Myths About Dangers Of Testosterone For Women

Testosterone is considered an exclusively male hormone, but it is also present in the female body - moreover, it performs the same functions as in men, with some exceptions. Libido, muscle mass and strength, mood, cardiovascular health, bone strength, cognitive abilities - the role of testosterone is difficult to overestimate. 

However, stereotypes and marketing have led to the emergence of a large number of misconceptions about the dangers of this hormone for women's health. How testosterone affects women's health - said the chief physician of the medical company "LabQuest" + "Q-Clinic", obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Palkina.

It is believed that testosterone makes women masculine. This opinion is refuted by biology - representatives of the fair sex also produce this hormone, albeit in much smaller quantities than men. A certain effect can indeed appear with an excess of testosterone - most often, intensive hair growth begins on the face, arms and chest. 

In addition to masculinity, testosterone is often associated with increased levels of aggression. In fact, research shows that aggression and hostility have more to do with estrogen and a complex set of social factors. But there is some truth in this opinion - testosterone can be converted into estradiol, which also belongs to the group of estrogens.

Some stereotypes link testosterone to heart health. At first glance, this is logical - it is men who more often suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the beneficial effect of testosterone on muscles does not bypass the heart - in reality, the hormone strengthens it, stimulates glucose metabolism and dilates blood vessels.

Another popular misconception is that testosterone increases the risk of breast cancer. But studies in primates and humans suggest the opposite - the hormone had a positive effect, reducing the proliferation of cancer cells and protecting breast tissue from excessive estrogen stimulation.

In the female body, testosterone is produced by the adrenal glands and very little by the ovaries. Normally its concentration is very low. In small quantities and in a normal ratio with other sex hormones, testosterone has a really good effect on the female body - as mentioned above.

Increased testosterone concentrations can cause menstrual irregularities and infertility. An increase in the amount of testosterone in the blood can occur due to a tumor of the ovaries or adrenal glands, which produce this hormone, as well as due to polycystic ovary syndrome - an increase in the size of the ovaries and the formation of a large number of cysts in them.

Not only the absolute amount of testosterone is important, but also its ratio with other hormones. To do this, it is recommended to take a hormonal profile, the main indicators of which include FSH, LG, prolactin, estradiol, testosterone and DHEA sulfate.

It is advisable to do this on the 2-3rd day of the menstrual cycle, and also, on the recommendation of a doctor, take a blood test for sex hormones again in the same menstrual cycle in the 2nd phase of the cycle, on the 19-21st day of the cycle. In particular, a test for progesterone and a repeat test for estradiol.

- Pravda.ru