Testosterone plays an important role throughout your lifespan. Often considered a male hormone, testosterone affects the female body as well. Factors such as disease and aging cause undiagnosed hormonal deficiencies in many women, according to a December 2010 review in "Human Fertility." Nutritional supplements can reverse testosterone deficiency. Some of these substances require a prescription, while others remain available over the counter. Consult a physician before taking products that increase your testosterone.
Testosterone
Transdermal patches allow your body to direct absorb bioidentical testosterone, according to a 2011 review in "Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology." While this treatment may cause allergic reactions, it can treat testosterone deficiencies. A clinical trial described in the May 2007 edition of the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" evaluated the impact of transdermal testosterone on cancer survivors. Such people often experience a broad array of hormonal side effects caused by chemotherapy. In the study, postmenopausal women first received either testosterone or placebo for a month. They then returned to the laboratory for the opposite treatment. The testosterone patches enhanced circulating testosterone, but they did not improve the patient's sexual health. No adverse events were reported.
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Over-the-counter supplements such as dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, might also increase your testosterone. This substance serves as a building block for other steroids in your body, according to a review published in the March 2009 edition of "Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology." Special cells in your body convert DHEA into testosterone, so taking this supplement should elevate circulating levels of the steroid. A November 2002 report in "Arthritis and Rheumatism" tested this hypothesis in women with lupus. This autoimmune disease causes testosterone to rapidly break down, creating a deficiency syndrome. In the paper, the authors gave patients either DHEA or placebo for six months. The supplement increased endogenous testosterone and improved life quality. It also, however, caused minor reactions, such as acne.
Red Clover
The red clover plant, Trifolium pratense, contains chemicals with many health applications. Some of these substances affect the endocrine system and its hormones. But an August 2010 review in "Fertility and Sterility" failed to find an effect of red clover on testosterone in men. Trifolium might be more effective at increasing testosterone in women because females have lower baseline levels. A study described in the August 2006 edition of "Maturitas" evaluated this idea in postmenopausal women. Participants received either red clover extract or an inert treatment for three months. Relative to placebo, Trifolium increased circulating testosterone and decreased endometrial thickness. The latter finding shows that the treatment is safe, and it raises the possibility that red clover may fight cancer.
Soy Isoflavones
Many plants contain substances known to mimic the natural estrogen present in your bloodstream. These chemicals -- soy isoflavones -- shut down your body's estrogen system, and they should therefore enhance your testosterone. The results of an experiment presented in the July 2004 issue of "Reproductive Toxicology" supports this notion. Rats given soy isoflavones had higher levels of testosterone than those given inert substances. A January 2010 report in the "Journal of Hygiene Research" determined whether a similar effect could be obtained in perimenopausal women. Subjects received either the isoflavones or a placebo for two months. The soy extracts, relative to placebo, increased endogenous testosterone and decreased menopausal symptoms. They did, however, cause the women to gain weight.
References
- "Human Fertility"; Androgens, Health and Sexuality in Women and Men; Kevan Wylie, et al.; December 2010
- "Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology"; Transdermal Estradiol and Testosterone Transfer in Man; Kristine L. Busse and Howard I. Maibach; 2011
- "Journal of the National Cancer Institute"; Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Transdermal Testosterone in Female Cancer Survivors With Decreased Libido; Debra L. Barton, et al.; May 2007
- "Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology"; DHEA Metabolism in Prostate: For Better or Worse? Julia T. Arnold; March 2009
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism"; Dehydroepiandrosterone Treatment of Women With Mild-to-Moderate Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Deh-Ming Chang, et al.; November 2002
- "Fertility and Sterility"; Clinical Studies Show No Effects of Soy Protein or Isoflavones on Reproductive Hormones in Men; Jill M. Hamilton-Reeves, et al.; August 2010
