Testosterone for women — and 5 common myths debunked
For decades, testosterone has been labelled a male hormone, while estrogen and progesterone have been given the spotlight when discussing women's health. This distinction has contributed to a significant misunderstanding of female physiology.
Testosterone is not exclusive to men, nor is it an unnecessary hormone in women. In fact, it is an essential part of a woman's hormonal system, influencing everything from sexual health and reproductive function to muscle physiology, bone health and overall physical wellbeing.
Yet many women have spent years experiencing changes in their energy, libido, physical strength and sense of vitality without ever having a meaningful conversation about testosterone. Some are concerned that testosterone therapy will make them masculine, cause facial hair growth or fundamentally change their bodies. Others simply have no idea that testosterone plays such an important role in their health.
What exactly is testosterone?
Testosterone is a hormone belonging to a group of hormones called androgens. Although it is commonly associated with male development, women naturally produce testosterone throughout their lives, albeit in considerably smaller quantities than men.
In women, testosterone is produced primarily by the ovaries and adrenal glands, with additional contributions from the conversion of other steroid hormones in peripheral tissues.
Testosterone also serves as a precursor to other important hormones. Through an enzyme called aromatase, some testosterone is converted into estradiol, one of the primary forms of estrogen. It can also be converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a more potent androgen, through an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.
This means testosterone is not operating in isolation. It is part of an interconnected hormonal network in which different hormones are continually being converted, regulated and used by the body.
And while women produce less testosterone than men, having lower concentrations does not make it any less important.
How testosterone works in the female body
Testosterone interacts with androgen receptors found throughout the body. These receptors are present in numerous tissues, including the brain, muscles, bones, reproductive organs and skin. When testosterone binds to these receptors, it influences cellular activity and helps regulate various physiological processes.
Here are some of the areas where testosterone plays an important role.
1. Sexual desire and intimacy
One of testosterone's best-established roles in women is its contribution to sexual desire. It influences the neurological pathways involved in sexual motivation, arousal and responsiveness.
For some women, particularly after menopause, declining sexual desire can become distressing and affect intimate relationships. Research has demonstrated that appropriately prescribed testosterone therapy can improve sexual desire and related aspects of sexual function in postmenopausal women diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
2. Muscle maintenance and physical strength
Testosterone participates in the regulation of muscle protein metabolism and muscle tissue physiology. It is involved in the processes that support muscle maintenance, although the relationship between testosterone levels and measurable improvements in muscle strength is more complicated than commonly advertised.
Maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important as women age, particularly during and after menopause, when changes in body composition and physical capacity may become more noticeable.
Testosterone is one part of this picture, alongside adequate protein intake, resistance training, other hormones and overall metabolic health.
3. Bone health
Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Hormones help regulate this process, and testosterone contributes to skeletal physiology both directly and through its conversion into estrogen.
This is particularly relevant because estrogen and testosterone work together in maintaining healthy bone metabolism.
4. Brain function and cognitive health
Androgen receptors are present in the brain, and testosterone is involved in neurological signalling. Researchers continue to investigate its influence on motivation, mood, cognition and other aspects of brain function.
Women sometimes describe feeling less motivated, mentally sharp or physically energetic during hormonal transitions.
5. Reproductive and hormonal function
Testosterone is part of the broader hormonal environment involved in female reproductive physiology. Its relationship with estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) helps illustrate why the endocrine system must be understood as an interconnected network rather than a collection of isolated hormones.
The balance and interaction between these hormones matter throughout a woman's reproductive years and beyond.
Common myths about testosterone in women
Perhaps the biggest obstacle preventing women from understanding testosterone is the collection of misconceptions surrounding it. Let's address some of the most common ones:
Myth #1: Testosterone is a male hormone.
Testosterone is produced naturally by both men and women. It is essential to normal female physiology, and the fact that women produce smaller quantities does not diminish its importance.
Myth #2: Taking testosterone will make women grow a beard.
This is probably one of the most common concerns, and it deserves some clarification.
Testosterone does influence hair follicles, but the effects depend on the amount of testosterone, individual sensitivity to androgens, genetics and the conversion of testosterone into DHT.
Excessive testosterone exposure, on the other hand, “could” produce unwanted androgenic effects, including more pronounced facial hair growth, acne and scalp hair thinning, but this is why at Ezra Healing we love the use of testosterone peptides: they are gentle, they are minimally used, and very controlled.
Myth #3: Testosterone will make women bulky or overly muscular.
Testosterone is involved in muscle development, but physiological female testosterone levels do not automatically translate into substantial muscle growth.
Myth #4: Testosterone causes aggression and mood swings.
Testosterone is involved in brain signalling, but the idea that it automatically causes aggression is an oversimplification.
The relationship between hormones, mood and behaviour is influenced by numerous factors. There is no convincing clinical evidence that appropriately dosed physiological testosterone therapy routinely causes aggression in women.
Myth #5: Women only need estrogen and progesterone.
This is perhaps the most significant misconception of all. Female hormonal health involves a much broader network of hormones, including testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid hormones, insulin and others.
Focusing exclusively on estrogen and progesterone overlooks the important contribution of androgens to female physiology.
How do peptides fit into the conversation?
While testosterone is a steroid hormone, peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as biological messengers. They help cells communicate and participate in an extraordinary range of physiological processes, including hormone regulation, immune signalling, tissue repair and metabolic activity.
Think of hormones as important chemical messengers and peptides as another layer of the body's communication system. Some peptides interact with receptors that influence the release of hormones, while others act on entirely different biological pathways.
Certain peptides can influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is the central communication network involved in reproductive hormone regulation.
For example, kisspeptin is a naturally occurring peptide that plays an important role in reproductive endocrinology. It acts on receptors in the hypothalamus and stimulates the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH then signals the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which help regulate ovarian function.
This illustrates how peptide signalling can influence the hormones involved in female reproductive health.
The effects of peptides depends on the specific molecule, dose, administration route and individual health circumstances. If you have questions about their use, please contact us for further information.
Taking a more informed approach to women's hormonal health
Women should not have to accept declining quality of life as an inevitable consequence of getting older, nor should they have to navigate hormonal changes without understanding what is happening inside their bodies.
Testosterone deserves a place in the conversation about women's health, just as estrogen and progesterone do. Understanding its role allows women to ask better questions, recognize that symptoms can have multiple underlying causes and explore appropriate options with qualified healthcare professionals.
It is equally important to recognize that hormone levels cannot be assessed in isolation. Sleep, nutrition, stress, metabolic health, thyroid function, physical activity and underlying medical conditions can all influence how a woman feels and functions.
At Ezra Healing, we believe that understanding your body is an important part of taking an active role in your health. Women deserve access to meaningful information, thoughtful conversations and individualized guidance rather than outdated assumptions about what their bodies should or should not need.
Your hormones are not simply about reproduction. They are part of the intricate biological system that supports your health throughout your life. And testosterone is very much part of that picture.
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