Written by Kathleen Morrison
Medically Reviewed by Andrea Sleeth WHNP-BC, MSCP
Key takeaways
- Testosterone plays a crucial role in women’s energy, mood, muscle maintenance, bone health, and libido.
- Normal levels vary by age and life stage, and symptoms can signal when your balance is off.
- Blood tests (total, free, or bioavailable testosterone) provide a snapshot of hormone health and guide personalized care.
- Lifestyle factors—strength training, quality sleep, and a nutrient-rich diet—can naturally support healthy testosterone levels.
- Supplements or targeted interventions may help fill nutrient gaps and maintain hormone balance when lifestyle changes aren’t enough.
Testosterone isn’t just a “male hormone”—it’s a big deal for women too. It helps regulate everything from your energy and motivation to muscle strength, mood, and even cognitive function. Most women’s testosterone levels sit somewhere between 15 and 70 ng/dL, but lots of us don’t realize when our levels are creeping outside that range (and it can really impact how we feel).
When testosterone dips too low, you might notice fatigue, reduced muscle tone, or a lack of general drive.
Too much? That can show up as acne, irregular periods, or unexpected changes in body hair. The key is finding that sweet spot where your hormones feel balanced and your body is firing on all cylinders.
The great news is that there are plenty of ways to support healthy testosterone balance. Regular strength training, good sleep, and nourishing your body with the right foods can all help keep your levels in check. Plus, paying attention to your symptoms, testing your hormone levels regularly, and keeping track of any changes can help you keep tabs on what's going on.
Why testosterone matters for women
Testosterone plays a role in helping to keep your bones strong, support cardiovascular health, and even help stabilize your mood as life throws all sorts of changes your way.
Women produce testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands, which work together to keep levels balanced. The ovaries handle about half of your body’s production, with the adrenal glands chipping in the rest.
This teamwork happens alongside other sex hormones, creating a rhythm that affects your cycle, energy, and overall vitality. When your testosterone sits in that sweet spot, you’re likely feeling energized, keeping lean muscle more easily, and enjoying a healthy sex drive (yay!).
Here’s what balanced testosterone can do for you:
- Boost energy levels so you feel more awake and ready to tackle the day
- Support lean mass and strength, making workouts more effective and fun
- Maintain healthy bones, which is especially important as you get older
- Keep mood steady, helping you navigate stress, hormones, and life changes
- Support libido, making sex feel more connected and fun
Your pituitary gland acts like your body’s hormone HQ, sending signals through luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to tell your ovaries how much testosterone to produce. It’s a finely tuned system that runs 24/7 to keep everything in balance.
Normal testosterone levels by age
Knowing what’s normal for testosterone can help you spot when your hormone balance might be off and gives you a better sense of what’s going on in your body. Testosterone naturally shifts throughout life, with the biggest changes happening during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what you might expect at different life stages:
- Premenopausal women (20s–early 30s): Total testosterone usually falls between 10 and 55 ng/dL. This is often when levels peak.
- Late 30s to 40s: Testosterone slowly drops a little each year. Most women barely notice, but for some, this shift can affect energy, mood, or muscle tone.
- Postmenopausal women: Total testosterone often falls to 7–40 ng/dL. Ovaries produce less of all reproductive hormones, so changes can be more noticeable for some women.
Different labs report testosterone differently, so ranges might vary depending on whether they measure total testosterone, free testosterone, or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Free testosterone—the small fraction your body can actually use—typically makes up just 2–3% of the total.
If you want to check your levels in a way that’s convenient and confidential, at-home testing through telehealth options can give you a clear picture of your hormone health and guidance for interpreting your results, so you can feel confident taking charge of your wellbeing.
Signs of low testosterone in women
Low testosterone in women isn’t just about your libido—it can sneak into all sorts of areas of your life. Spotting these signs early gives you the power to actually do something about it instead of just shrugging and thinking, “Ugh, that’s just me.”
Energy and mood shifts
Ever feel like no amount of coffee or sleep can fix your exhaustion? That’s your body waving a little red flag. Low testosterone can leave you dragging through your day, like you’re stuck in slow motion.
Mood swings? Yep, they might sneak in too. You could feel unmotivated, a bit snappy, or suddenly anxious over things that usually don’t bother you. These aren’t personal failures—they’re your hormones asking for a little attention.
Sexual changes and dryness
Testosterone’s VIP role in libido is real. When levels dip, your sex drive might take a vacation without telling you. That’s physical desire, mental fantasies, and all the “I wanna get it on” vibes disappearing in one neat little package.
Oh, and dryness isn’t just annoying—it’s your tissues saying, “Hey, I need some hormone love!” Low testosterone can make intimacy less comfortable, so it’s worth giving your hormones a check-in if you're struggling in that department.
Physical changes and strength
Testosterone is basically your body’s personal trainer in hormone form. Low levels can make you feel weaker, make your workouts harder, and even mess with muscle definition. You might notice a little extra fluff where you don’t want it or that lifting the groceries feels… Extra.
How to test your testosterone levels
Thinking about testing your testosterone? Good call—checking in at the right time can give you a real snapshot of what’s going on. You might want to get your levels checked if you’ve been dealing with things like unexplained fatigue, dips in muscle strength, or a sex drive that’s… Well, MIA. If lifestyle tweaks like sleep, nutrition, or exercise haven’t helped, a hormone check can give you answers instead of leaving you guessing.
But testosterone testing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s the scoop:
Hormone blood tests are the gold standard. They measure:
- Total testosterone: all the hormone in your blood
- Free testosterone: the portion your body can actually use
- Bioavailable testosterone: free plus loosely bound testosterone ready to do its job
Testosterone test timing matters—what a mouthful, but it’s true. For premenopausal women, the sweet spot is usually days 3–5 of your cycle (right after your period starts). Morning tests, around 7–10 AM, give the clearest picture because testosterone naturally peaks earlier in the day. If your cycle is unpredictable, your provider might suggest a couple of tests to see the full story.
Other testing options include saliva and urine. Saliva tests are easy to do at home and measure free testosterone, though they’re a little less precise than blood tests. Twenty-four-hour urine tests capture an average of your hormone levels throughout the day but require careful collection.
Modern at-home options make it super convenient (and less overwhelming) to get checked without even leaving your house. Easy peasy.
Do you need hormone therapy?
Sometimes, lifestyle tweaks aren’t enough for a testosterone deficiency, and that’s totally okay. Hormone therapy can help get your testosterone levels back on track so you feel more like yourself, but this is only needed if you’re really feeling the effects of the symptoms.
Modern options are flexible, giving you different ways to match your lifestyle and preferences.
How testosterone therapy works
There are a few ways to do testosterone replacement, each with its own perks:
- Topical creams and gels: The most popular choice. Just apply to clean, dry skin on your inner thighs, lower belly, or inner arms. The hormone slips right into your bloodstream, skipping your digestive system, and doses are easy to adjust as needed.
- Pellet therapy: Tiny, rice-sized pellets go under the skin, usually around the hip, and release steady testosterone for 3-6 months. No daily applications, just a quick insertion, though changing the dose means getting new pellets.
Side effects
Being informed is important. Some common side effects of hormone replacement therapy may include acne, oilier skin, or a little extra facial hair—usually happening if doses are on the higher side. The good news is that these can often be fixed with simple dose tweaks.
Your provider will keep an eye on things with regular blood work, checking not just testosterone levels but also liver function, cholesterol, and other important markers. That way, you can stay on top of your health while feeling confident about your treatment.
Feeling like yourself again
Keeping your testosterone in check is about understanding your body and noticing when things feel off. This little-but-mighty hormone touches everything from your energy and mood to muscle, bone health, and yes, even your libido. If you’re feeling unusually tired, noticing changes in your body composition, or just not feeling like you, checking your testosterone could be the game-changer you need.
Natural steps like good nutrition, smart strength training, quality sleep, and healthy fats go a long way toward supporting hormone balance. And if you need a little extra help, modern hormone therapy offers flexible, effective options that fit your lifestyle.
Wisp makes taking control easy. From at-home testing and same-day telehealth consults to personalized care plans, we give you everything you need to understand your hormone levels and make decisions that actually work for your life.
Take charge, listen to your body, and get the answers you deserve—because feeling your best isn’t just a dream, it’s totally possible.
Ready to see where your testosterone levels stand? Check out Wisp’s At-Home Testing & Diagnostics today and take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.
This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on the information provided here.
