Key Takeaways
- Testosterone plays an important role in women’s energy, libido, and muscle health, and symptoms of low testosterone in women may include fatigue, mood changes, and reduced sexual desire.
- Low testosterone symptoms in women often overlap with other health conditions, which is why medical evaluation and proper testing are essential.
- Treatment decisions depend on symptoms and medical history, and testosterone therapy is only recommended in specific situations, such as postmenopausal hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
If you've been running on empty, noticing a dip in your sex drive, or experiencing mood shifts you can't explain, symptoms of low testosterone in women may be worth discussing with your healthcare provider.
Testosterone isn't just a male hormone. Women produce it too, and its influence on your health is broader than most people realize. What makes this topic complicated is that low testosterone isn't a clear-cut, standalone diagnosis.
According to MedlinePlus, a testosterone test alone can't determine whether a health condition is present. Because low testosterone symptoms in women overlap heavily with many other conditions, a complete clinical evaluation matters far more than any single lab result.
What Does Testosterone Do in a Woman's Body?
Testosterone is an androgen hormone present in women’s bodies, where it supports libido, muscle health, bone density, and overall energy levels. When levels drop, symptoms of low testosterone in women may appear in several ways, including physical changes, sexual and reproductive symptoms, mood shifts, and cognitive challenges.
Normal total testosterone levels in women fall between 15 and 70 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter), as per the University of Rochester Medical Center. This range shifts across the lifespan, and what qualifies as "low" only becomes clinically meaningful when paired with a full symptom assessment.
The table below highlights the roles of testosterone across various female body systems, based on information from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
When levels fall below the typical range, the body can signal the change in ways that are subtle and easy to dismiss. Recognizing the symptoms of low testosterone in women is the starting point for a productive conversation with your doctor.
"In clinical practice, I often see a compounding effect where hormonal shifts and life stressors intensify one another. It is often difficult for an individual to discern whether symptoms such as brain fog, irritability, or low energy stem from a demanding career, the mental load of caregiving, or a physiological decline in testosterone. We should not view these as separate issues. During the transition into perimenopause, a drop in hormone levels can physically lower a woman's resilience to external stress. Identifying these patterns through symptom tracking allows clinicians to treat the whole person. By using therapy alongside medical oversight, we can ensure we do not mislabel a treatable hormonal change as a simple inability to cope with stress."
- Talkspace therapist Reshawna Chapple, PhD, LCSW
What Causes Low Testosterone Levels in Women?
Testosterone levels decline naturally with age in women, but several medical and lifestyle factors can accelerate that drop. Very low testosterone may point to problems with the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, or ovaries, which is why discussing results with a healthcare provider is important.
Common contributors to low testosterone in women include:
- Aging and menopause: Levels decline gradually through perimenopause and postmenopause
- Surgical removal of the ovaries: Eliminates a primary source of testosterone production
- Adrenal gland disorders: Can impair the body's hormone synthesis
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy: May damage hormone-producing tissue
- Certain medications: Including some hormonal contraceptives and corticosteroids
- Chronic stress and poor sleep: Can suppress hormone production over time
- Overtraining without adequate recovery: May affect hormonal balance
These causes often overlap; therefore, no single factor tells the whole story. A doctor will examine your full history, symptoms, and lab results together before drawing any conclusions.
How Does Low Testosterone Impact Mood and Cognition?
Women experiencing low mood, fatigue, or what's commonly called brain fog wonder whether hormones are to blame. There's insufficient evidence to support testosterone therapy for improving mood or cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, available data shows no effect on depressed mood.
A separate review published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism also recommends against testosterone for cognitive indications, noting that quality randomized controlled trial (RCT) data on these outcomes were lacking.
For example, the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation published results of a 24-week dose-response RCT in hysterectomized women with low testosterone, which found no beneficial or harmful effects on cognitive function from testosterone administration, with researchers noting the need for longer, better-powered trials.
However, these results don't mean your symptoms aren't real. Instead, it means these symptoms should be evaluated alongside other possible contributors.
Here are a few:
- Sleep disruption
- Depression or anxiety
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Anemia
- Medication side effects
- Psychosocial stress
These nonspecific symptoms of low testosterone in women overlap significantly with other treatable conditions. Understanding the anxiety-hormones connection can be a helpful starting point when mood changes feel hormone-related, but the picture isn't clear.
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Start therapy"Distinguishing between hormonal fluctuations and mental health conditions requires a nuanced clinical lens because the symptoms often mirror one another. In clinical practice, there is often a multifactorial tension for women navigating perimenopause alongside high-stress careers or demanding home environments. It is incredibly difficult for an individual to discern whether irritability or a lack of focus results from environmental stressors or the decline of testosterone. These are not separate issues. When hormones shift during perimenopause, the biological resilience to external stress changes. Identifying these patterns through symptom tracking allows providers to treat the whole person. This integrated approach ensures that therapy and medical evaluation work together, so we do not mislabel a treatable hormonal shift as a purely psychological failure to cope with stress."
- Talkspace Therapist, Reshawna Chapple, PhD, LCSW
What are the Physical and Reproductive Signs of Low Testosterone in Women?
Physical symptoms are often the first signs of low testosterone in women to emerge, sometimes appearing years before a formal diagnosis. They develop gradually, which makes them easy to attribute to aging, stress, or a busy lifestyle.
Here are three overlapping areas that are most affected:
Physical changes (fatigue, muscle loss, weight gain)
Testosterone helps support muscle protein synthesis and red blood cell production, which is why low levels may contribute to fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance. Some women may experience gradual changes in body shape over time. These changes can make exercise or even everyday movement feel harder than it used to.
Sexual and reproductive symptoms
Reduced sexual desire is among the most researched symptoms of low testosterone in women, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Research in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found moderate evidence that low-dose testosterone can improve sexual desire in some postmenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition marked by persistent, distressing loss of interest in sex.
Other reported reproductive symptoms include vaginal dryness, irregular periods, and difficulties with fertility.
Hair, skin, and bone effects
Some women report thinning hair, dry skin, and brittle nails along with changes in bone density over time.
If you're experiencing these symptoms together with others on this list, talking with your healthcare provider about whether bone density testing is appropriate for your situation is a reasonable next step.
How is Low Testosterone Diagnosed and When Should You Seek Help?
Low testosterone in women is diagnosed through a combination of symptom evaluation, medical history, and blood tests that measure hormone levels. Doctors may recommend testing testosterone levels in the morning, when hormone levels are highest, and sometimes between days 3 and 5 of the menstrual cycle for more accuracy.
Results are interpreted alongside symptoms such as fatigue, reduced sexual desire, mood changes, or muscle loss. Testosterone testing in females is used primarily to investigate high testosterone symptoms, and extremely low results may signal underlying pituitary, adrenal, or ovarian disorders requiring further workup.
A critical caution from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism is that no blood androgen level can reliably distinguish women who have sexual dysfunction from those who don't. Total testosterone alone shouldn't be used to diagnose conditions like HSDD.
While online symptom tools exist, clinical evaluation remains the standard. Consider speaking with your healthcare provider if you're experiencing any of the following:
- Persistent fatigue that doesn't improve with rest
- Significant, unexplained loss of sexual desire
- Mood changes, low motivation, or difficulty concentrating
- Noticeable changes in muscle strength, hair, or skin
For women whose mood symptoms feel hormonally driven, understanding hormonal depression as a distinct and treatable condition is equally worth exploring with a clinician.
Which Treatment and Lifestyle Options Can Improve Low Testosterone?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn't approved any testosterone product specifically for women, making any use off-label. The only evidence-based indication identified in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism is treatment of postmenopausal HSDD, and only after a formal biopsychosocial assessment.
In some cases, clinicians may prescribe testosterone using low-dose transdermal patches, creams, or gels when treating postmenopausal women with diagnosed HSDD.
If your clinician considers testosterone therapy, they may do the following:
- Use doses that replicate your body’s natural testosterone levels (physiologic doses), avoiding higher-than-normal amounts (supraphysiologic) that may raise the risk of side effects.
- Monitor testosterone levels and clinical response throughout treatment.
- Advise you to discontinue use after six months if no meaningful benefit occurs.
- Tell you to avoid compounded testosterone products, which are generally not recommended.
For low testosterone symptoms in women connected to mood and energy, lifestyle strategies, including resistance training, adequate protein intake, vitamin D, and consistent stress management, often support improvement.
Support for Hormone-Related Mood Symptoms
Hormonal changes can affect your emotions, and talking with someone who understands your mental health and what’s happening in your body can help. Mood shifts, anxiety, low motivation, and cognitive stress tied to hormonal changes are all areas where a licensed therapist can offer real support, while you're working through the medical side with your healthcare provider.
Talkspace connects you with licensed therapists online, with the flexibility to message between sessions, meet via video or audio, and access care from wherever you are. If symptoms of low testosterone in women or related hormonal changes are affecting your mental health, you don't have to wait until everything is medically resolved to get support.
Therapy and medical care work better together. If emotional symptoms are weighing on you, connect with a licensed therapist at Talkspace as a complement to your medical care and take a step toward feeling more like yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can low testosterone cause weight gain in women?
Low testosterone may contribute to changes in body composition, including reduced muscle mass and a gradual increase in body fat. However, weight changes usually have multiple causes, so a healthcare provider should evaluate symptoms and hormone levels before linking them to testosterone.
Do birth control pills lower testosterone?
Yes, some hormonal birth control pills can lower testosterone levels in women by increasing sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a protein that binds to testosterone in the bloodstream and reduces the amount of free testosterone available. Most women don’t notice symptoms from this change, but a healthcare provider can help determine whether your contraceptive method may be contributing.
Is there a natural way to boost testosterone in women?
Lifestyle habits such as resistance training, adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and stress management can support overall hormonal health. These strategies may help improve energy and well-being, but persistent symptoms should still be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
What is considered a dangerously low testosterone level for women?
There is no single number that defines dangerously low testosterone in women because hormone levels vary by age and health status. Normal total testosterone in women falls between 15 and 70 ng/dL. Doctors typically interpret testosterone levels alongside symptoms and other lab results to determine whether further evaluation is needed.
Will taking testosterone make me grow facial hair?
Testosterone therapy can cause mild side effects such as increased acne or body and facial hair in some women. When prescribed at physiologic doses and monitored by a clinician, more significant changes like voice deepening or hair loss are uncommon.
Sources
- MedlinePlus. Testosterone levels test. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/testosterone-levels-test. Updated 2025 June 5. Accessed March 12, 2026.
- University of Rochester Medical Center. Total testosterone. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?contentid=testosterone_total&contenttypeid=167. Accessed March 12, 2026.
- Davis SR, Baber R, Panay N, et al. Global consensus position statement on the use of testosterone therapy for women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6821450/. 2019 Sep 2;104(10):4660–4666. Accessed March 12, 2026.
- Wierman ME, Arlt W, Basson R, et al. Androgen therapy in women: a reappraisal. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/99/10/3489/2836272. 2014 Oct 1; 99(10): 3489–3510. Accessed March 12, 2026.
- Huang G, Wharton W, Travison TG, et al. Effects of testosterone administration on cognitive function in hysterectomized women with low testosterone levels: a dose–response randomized trial. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4716804/. 2014 Nov 28;38(4):455–461. Accessed March 12, 2026.
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