Testosterone Levels by Age in Women: The Missing Hormone That Could Restore Your Energy
New study shows huge benefits of testosterone hormone therapy. Experts say it can be life changing
Key Takeaways
- Women make more testosterone than estrogen for much of our lives.
- Testosterone levels drop by half by the time we hit our 40s and steadily decline after that.
- Testosterone hormone therapy can restore energy, libido and much more.
If you’re a woman over 50 and you’re so freaking tired of being tired all the time, I’m right there with you—and I think it might be time for us to band together and get doctors to talk to us about our ideal testosterone levels by age. Here’s why: In the last year, I’ve had three women (including a double board-certified surgeon!) tell me the only thing that restored their energy after menopause was testosterone therapy. I did some digging to learn more, and what I found was pretty shocking.
Even though testosterone is the most abundant sex hormone women produce through much of our lives—beating estrogen by a landslide—barely any research has been done on keeping our levels healthy. No surprise, this is largely because drug companies haven’t found a way to make it profitable enough. So many doctors don’t offer it as a treatment option. My own doctor was very dismissive when I asked about the possibility. And it’s a shame.
“Testostorone is not a cure-all for women, but it can be a life-changing therapy,” notes Bruce R. Dorr, MD, a urogynecologist and proponent for expanding testosterone options for female patients. Keep reading to find out if it might be life-changing for you.
Woman's World Answers
Long-term health benefits of testosterone
The best-studied effect of testosterone therapy is on persistently low sexual desire, with solid evidence showing it enhances orgasm, libido, satisfaction and more. “But if you talk to women taking testosterone, they’ll likely report improvements in fatigue, muscle, metabolism, cognition and joint pain,” Dr. Dorr says. “I have seen total resolution of perimenopause and menopause symptoms. I have seen bladder symptoms like incontinence improve to the point that we have avoided or cancelled surgeries.”
When broader research is done, findings are often compelling: A 2026 Brigham Young University study found that among women up to age 78 given testosterone therapy, 84 percent reported improved energy and 65 percent reported improvement in depression, irritability and sexual interest. Overall quality of life improvement was reported by a whopping 89.7 percent of participants.
If you’re wondering why testosterone might have so much impact on wellbeing, it’s because the hormone “binds to receptors found in over a hundred locations throughout the body, the same as in men,” and it influences processes that help with everything from fertility and mood to keeping your bones, heart and brain healthy, says Dr. Dorr, chief medical advisor for the hormone optimization hub Biote.com. As for energy, “testosterone improves the health of mitochondria, which are the energy factories of cells. It improves oxygen delivery to tissues and increases red blood cell production. It also activates dopamine, a ‘feel good’ brain chemical that helps mental focus,” he says. So it’s no wonder the impact of good testosterone levels can be so huge.
Common low testosterone symptoms
As you’ve probably gathered by now, the symptoms of low testosterone in women can extend well beyond sexual dysfunction to include:
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Muscle weakness
- Weight gain
- Bone loss
- Hair thinning
- Sleep disturbances
So what is normal and what is low? There is no officially established threshold of low levels of testosterone for women, but that’s not as bad as it may seem. “The level at which women start feeling symptoms varies, the same as it does for men,” Dr. Dorr says, noting that some of us have cells that take in testosterone more easily, so we can thrive even when our bodies make less of the hormone.
Dr. Dorr says symptoms are the key to diagnosing low testosterone, and then blood tests help your doctor gauge how you respond to therapy. That said, we can give you a ballpark of what your numbers will look like.
Typical testosterone levels by age in women
If you do get tested, Dr Dorr says the number that matters is your “free testosterone” score, since it represents the usable form of the hormone in your body (while “total testosterone” includes inactive hormone). “Testosterone levels peak in your mid-twenties and fall to 50 percent of those levels on average by age 40, then another one to three percent annually until about age 70,” he says. Here’s what to expect at various stages of life based on a Journal of Sexual Medicine baseline.
Testosterone levels by age chart
| Age | Testosterone level (reference range) |
| 20s and 30s | 1.2 to 6.4 pg/mL |
| 40s | 0.6 to 3.2 pg/mL |
| 50s | 0.44 to 2.9 pg/mL |
| 60s | 0.32 to 2.62 pg/mL |
| 70s+ | 0.13 to 2.37 pg/mL |
In the Brigham Young study, women experienced significant benefits as free testosterone increased from 1.2 pg/mL to 3.8.
Is testosterone therapy safe—and are there side effects?
A Lancet analysis including over 8,000 women found typical testosterone treatment (gel, cream, injections) safe “with only minimal and reversible effects, mainly oily skin and acne,” says Dr. Dorr.
Side effect risks range from annoying (skin issues and unwanted hair growth) to alarming (deepening of the voice and—yikes!—enlargement of the clitoris). “But these issues are generally not seen when dosing appropriately in the female range,” he adds.
Steps to take if you suspect low testosterone
You can start by talking to your ob-gyn. Some will be open to including testosterone as part of overall menopause hormonal therapy (which will often also include estrogen and/or progesterone). And if you are dismissed with no valid reason? You’ll want to look for a physician who specializes in hormone optimization or sexual medicine. Biote and Midi Health are potential resources; you can also ask friends for a referral. You might be surprised by how many women are already getting this treatment.
Will insurance pay? Probably for some aspects of your treatment, like doctor’s visits. It may also pay for other parts of menopause hormonal therapy, such as an estrogen patch or cream, if it’s determined you’d benefit from one as part of your treatment. But there’s no FDA-approved testosterone for women in the U.S., so insurance will not cover a testosterone prescription itself. The good news, says Dr. Dorr, is that it’s fairly inexpensive. I asked around, it seems like many women get it for about $30 per month out of pocket.
The bottom line of testosterone therapy after menopause
Testosterone therapy is a prescription medication and is not right for everyone—and yet it seems like it can help a lot more of us than currently have access. “There are a growing number of providers offering this therapy, increasing by the thousands every year,” says Dr. Dorr.
“I tell every patient to give the therapy at least six months to fully work, but most patients notice some symptom relief within the first month,” Dr. Dorr adds. “What is your best level? I’m not sure, but my approach is to start low and go slow.” And it seems to work quite well for many. “We retain about 90 percent of our patients at our clinic,” says the doc. He adds that many women light up once they start testosterone therapy. I’m taking it as a sign to explore my options. Because we all deserve to have more energy to live our best lives!
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
