Low Testosterone In Older Women Associated with Double Risk of Heart Attack
Testosterone is well-known as the male sex hormone. And most people realize that low testosterone (also called “Low T”) can impact a man’s sex drive and sexual performance, cause hair loss, and lead to decreased energy and a decline in muscle mass.
But many people don’t realize that women also produce testosterone. While female’s don’t require the amount of testosterone that men do, when a woman’s testosterone levels are too low she can also suffer from unpleasant symptoms, and be at risk for serious diseases.
A study released just this month by Monash University study has reversed the belief that testosterone is bad for women’s hearts. That ground-breaking research revealed that women aged over 70 who have low testosterone levels actually have double the risk of a cardiac event.
Testosterone in Older Women
Like all sex hormones, a women’s blood testosterone levels decrease every year with age from their early 20s – however they do not change particularly significantly as a result of natural menopause. However, after the age of 70 years, there is a steep drop in female testosterone levels.
Before menopause, a women’s ovaries are the primary source of producing the testosterone that circulates in her blood. But, after menopause, the ovaries stop functioning and no longer make testosterone. Since a woman still needs testosterone for a variety of bodily functions and systems, her body starts making blood testosterone from the hormone DHEA which comes from adrenal glands.
Researching Testosterone & Heart Health in Older Women
The data used in the Monash University study was captured from the longitudinal ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) Randomized Clinical Trial. This study was helmed by Dr. Susan Davis, Professor of Women’s Health at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
Blood testosterone levels, DHEA amounts and estrogen concentrations were all measured in the blood of women over the age of 70 who had no prior “CVDs” or Cardiovascular Disease Events. (CVDs include stroke, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and/or heart failure hospitalization).
The results of the Monash / ASPREE study – now published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity Journal – were startling. Testosterone had long been believed to have a negative impact on heart health in post-menopausal women. But the study clearly showed that women who had low blood testosterone and DHEA concentrations – but not low estrogen – had twice the risk of a cardiovascular event than women with higher testosterone blood levels.
Numerous studies in the past have already demonstrated that testosterone therapy lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow in arteries. So it “makes sense” that having higher testosterone may protect older women from cardiovascular disease.
The head of the study, Professor Davis, posits that the findings suggest there might be an advantage to older women having higher testosterone levels. And, the researchers suggested that the conclusions reached by the data definitely warrant further study examining the potential benefits of testosterone replacement therapy for preventing cardiovascular disease in older women.
Dr. Davis concluded: “We need to stop thinking about testosterone as a ‘male’ hormone that is bad for women. It is an important human hormone for both women and men.”
Hormone Replacement to Prevent Women’s Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States – killing about 300,000 women every year. Cardiovascular disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths and one woman dies from cardiovascular disease every minute – which is more than all cancers combined. So, the research into the role hormone replacement therapy plays in cardiac events cannot be understated.
It is already well established that estrogen protects and strengthens the heart. (Read More About Estrogen & Heart Disease HERE). And ample research shows that earlier intervention with estrogen replacement therapy may have significant, long-term benefits in terms of lowering the risk of heart disease.
As the world leaders in women’s hormone replacement therapy, the HRT experts at SottoPelle continue to monitor this research to help their patients avoid disease and discomfort and live full, active and long lives.
Estrogen & Testosterone Therapy for Women
SottoPelle® Method hormone replacement can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance. And hormone pellet therapy offers several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams. Additionally, SottoPelle® Method pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics. Because bioidentical hormones are identical to the body’s own hormones, they offer more effective results, with fewer side-effects and risks.
If you are a peri- or menopausal woman who is experiencing the symptoms of menopause, talk to your physician about SottoPelle® Method hormone replacement therapy today. Or schedule an appointment with the providers at SottoPelle in the Phoenix, AZ area. And if you live outside of the greater Phoenix area, you can also find a physician in your area who is highly trained in hormone replacement using the SottoPelle® Method Physician Finder HERE.
Women’s Hormone Replacement Therapy: (323) 986-5100
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as general information only and is not intended to be used as medical advice. While the benefits of hormone replacement are well documented through clinical research, we are not representing that hormone therapy is a “cure” for any disease. Only your treating physician can determine if hormone replacement may be a beneficial part of your healthcare regimen, based on your age, overall health, risk factors, and lifestyle.
