Myths 3 & 4: Low s3x drive đ & testosterone in women
This is part 3 in a series on hormone myths. You can find part 1 here and part 2 here.
If once upon a time, you had a strong, fiery libidoâŠ
But now youâd rather just Netflix and chillâŠ
Youâre not alone.
This isnât something most people talk about, but estimates are that about half of women in midlife struggle with low libido.
And it can make us feel utterly broken.
I can relate.
The next myth in our series really makes me FUME because itâs one of the hardest for women psychologicallyâŠ
(Stick with me til the end - Iâm gonna offer some yummy, s3xy resources that could help you.)
Myth #3: Your low / non-existent s3x drive is a psychological problem.
Ok, trulyâŠ.WTF?! đĄđĄđĄ
How incredibly misguided!
Yes, libido is complex and the olâ grey matter plays a big role, ANDâŠ
Thereâs so much more to it for peri/menopausal women!
But unfortunately, the advice from doctors / therapists is often centered entirely around our psychology about s3x and/or the health of the relationship weâre in (whether with our partner or ourselves)âŠ
And/or some Freudian BS about our mother/father dynamic. đ€ą
Did these Drs / therapists somehow forget that arousal is as much a biological, hormonal process as it is a mental state?
Of course it makes sense that if your partner doesnât interest you or treat you well (heaven forbid), that you wouldnât want to jump their bones...
But what about the millions of us who are in wonderful, loving, committed, healthy relationships with partners whom we find attractive and really WANT to desire??
For some of us, itâs not âall in our heads.â
When your brain is on board, but your body says âmehâ, we have to think about hormonesâŠespecially after 40.
On a biological level, your s3x drive relies on the very same hormones that start to decline in your late 20s.
Yes, you read that right:
Our âandrogensâ (hormones including testosterone and DHEA) start falling before we even hit 30âŠ
And they are SUPER important for libido (among other things).
Estrogen also plays a key role, so its decline in peri doesn't help either!
This leads me toâŠ
Myth #4: Testosterone is a male hormone
Women actually produce 4x more testosterone than estrogen!
T is hugely important for s3x drive, and often a key factor in loss of libido in both women and men.
Now, I donât want to give you the impression that testosterone is a magic bullet for libido, but it can often be the missing ingredient when all other bases are covered.
Not only that, but T plays MANY other crucial roles in our bodies:
Itâs also important for our mood, energy, motivation / confidence (sometimes described as âswaggerâ), cognition, bone health, skin health and our ability to build and keep muscle (and keep fat off).
I mean, we hear ALL THE TIME about âlow T is a huge problem for menâ, but hello?! Itâs also a HUGE problem for women!
Symptoms of low T in women
Low sex drive
Lack of energy / feeling tired.
Loss of strength and muscle tone.
Infertility or trouble conceiving.
Irregular menstrual cycle.
Vaginal dryness
Depression or anxiety
Thinning hair
Dry, brittle skin
Trouble sleeping
NOTE: Many of these symptoms relate to low levels of other hormones as well, so itâs important to test your T levels (and other hormones) before jumping to any conclusions. Have your Dr test both Free and total T, plus SHBG.
What causes low testosterone in women?
Getting older is one of the largest causes of low testosterone. Itâs natural. By the time we reach menopause, their testosterone levels may have decreased by half of what they once were.
People whoâve had their ovaries removed (oophorectomy) will also have low testosterone levels because their ovaries are responsible for about half of all testosterone production.
There are other causes as well, including not eating enough / malnutrition, overexercising, too much stress, obesity, high blood sugar and certain medications, including oral estrogen(!), progestins (non-bioidential progesterone), anti-depressants and corticosteroids. Genetics can play a role as well.
What to do about low testosterone?
Well, there are a few things that can help boost your production naturally (stay tuned for the next article!), but ultimately, even if you do all of these things, the body just stops responding as we ageâŠbecause it just canât make it any more.
So then it becomes a question of hormone replacement.
The tragic reality around T replacement for women is that the almighty powers that be (medical regulatory) do not deem it important or necessarily for women (!!) and so most doctors canât or wonât prescribe it.
GPs and naturopaths actually arenât allowed to. (Some might, but off-label use can be risky business for them.)
Argh. Another systemic fail for womenâs health. đ©
BUT, you CAN get it if you can afford the fees of a functional medicine provider, and that is certainly worth investing in if you have low T and want to give it a try.
It can be absolutely life-changing for many women and is very protective against the effects of aging, like all bioidenticals.
Times are changing, but itâll probably be a whileâŠ
Helpful resources
If this topic grabs you, please tune into the work of the fabulous Dr Kelly Casperson! A true âs3xpert.â
She is on a mission to empower women around s3x and s3xualityâŠespecially women in peri/menopause! WOOHOO! đđŒ
She has her own podcast (itâs awesome), book, course and more.
If you want to hear more on the topic of libido and T, youâll probably like this episode. Libido is a complex thing, but the way she speaks about it is empowering and refreshing. She even discusses medications that can help.
I actually found out about her just this October on a fantastic podcast that absolutely blew my mind! Itâs a great intro to her work and what she teaches women.
Enjoy :)
I hope this leaves you feeling fired up about getting fired up againâŠthat ship has NOT sailed.
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If you want to go deeper and get my personal help, check out The Better Beyond 40 Formula.
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