Let's Talk Testosterone

A few women have asked about the use of Testosterone to balance our hormones.

Here is the low down on Testosterone from the scientific to the human levels.

No one in the medical community talked about testosterone in women until Susan Rako, MD wrote The Hormone of Desire in 1996. In her book, Dr. Rako linked decreased sexual desire as it occurs around menopause, to decreasing levels of testosterone in the blood stream.

In 1996, this was big news. The medical community didn’t even think women had any testosterone in their bloodstream, let alone the fact that sex drive may be connected to testosterone levels. Keep in mind, too many people still think testosterone is the male hormone and everything testosterone is male. So when you think of taking testosterone you are conditioned to worry your voice will get lower and your chin will sprouting a beard. Not quite.

For all the women who want to know the facts and want to try to use testosterone to feel great and stay young without placing themselves into danger, here are the facts as they stand today February 9, 2005:

• Testosterone is the third sex hormone: estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. They are all made from cholesterol and they all exist in both women and men. The difference is the amounts of hormones made by the body. Women have more estrogen and progesterone, men have more testosterone.

• Testosterone is responsible for muscle mass development, sex drive, outlook (positive), drive and aggression (positive and negative). It has the same effect in both men and women. Remember, it only changes due to amounts made by the body.

• Testosterone is made in the ovaries and adrenal glands in women and the testicles and adrenal glands in men. (Look at your fixed dog to prove the point. After the testicles are removed, the dog still has a sex drive. Where is the testosterone coming from? The adrenal glands)

• When we get older (not that any of us do), as our thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and basically everything else decreases, so does our testosterone. As testosterone production decreases, our sex drive, muscle building capacity, outlook, drive, etc. also decrease. You don’t have to be a woman to figure this out. Look at your hubby on the couch growing a beer belly and giving up on making plans to change the world.

• Testosterone is safe and helpful to you if you want to keep your libido going and you don’t want the skin to sag too badly too soon.

• Testosterone supplementation works best in cream, gels, spray and intramuscular injection forms. It does not work in tablet form. The stomach destroys the testosterone and the body does not get what it needs via the tablet form. Injections are painful and thus not highly recommended. Patches are usually made of synthetic testosterone and their absorption is unpredictable and often causes rashes.

• Do not use synthetic preparations of testosterone. You can get natural/bioidentical testosterone from compounding pharmacies. Your doctor can write the prescription for you. Bioidentical testosterone is made from soy and yam oils just like bioidentical estradiol and micronized progesterone. Pharmaceutical processes of concentration and purification transform the oils into testosterone powder which is mixed into transdermal creams. It gets properly absorbed and it’s easy to apply

• I prefer my patients use the clitoris and the area outside the vagina for application. The location serves us well for two reasons: there are lots of cellular receptors in the area for testosterone and the application stimulates the area and makes us want to have sex.

• We do not grow whiskers or lower our voice timber when we use the testosterone wisely.

While testosterone may not be the only hormone of desire (you need to find the guy or gal sexy and you may also need to have a lot less stress in your life), it is a good start. Please do not hesitate to ask me more about it. (Comments are open so please join in!)

Comments

[Doug Locke]

I have been using testosterone Cypionate sucessfully for weight training. I have injected my wife with 1/2 ML once per month.

She feels like she wants a higher dose. She is on 2.5 Pro-fem[life extension] progesterone cream, but has not had a baseline blood test.

She loves the feeling she gets from the testosterone.

Is it safe to keep giving her these shots?

Doug

[teresa]

I had estrogen induced breast cancer 11 years ago. I have difficulties with orgasms at the age of 51 and I was wondering what would be safe for me to try considering my cancer history. Can you apply testosterone cream to your vagina area before intercourse instead of taking it every day. Please help! What would help my situation?

[Pam]

Dr. Erika,

In addition to my previous email about early period - today I started one yet again - my usual time for the month. This is the first time in my life I have had an extra period. I always have a regular cycle. Yes, I know. I just turned 49. But I thought that came with missed periods, not extra ones! Thanks again.

[Pam]

Dear Dr. Erika,

Recently I had a hormone panel done and the test came back high estrogen, high testosterone, and somewhat low progesterone. As I wish to lower/balance the estrogen (symptoms of swelling, PMS, etc.), I concluded that I needed to balance the estrogen by using a bioidentical progesterone cream. However, after just one week of use my period started. It was a week early. Why? I started once a day on day 14 of my cycle. Thanks! Oh, I'm 49 and apparently my hormone panel is the envy of women my age. Hmm.
Pam

[DrErika]

Dear MGB:
As much as I'd like to make it clearer, I am afraid the story is too confusing fo rme too.
The information you are giving me is not complete and it sounds like the docs you are working with are not necessarily up to date on what natural hormones are all about. The best piece of advice I have for you is to get the results of your bloods, send them to me and sing up for a telephone consultation on the www.drerika.com site and we will sort it out and get your life and hormones in balance.
Best
DrErika

[linda]

Hi,

I had a total historectomy. And I'm on vivelle dot 0.1 mg patch and take medroxyprogesterone 2.5mg tab daily they also mixed up testosterone 1% in vasaline. I called the pharmacy and its not soy its a oil base mixed in the vasaline. My Dr. said rub on wrist. Well so far not working. And going through a divorce due to the fact i don't want sex and other reasons. I feel lost @ times. I also take effexor 75mg a day. I was on nothing @ all after the surg. Its been 4 yrs and i felt like i was losing my mind. So i made a appt to see a Dr. and they drew blood. So I called them a few days later and the nurse said everything is out of wack. You need to come back in 2 wks. So I guess he might change what he put me on. Or mabe I need to wait till then. I feel better but still tired a lot. So can you help me understand? You sound like you make it easier to understand. Thanks, M/G/B/YOU!

[mendycrab]

my mother was taking diethylstilbestrol while carrying me I have low testosterone; Iget a depo injection every 3 weeks . Could this be the reason for low testosterone?

[aj]

I am a body builder and I am currently using hgh with testerone I/M. My wife has also started hgh and is interested in testerone therapy as well. If it is done intermuscular what would be the safe dosage.

Any help would be appreciated

thanks,
AJ

[DrErika]

Dear Lyne:
Thank you for spending the time to read the information on the site. It is meant to help women become better versed in their own hormonal balances, the realities of what is out there: mostly reckless marketing with no concern for us, just money.
I am here to protect and inform as many of us as possible. Please join me in my quest to make healthcare better and safer for all of us!
Thank you
DrErika

[lyne]

dr. erika-

Have been on your site all morning and just finished reading your notes and I believe I may have found someone who thinks like me...I am a personal trainer and yoga instructor who had a hysterectomy 10 days
ago and who lost her mom and grandmother to breast cancer. HRT has never been an answer for me even -I do not now and have never put prescription meds into my body except for rare occasions. I find my client base totally confused as to their physical and emotional state of being. There is so much information out there and too difficult to cut through the muck. I am on my way to the bookstore to check out your books. I think I may have the answer in you.
Keep up the good work.
Lyne

[sherrill]

I have been taking a small dose of bioidentical testerone (2%) in vaseline and find it is working very well for me. However, my rosacea, which had not been very active, has flared up. My gynaecologist told me that with a too high dose acne could occur but I wasn't sure about the rosacea. What do you think?

[Sandy Hull-Terry]

A MD I have found who specializes in natural therapy for hormonal and sexual problems prescribed EstraSorb in lotion form for me to put on my legs. She also prescribed Testost Mini 2mg TRO for me, which look like red candy, and has me put one under my tongue for five minutes each day and then rinse my mouth out so I will not swallow any. She does not prescribe any progestrone for a woman who does not have her uterus because "it is excessive." I can only get these two prescriptions at a pharmacy which compounds. Are these prescriptions something new, and do you think this combination is adequate? I am surprised to learn how many different bioidential hormone forms exist for estrogen and testosterone. Also, what do you think of Prometrium, which is bioidentical progesterone in the pharmacutical form of a round tablet you digest?

[kim]

Hi TJ, I get my hormone cream by utilizing Dr. Erika by e mail and phone. We talk every few months and she gives me a prescription which is mailed to me from a pharmacy she uses in Conn. I keep my other DR's informed of what I am taking. The bioidentical hormone cream has been an absolute god send for me. I now have very few hot flashes, am sleeping thru the night, my skin is better, my sex drive is back and I think my brain is working better too.

I live in Washington DC and could only find one Dr. She is so busy I couldn't get an appt to see her! I don't if insurance will pay. I am self pay and it is worth every penny - my husband agrees.

Good luck!

[DD]

Dr. Erika, my experience is the same as tj's. My doctor actually scolded me for asking. Why are our doctors dragging their feet? Are they afraid of something I am not aware of? I wonder. I have searched the internet to find a doctor in my area who might be willing to answer my questions about the possible use of biodentical hormones and I come up dry. I have really been investing alot of time educating myself,cleaning up my diet and exercising for optimum health. To the best of my knowledge I am doing everything I can to have a healthy lifestyle and I believe I may need the help of biodentical hormones. I have been agressive in trying to find a doctor who will be receptive to my questions and treatment I would like. How do I find this doctor? I would deeply appreciate any information you could share with us. I am willing to put all the effort in, I just need a point in the right direction.

[tj]

how do you get the testerone? My family doctors wont deal with it. Just take premearn" The want nothing to do with the biodentical

[deirdre]

Thanks. I see you are a fan of EmergenC. The man who produces that product said that many men in jail lack certain amino acids that his fizzy vitamin C has.

[DrErika]

Deirdre:
It may be a bit extreme but it is not so esoteric. Everything matters and hormones are a very important ingredient in our balance and physical and psychological make-up.
Keep thinking, yu are doing well!

[deirdre]

I wonder about our criminal system - is it possible that some crimes are due to an imblance of hormones? I know this is a bit esoteric, but it just got me thinking....