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Actions of Testosterone |
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The
Actions of Testosterone In women,
testosterone is a steroid hormone produced primarily by the ovaries and
adrenal glands. Testosterone has a direct affect on blood sugar levels and
the function of the reproductive system, the nervous system, the
cardiovascular system, the skeletal system and other tissues. Like all
steroid hormones, excessive amounts of testosterone can contribute to a
number of increased health risks. Though
testosterone is commonly associated with libido, proper testosterone levels
are critical for the prevention of depression and osteoporosis. Following
is a list of some of the actions and functions of progesterone. More
information and references can be found in the book What's Your Menopause Type? |
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The Menstrual Cycle and the
Endometrium Excessive
testosterone levels may increase risk of endometrial cancer due to hyperinsulinemia
1, 2. The
Vagina & Urinary Tract Testosterone may decrease vaginal
atrophy as well as inflammation, itching and pain of the vulva 3, 4 The
Libido Testosterone Is the most important hormone for maintaining sex drive in women 5,
and a deficiency can cause impaired sexual function 6. Normal
testosterone levels can result in increases sexual satisfaction, increases
responsive to sexual activity, increases sexual activity 7, 8. Blood
Sugar & Insulin Excessive
testosterone levels can result in insulin resistance 9 with
increased glucose and insulin levels 10. Increased
testosterone levels may also contribute to increased obesity (since high
insulin levels increase fat storage) 11 and increased risk of
heart disease and diabetes 12, 13. The
Brain – Mood & Memory Depression is
one of the major symptoms associated with low testosterone levels in women 14.
Low testosterone has a significant negative effect on mood, personal sense of
well being, interpersonal relationships, self-confidence and self worth 15,
16. |
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The
Breasts Though high testosterone levels may occur with 17 or even
before the breast cancer 18, the increased insulin levels caused
by excessive testosterone may be the direct cause 19, 20. (Note:
Estrogen replacement therapy can restore balance and control high insulin
caused by too much testosterone 20.) |
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The
Skin Testosterone can preserve skin
collagen and protect the skin from thinning 21, 22, as well as
sebaceous glands activity which lubricates the skin 23. Bones
& Osteoporosis Testosterone (and its metabolite dihydrotestosterone) directly
stimulates receptors on the osteoblasts (bone building) cells to stimulate
bone growth, bone mineralization and repair of damaged bone 24, 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, 30. Testosterone replacement can effectively decrease
osteoporosis in and of itself 31, 21, 32, 33. Androgens such
as testosterone appear to work together with estrogens to preserve and
rebuild the joint cartilage between bones 35. |
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The
Heart Testosterone
has a relaxing (vasodilating) effect on coronary arteries 36, 37, 38, and can decrease symptoms of angina. Women are not
given required testosterone may be at a much greater risk of coronary artery
heart disease 39. Though
testosterone given alone can promote atherosclerosis and decrease HDL (good
cholesterol) 40, it does not have the same effect if given with
estrogens 36. The increased risk of heart disease associated with
excessive testosterone is associated with insulin resistance 12,
and can be improved by giving estrogen to balance the excess 41. |
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References: (1) Ciampelli M, Lanzone A. Insulin and polycystic ovary
syndrome: a new look at an old subject. Gynecol Endocrinol 1998
Aug;12(4):277-92 (2) Gamayunova VB, Bobrov YuF, Tsyrlina EV, Evtushenko TP,
Berstein LM. Comparative study of blood insulin levels in breast and
endometrial cancer patients. Neoplasma 1997;44(2):123-6 (3) Leiblum S, Bachmann G, Kemmann E, Colburn D, Swartzman L.
Vaginal atrophy in the postmenopausal woman. The importance of sexual
activity and
hormones. JAMA 1983 Apr 22-29;249(16):2195-8 (4) Friedrich EG Jr, Kalra PS. Serum levels of sex hormones
in vulvar lichen sclerosus, and the effect of topical testosterone. (5) Sherwin BB. Sex hormones and psychological functioning in
postmenopausal women. Exp Gerontol 1994 May;29(3-4):423-430 (6) Sands R, Studd J. Exogenous androgens in postmenopausal
women. Am J Med 1995 Jan
16;98(1A):76S-79S (7) Persky H, Lief HI, Strauss D, Miller WR, O'Brien CP.
Plasma testosterone level and sexual behavior of couples. Arch Sex Behav 1978
May;7(3):157-173 (8) (9) Falkner B, Hulman S, Kushner H. Gender differences in
insulin-stimulated glucose utilization among African-Americans. Am J
Hypertens 1994 Nov;7(11):948-52 (10) Haffner SM, (11) De Pergola G, Triggiani V, Giorgino F, Cospite MR,
Garruti G, Cignarelli M, Guastamacchia E, Giorgino R. The free testosterone
to dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate molar ratio as a marker of visceral fat
accumulation in premenopausal obese women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994
Oct;18(10):659-64 (12) Khaw KT, Barrett-Connor E. Fasting plasma glucose levels
and endogenous androgens in non-diabetic postmenopausal women. Clin Sci
(Colch) 1991 Mar;80(3):199-203 (13) Andersson B,
Mattsson LA, Hahn L, Marin P, Lapidus L, Holm G, Bengtsson BA, Bjorntorp P.
Estrogen replacement therapy decreases hyperandrogenicity and improves
glucose homeostasis and plasma lipids in postmenopausal women with
noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997
Feb;82(2):638-43 (14) Sands R, Studd J. Exogenous androgens in postmenopausal
women. Am J Med 1995 Jan 16;98(1A):76S-79S (15) Khastgir G, Studd J. Hysterectomy, ovarian failure, and
depression. Menopause 1998 Summer;5(2):113-22 (16) Persky H, Lief HI,
Strauss D, Miller WR, O'Brien CP. Plasma testosterone level and sexual
behavior of couples. Arch Sex Behav 1978 May;7(3):157-173 (17) Kaaks R.
Nutrition, hormones, and breast cancer: is insulin the missing link? Cancer
Causes Control 1996 Nov;7(6):605-25 (18) Berrino F, Muti P,
Micheli A, Bolelli G, Krogh V, Sciajno R, Pisani P, Panico S, Secreto G.
Serum sex hormone levels after menopause and subsequent breast cancer. J Natl
Cancer Inst 1996 Mar 6;88(5):291-6 (19) Bruning PF,
Bonfrer JM, van Noord PA, Hart AA, de Jong-Bakker M, Nooijen WJ. Insulin
resistance and breast-cancer risk. Int J Cancer 1992 Oct 21;52(4):511-6 (20) Andersson B, Mattsson LA, Hahn L, Marin P, Lapidus L,
Holm G, Bengtsson BA, Bjorntorp P. Estrogen replacement therapy decreases
hyperandrogenicity and improves glucose homeostasis and plasma lipids in
postmenopausal women with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J (21) Brincat M, Moniz CF, Studd JW, Darby AJ, Magos A, Cooper
D. Sex hormones and skin collagen content in postmenopausal women. Br Med J
(Clin Res Ed) 1983 Nov 5;287(6402):1337-8 (22) Brincat M, Moniz CF, Kabalan S, Versi E, O'Dowd T, Magos
AL, Montgomery J, Studd JW. Decline in skin collagen content and metacarpal
index after the menopause and its prevention with sex hormone replacement. Br
J Obstet Gynaecol 1987 Feb;94(2):126-9 (23) Pochi PE, Strauss JS, Downing DT. Age-related changes in
sebaceous gland activity. J Invest Dermatol 1979 Jul;73(1):108-11 (24) Saito H, Yanaihara T.
Steroid formation in osteoblast-like cells. J Int Med Res 1998 Jan;26(1):1-12
(25) Nishimura S. [Role of
testosterone propionate and insulin in the regeneration and growth of bone].[Article
in Japanese] Meikai Daigaku Shigaku Zasshi 1990;19(3):291-309 (26) Kasperk CH, Wergedal
JE, Farley JR, Linkhart TA, Turner RT, Baylink DJ. Androgens directly
stimulate proliferation of bone cells in vitro. Endocrinology 1989
Mar;124(3):1576-1578 (27) Gasperino J. Androgenic regulation of bone
mass in women. A review. Clin Orthop 1995 Feb;311:278-286 (28) Nakano Y, Morimoto I,
Ishida O, Fujihira T, Mizokami A, Tanimoto A, Yanagihara N, Izumi F, Eto S.
The receptor, metabolism and effects of androgen in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1
cells. Bone Miner 1994 Sep;26(3):245-259 (29) Bruch HR, Wolf L,
Budde R, Romalo G, Schweikert HU. Androstenedione metabolism in cultured
human osteoblast-like cells. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1992 Jul;75(1):101-105 (30) Takeuchi M, Kakushi
H, Tohkin M. Androgens directly stimulate mineralization and increase
androgen receptors in human osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells. Biochem
Biophys Res Commun 1994 Oct 28;204(2):905-911 (31) Wakley GK, Schutte HD
Jr, (32) (33) Tremollieres F,
Pouilles JM, Ribot C. [Postmenopausal bone loss. Role of progesterone and
androgens].[Article in French] Presse Med 1992 Jun 6;21(21):989-993 (34) Nishimura S. [Role of
testosterone propionate and insulin in the regeneration and growth of
bone].[Article in Japanese] Meikai Daigaku Shigaku Zasshi 1990;19(3):291-309 (35) Somjen D, Weisman Y,
Mor Z, Harell A, Kaye AM. Regulation of proliferation of rat cartilage and
bone by sex steroid hormones. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1991;40(4-6):717-723
(36) Sarrel PM.
Cardiovascular aspects of androgens in women. Semin Reprod Endocrinol
1998;16(2):121-8 (37) Yue P, Chatterjee K,
Beale C, (38) White CM, Ferraro-Borgida MJ, Moyna NM, McGill CC,
Ahlberg AW, Thompson PD, Chow MS, Heller GV. The pharmacokinetics of
intravenous testosterone in elderly men with coronary artery disease. J Clin
Pharmacol 1998 Sep;38(9):792-7 (39) Rako S. Testosterone deficiency: a key factor in the
increased cardiovascular risk to women following hysterectomy or with natural
aging? J Womens Health 1998 Sep;7(7):825-9 (40) Crook D, Seed M.
Endocrine control of plasma lipoprotein metabolism: effects of gonadal steroids.
Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab 1990 Dec;4(4):851-75 (41) Andersson B, Mattsson
LA, Hahn L, Marin P, Lapidus L, Holm G, Bengtsson BA, Bjorntorp P. Estrogen
replacement therapy decreases hyperandrogenicity and improves glucose
homeostasis and plasma lipids in postmenopausal women with
noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997
Feb;82(2): |
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