What Is Testosterone?
The hormones testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are essential for women's health. If one of these hormones fails to produce sufficient levels, an imbalance occurs and can affect a person's temperament, memory, body temperature, sex drive, and overall fertility.
Because women often experience hormonal imbalance during menopause, it is recommended to take precautions to minimize some of its symptoms. Supplements are one such option. Keep reading for more information on maintaining good hormonal balance, along with the pros and cons of testosterone supplements.
Who Should Take Testosterone Supplements?
Quick Fact
The most common female users of supplements are women going through menopause, who are suffering from a deficiency of this hormone.
Supplements can alleviate depression, and increase energy levels and sex drive, and restore depleted testosterone levels caused by menopause. This is as part of the natural aging process, as women get older, their testosterone levels fall. Despite this, women still need a certain amount of testosterone in order for their bodies to function properly. Indeed, many women suffer from a low sex drive after menopause - often as a direct result of low testosterone. This can sometimes be successfully treated by the use of testosterone supplements.
Can Testosterone Supplements Really Help?
While drug companies tend to push testosterone inducing drugs and supplements as the best solution, these types of treatment aren't necessarily the best option for everyone. Before making any decision about supplements, it is important to explore healthy lifestyle changes and natural remedies as the primary solution towards the problems associated with testosterone deficiency.
Before supplements can even take effect, it is necessary that the body is supported with everything it needs to maintain stable testosterone (and overall hormonal) levels. This means a good diet and regular exercise routine are crucial. On top of that, the issue of testosterone deficiency can be addressed through the use of alternative medicines, which are in many cases a less costly solution than pharmaceutical supplements. In general the most effective method of dealing with low testosterone tends to be a combination of the healthy lifestyle approach and alternative medicine.
Are There Any Side Effects of Testosterone Supplements?
Any treatment - even the introduction of a natural hormone into the body - has the potential to cause side effects, and supplements are no exception. Even a small dose of incorrectly administered supplements can have side effects on women, including:
- Hoarseness or deepening of the voice
- Facial hair growth
- Shrinking of the breasts
- Acne or oily skin
- Male pattern baldness
It should be noted that supplements taken under proper medical supervision are less likely to produce the range or severity of these symptoms. With that in mind, there are other treatments for women with low testosterone levels, which target the core problem of hormonal imbalance.
