If low testosterone in men causes mood issues like anxiety, depression, low confidence, low energy, do women also experience this?
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a couple things:
**1**. most of the brain functions performed by test can be performed by estrogens as well.
**2**. women’s androgen receptors in the brain are much more sensitive than men’s. this is what other commenters mean by women being ‘used to’ lower test levels.
‘androgen’ means ‘man-making’, and androgens are chemicals that activate androgen receptors. not all androgen receptors are the same; receptors in, say, the muscles, body hair, scalp hair, brain, and penis are all different, and can respond differently to the same hormones.
for example, scalp hair and body hair have opposite responses to androgen exposure. synthetic steroids can target muscles in particular, enhancing growth with less effects on the brain, hair, skin, etc., as test would for the same growth.
a man with typical female test levels, and a woman with typical male test levels would run both run into numerous mood issues, because they are differently sensitive, and are adapted to their respective normal ranges.
**3**. women can, and do, experience some low t symptoms. as another commenter noted, women’s test levels are at their lowest during their periods, and this is part of what causes the mood and behavior change that happens during this time. this typically isn’t as noticable as low test in men, since it’s only dropping down to the low end of normal, rather than outside of normal, and it’s effects are kinda small compared to the other stuff happening at that time you already know about.
also, women are more prone to all of the symptoms you listed, they just are more protecred from them than a man would be at equal levels, due to factors **1** and **2**.
source- took a year of psychology in college, and have been involved in strength training for most of my life, leading me to spend about the last 6 years around active steroid users on a daily basis, and picking up on the stuff they learn from researching their drugs. i won’t pretend that i really know endocrinology or neurochemistry, but i know enough about test to answer this pretty confidently.
i hope this isn’t violating the spirit of this sub; it got a bit more thorough than most comments i see here, but i think it should be pretty digestible.
Women can also experience symptoms like anxiety, low energy, decreased confidence, and depression due to low testosterone. Despite the common association of testosterone with masculinity, women also produce this hormone, but in much lower amounts compared to men. So for a woman to experience low testosterone symptoms, her levels would have to be a lot lower than that of a man. However, testosterone is vital for both men and women in regulating mood and physical and mental health.
When women have low levels of testosterone, they may also experience fatigue, reduced libido, mood swings and might have some muscle mass loss. But low testosterone is not the only possible cause of these symptoms in women. Other factors, such as hormonal imbalances (more closely related to estrogen and progesterone than testosterone) or their monthly cycles, thyroid issues, and stress are more likely to produce these symptoms in women.
Women can also experience symptoms like anxiety, low energy, decreased confidence, and depression due to low testosterone. Despite the common association of testosterone with masculinity, women also produce this hormone, but in much lower amounts compared to men. So for a woman to experience low testosterone symptoms, her levels would have to be a lot lower than that of a man. However, testosterone is vital for both men and women in regulating mood and physical and mental health.
When women have low levels of testosterone, they may also experience fatigue, reduced libido, mood swings and might have some muscle mass loss. But low testosterone is not the only possible cause of these symptoms in women. Other factors, such as hormonal imbalances (more closely related to estrogen and progesterone than testosterone) or their monthly cycles, thyroid issues, and stress are more likely to produce these symptoms in women.
Women can also experience symptoms like anxiety, low energy, decreased confidence, and depression due to low testosterone. Despite the common association of testosterone with masculinity, women also produce this hormone, but in much lower amounts compared to men. So for a woman to experience low testosterone symptoms, her levels would have to be a lot lower than that of a man. However, testosterone is vital for both men and women in regulating mood and physical and mental health.
When women have low levels of testosterone, they may also experience fatigue, reduced libido, mood swings and might have some muscle mass loss. But low testosterone is not the only possible cause of these symptoms in women. Other factors, such as hormonal imbalances (more closely related to estrogen and progesterone than testosterone) or their monthly cycles, thyroid issues, and stress are more likely to produce these symptoms in women.
a couple things:
**1**. most of the brain functions performed by test can be performed by estrogens as well.
**2**. women’s androgen receptors in the brain are much more sensitive than men’s. this is what other commenters mean by women being ‘used to’ lower test levels.
‘androgen’ means ‘man-making’, and androgens are chemicals that activate androgen receptors. not all androgen receptors are the same; receptors in, say, the muscles, body hair, scalp hair, brain, and penis are all different, and can respond differently to the same hormones.
for example, scalp hair and body hair have opposite responses to androgen exposure. synthetic steroids can target muscles in particular, enhancing growth with less effects on the brain, hair, skin, etc., as test would for the same growth.
a man with typical female test levels, and a woman with typical male test levels would run both run into numerous mood issues, because they are differently sensitive, and are adapted to their respective normal ranges.
**3**. women can, and do, experience some low t symptoms. as another commenter noted, women’s test levels are at their lowest during their periods, and this is part of what causes the mood and behavior change that happens during this time. this typically isn’t as noticable as low test in men, since it’s only dropping down to the low end of normal, rather than outside of normal, and it’s effects are kinda small compared to the other stuff happening at that time you already know about.
also, women are more prone to all of the symptoms you listed, they just are more protecred from them than a man would be at equal levels, due to factors **1** and **2**.
source- took a year of psychology in college, and have been involved in strength training for most of my life, leading me to spend about the last 6 years around active steroid users on a daily basis, and picking up on the stuff they learn from researching their drugs. i won’t pretend that i really know endocrinology or neurochemistry, but i know enough about test to answer this pretty confidently.
i hope this isn’t violating the spirit of this sub; it got a bit more thorough than most comments i see here, but i think it should be pretty digestible.
a couple things:
**1**. most of the brain functions performed by test can be performed by estrogens as well.
**2**. women’s androgen receptors in the brain are much more sensitive than men’s. this is what other commenters mean by women being ‘used to’ lower test levels.
‘androgen’ means ‘man-making’, and androgens are chemicals that activate androgen receptors. not all androgen receptors are the same; receptors in, say, the muscles, body hair, scalp hair, brain, and penis are all different, and can respond differently to the same hormones.
for example, scalp hair and body hair have opposite responses to androgen exposure. synthetic steroids can target muscles in particular, enhancing growth with less effects on the brain, hair, skin, etc., as test would for the same growth.
a man with typical female test levels, and a woman with typical male test levels would run both run into numerous mood issues, because they are differently sensitive, and are adapted to their respective normal ranges.
**3**. women can, and do, experience some low t symptoms. as another commenter noted, women’s test levels are at their lowest during their periods, and this is part of what causes the mood and behavior change that happens during this time. this typically isn’t as noticable as low test in men, since it’s only dropping down to the low end of normal, rather than outside of normal, and it’s effects are kinda small compared to the other stuff happening at that time you already know about.
also, women are more prone to all of the symptoms you listed, they just are more protecred from them than a man would be at equal levels, due to factors **1** and **2**.
source- took a year of psychology in college, and have been involved in strength training for most of my life, leading me to spend about the last 6 years around active steroid users on a daily basis, and picking up on the stuff they learn from researching their drugs. i won’t pretend that i really know endocrinology or neurochemistry, but i know enough about test to answer this pretty confidently.
i hope this isn’t violating the spirit of this sub; it got a bit more thorough than most comments i see here, but i think it should be pretty digestible.
I’m a very interesting case study in testosterone and it’s effects. Two time All-American linebacker, 2 time testicular cancer survivor. I’ve experienced every conceivable range of testosterone levels.
To your point, the answer has to be yes. Testosterone has more control of my personality, mood, temper, empathy, mental health, insecurity, condifence, anxiety…. than anything else. If women have testosterone, they’re all subject to the same side effects of low/high testosterone.
Before cancer I was very capable of being the kindest man you’ve met, but I was also capable of getting enraged, I was way too confident, stubborn.
After my first bought with cancer I decided to become a teacher. I was empathetic, patient, great with kids. I was also way too insecure, had no confidence.
After my second cancer I had to be put on steroids to get my levels to be normal again. I would say normal would be in between my 20 year old self, and my then 34 year old self. I lost a lot of those traits that made me a great teacher, but am much less insecure, more confident etc. I’m currently planning to leave education because I find less joy in it… and for a plethora of other reasons, but those are for a different thread.
Yes, the only difference is the amount of testosterone. Women have a lesser amount of testosterone but if it’s too low it can cause problems. Men also have low levels of estrogen and progesterone, which when off balance can cause problems for them as well.
I’m a very interesting case study in testosterone and it’s effects. Two time All-American linebacker, 2 time testicular cancer survivor. I’ve experienced every conceivable range of testosterone levels.
To your point, the answer has to be yes. Testosterone has more control of my personality, mood, temper, empathy, mental health, insecurity, condifence, anxiety…. than anything else. If women have testosterone, they’re all subject to the same side effects of low/high testosterone.
Before cancer I was very capable of being the kindest man you’ve met, but I was also capable of getting enraged, I was way too confident, stubborn.
After my first bought with cancer I decided to become a teacher. I was empathetic, patient, great with kids. I was also way too insecure, had no confidence.
After my second cancer I had to be put on steroids to get my levels to be normal again. I would say normal would be in between my 20 year old self, and my then 34 year old self. I lost a lot of those traits that made me a great teacher, but am much less insecure, more confident etc. I’m currently planning to leave education because I find less joy in it… and for a plethora of other reasons, but those are for a different thread.
I’m a very interesting case study in testosterone and it’s effects. Two time All-American linebacker, 2 time testicular cancer survivor. I’ve experienced every conceivable range of testosterone levels.
To your point, the answer has to be yes. Testosterone has more control of my personality, mood, temper, empathy, mental health, insecurity, condifence, anxiety…. than anything else. If women have testosterone, they’re all subject to the same side effects of low/high testosterone.
Before cancer I was very capable of being the kindest man you’ve met, but I was also capable of getting enraged, I was way too confident, stubborn.
After my first bought with cancer I decided to become a teacher. I was empathetic, patient, great with kids. I was also way too insecure, had no confidence.
After my second cancer I had to be put on steroids to get my levels to be normal again. I would say normal would be in between my 20 year old self, and my then 34 year old self. I lost a lot of those traits that made me a great teacher, but am much less insecure, more confident etc. I’m currently planning to leave education because I find less joy in it… and for a plethora of other reasons, but those are for a different thread.
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