progesterone therapy for PCOS. It’s important to acknowledge that past a certain threshold, testosterone may have a different effect on female muscle physiology. Elevated DHEAS suggests an adrenal source and an elevated 17-hydroxyprogesterone level suggests congenital adrenal hyperplasia. If there are symptoms or signs to suggest hyperandrogenism, baseline laboratory investigations may be useful to identify the exact cause. Women with low testosterone (low T) may experience decreased libido and persistent fatigue. [1] For athletes in particular, muscle weakness is another frequent complaint. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. In general, however, adult men may not notice symptoms of too much testosterone. Women with high testosterone develop many noticeable symptoms and signs such as unusual hair growth, obesity, hoarseness, and menstrual irregularities. On physical examination, body mass index, blood pressure, and signs of hyperandrogenism, such as acne and hirsutism, should be evaluated. It also is useful to assess for signs of insulin resistance, such as hypertension, obesity, centripetal fat distribution, skin tags, and acanthosis nigricans. Modified Ferriman–Gallwey Figure 2 scoring evaluates nine areas of the body; a score greater than 8 is indicative of hirsutism 3. Additionally, laser hair removal or electrolysis can help with long-term hair removal. Furthermore, Kodaman says lifestyle modifications like eating a healthy diet, exercising, and losing weight (if necessary) can help, too. High T levels can be an issue for both people with penises and people with vulvas. You may decide to shave or bleach any unwanted hair or use a facial cleanser for acne to help reduce breakouts. Together with the female sex hormone estrogen, testosterone plays a role in the growth and maintenance of female reproductive tissue and bone mass. Elevated testosterone levels in women are caused by underlying health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Treating high testosterone largely depends on the underlying condition causing it and may require lifelong attention. So while you don’t want to deal with too little testosterone, you also don’t want too much of it either. Read on to learn about the causes and symptoms of high testosterone in women, and, most importantly, how to treat it. GnRH agonists therefore induce hypoestrogenism, resulting in bone loss and hot flashes.112 Its use should be reserved for the rare cases of virilization that are not amenable to other therapies. If negative, measurement of prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and an early morning 17-hydroxyprogesterone (7-9 AM)