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Pamela Wilbur's avatar

From what I understand, a woman's level of testosterone diminishes as she ages therefore is missing the numerous benefits of testosterone: bone strength, muscle strength, cognition, energy level and yes, libido. Finding the delivery method that actually absorbs, testing to check levels, is important. I sure would like appreciate the many benefits.

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Dr. Lucy McBride's avatar

Yes, testosterone levels tend to start falling in women in their 30s. Testosterone supplementation has been shown to help with libido .. but the data on bone density just isn't there. It can also help with maintaining lean muscle mass but it's not a substitute for a high protein diet and strength work. My point isn't to discourage testosterone use; it's to center the data and apply context to it. :)

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Rebecca's avatar

Women, think about side effects! I tried testosterone cream about 15 years ago, and what I mainly got was a forest of chin hair that was painful & expensive to remove via electrolysis. Feeling like a bearded lady didn't exactly enhance my libido. I threw the testosterone cream in the trash.

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geoffrey wang's avatar

I started getting testosterone treatment in June (I get two injections weekly) and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was on the very low end end of the “normal” spectrum. It is important to get bloodwork done first and to have a reputable clinic/dr that is specialized in testosterone therapy review with you the bloodwork findings and also the risks/benefits. Pretty much all drs I talk to say that doing the injections (vs cream) is the most effective and predictable treatment method. I def recommend to read up on books about testosterone treatment beforehand, and you want to be patient- it does take some time to notice all of the full benefits you get.

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Dr. Lucy McBride's avatar

Glad to hear it helps you!

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KateP's avatar

"Trans men take testosterone in much higher doses than even the highest-dose pellets, and are not thought to be putting their health at risk, Rubin says." This quote from the New York Times piece is a glaring indictment of the ideologically captured American medical profession and the liberal media. Somehow the New York Times and doctors can acknowledge the harms and unknown risks of testosterone for middle-aged women, as well as the fact that testosterone is an anabolic steroid drug that will make anyone feel better in the short term, but when it comes to girls and young women confused about their "gender identity", they downplay or outright deny the risks and attribute the effects on mood and energy to someone finding their "true self". Truly shameful and a medical scandal of epic proportions.

Please check out this overview of the harms at Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender: https://www.di-ag.org/testosterone-health-risks.

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Dr. Lucy McBride's avatar

Rachel Rubin is a friend and someone I will bring back on the podcast to discuss testosterone with soon!

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Linda Unger's avatar

Rubin is incorrect. Trans men are advised of the increased risk of cardiovascular problems - high blood pressure, and polycythemia to name two.

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KateP's avatar

I'm sure there is some CYA going on, after all, we live in a litigious society. But the long-term harms of high doses of testosterone for women, especially young ones, are much greater than typically acknowledged: https://www.di-ag.org/testosterone-health-risks (from Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender).

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Rebecca Bard's avatar

Sounds like an anti-trans organization to me.

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KateP's avatar

Define “anti-trans”

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