Glossary
Testosterone
A hormone that plays a part in desire and arousal in women too.
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a hormone often seen as typically male, but that women make themselves too, in the ovaries and adrenal glands. In women it plays a part in sexual desire and arousal. Around menopause it declines gradually, which in some women goes together with less interest in sex.
| Made in women in | the ovaries and adrenal glands |
| Plays a part in | desire, arousal, energy, mood |
| Around menopause | declines gradually, less abruptly than estrogen |
| Related | libido, menopause |
What testosterone does in women
Testosterone is not a male-only hormone. According to the encyclopedia, women make testosterone in the adrenal glands and the ovaries, and androgens play a part in the arousal of female genital tissue. Women do have far less of it than men, on average seven to eight times less. That small amount still matters: it touches on desire, energy, and mood.
Testosterone and menopause
Unlike estrogen, testosterone does not drop suddenly, but gradually over the years. Over the course of menopause it declines, less sharply than estrogen, and about 40 percent of women have less interest in sex after menopause. Less testosterone is not the only cause of that, but it plays a part.
What testosterone is not
“So my desire is just in my hormones, then.” In part, not entirely. Desire comes from many things at once: calm, safety, attention, how at home you feel in your own skin. Hormones set a tone, but they do not decide everything. Two women with the same levels can want very differently.
What I make of it
I am not a doctor, and your family doctor handles hormone levels or treatment, not me. What I do see as a gigolo is that desire is far from always a matter of a deficiency. Often desire comes back once there is calm and safety, and once there is attention without haste. If you are stuck with lasting low desire, feel free to raise that with a doctor as well.
Sources
- Testosterone. Wikipedia. Provides that women make testosterone in the adrenal glands and ovaries, that androgens play a part in female genital arousal, and that men have seven to eight times as much of it.
Related terms
Does testosterone affect women too?
Yes. Women make testosterone themselves in the ovaries and adrenal glands, though far less than men do. That small amount plays a part in desire, arousal, energy, and mood. So it is not a purely male hormone.
Is less desire during menopause caused by testosterone?
It plays a part, but it is not the only cause. During menopause testosterone declines gradually, and about 40 percent of women have less interest in sex after menopause. But desire comes from more than hormones alone. If it is on your mind, raise it with your family doctor as well.
Learn more
Desire that stalls, and curious what helps?
I'm Victor, a gigolo for women. I am not a doctor, but I often see desire come back with calm and attention. Curious how that works? You can always ask me something, with no obligation at all.