Testosterone is not just a male hormone. It is vital to women’s health as well. While it both puzzling and frustrating to see that in 2025 there is still no FDA approval for female testosterone, this has not deterred those of us who utilize bioidentical hormone optimization in our functional medicine practices. We long ago learned just how critical testosterone is to women’s health, and we have been prescribing it to women in compounded bioidentical form for years.
The clinical outcomes speak for themselves.
Here’s a short list of the benefits testosterone optimization provides women, particularly during the peri and post menopause years, when levels decline steeply:
-increased energy and vitality
-improved libido
-more intense and satisfying orgasms
-better response to strength training, including increased lean muscle mass
-better response to healthy eating, including reduced internal and external body fat
-stronger bones
-reduction in insulin resistance
-reduction in peri and post -menopausal “brain fog”
-faster recovery from strenuous exercise
-reduction in systemic inflammation and chronic pain
-reduction in signs/symptoms of fatigue, including associated depression
-healthier skin and stronger connective tissue
Every day, those of us practicing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) see these remarkable responses in the women we treat. We ask them to share their success stories with their friends, their families, and their doctors. Millions of women with suboptimal testosterone levels are, at this very moment, struggling needlessly. They’re not living their best lives. We’d like to help change this.
Testosterone therapy in women: Myths and misconceptions (Maturitas volume 74, issue 3, March 2013, pages 230-234), available online, is a great resource. It tackles “The Top Ten” female testosterone untruths that, even today, widely circulate. Though the piece is twelve years old, it remains as relevant today as when first published. We keep printed copies of the article in our office. Stop by if you’d like one. It will help you advocate for yourself.
Testosterone optimization is just one part of what we do to help women thrive. If you are in your peri and post- menopausal years and find yourself struggling, you are not alone. We are here to help.