Testosterone Therapy for Women: What You Can REALLY Expect

If you’ve been suspicious that you might have a hormone imbalance, or you’ve been trying to balance your hormones naturally through nutrition or supplements and still don’t feel like yourself, it may be time to consider a surprising alternative: testosterone therapy for women.

So let’s break down the most frequently asked questions our providers face so you can help determine if you’re one of the countless women across the nation who could benefit from testosterone therapy.

What Are Normal Testosterone Levels For Women?

Men and women have wildly different “normal” testosterone levels. In fact, women naturally produce about 5 to 10 percent of the testosterone men do. It’s a much smaller amount, but it still plays a major role in how you feel day to day. Average testosterone levels for women are about 15 – 70 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter), while average levels for men are much higher, ranging from 300 – 1000 ng/dL.

Note: Levels exceeding 70-100 ng/dL may indicate conditions like PCOS, leading to symptoms such as acne, hirsutism (excessive hair), and irregular periods. PCOS symptoms should be addressed by an endocrinologist.

What Are Symptoms of Low Testosterone In Women?

Testosterone is one of the hormonal building blocks of the human body. It supports energy, sex drive, muscle tone, bone strength, mental clarity, motivation, and confidence. When levels are optimal, you may not think about it at all. But when they’re low, you might notice:

• Your libido is all but disappearing
• Workouts feel more difficult, and results come much slower
• Regular brain fog or tiredness
• A loss of drive or assertiveness, increasing self-doubt
• A subtle sense that you’re not fully “yourself”

Unfortunately, many women intellectualize these symptoms, assuming the problem lies in their jobs, their relationships, or their emotions. And even when women are more informed about hormonal health, they can mistake low testosterone symptoms with symptoms of estrogen and progesterone shifts. More and more, low testosterone is overlooked in the world of women’s health.

What Does Testosterone Therapy for Women Actually Involve?

Since men and women have such vastly different testosterone levels, TRT for men and testosterone therapy for women are not approached the same way. Instead of an initial dose of testosterone with numbers in the hundreds, women receive a small, carefully calculated amount (at SynergenX, we usually start with 12 or 14 ng/dL of testosterone as opposed to 200 ng/dL for men) designed to restore female-appropriate levels, not push them into a male range.

With women, the ultimate goal is always balance.

When done properly, therapy is monitored closely with labs and symptom tracking. Adjustments are gradual rather than aggressive, and a good provider will always ask about symptom resolution, energy levels, and more.

What Changes Can You Expect?

Women who are good candidates for testosterone therapy often report improvements in:

• Steadier energy throughout the day (without that need for a 3 pm sweet treat or caffeine boost)
• A return of sex drive
• Clearer thinking
• Better motivation
• More emotional stability
• Better muscle tone over time

One of the most overlooked benefits? Brain function. Testosterone plays a real role in motivation and decisiveness. Many women describe feeling sharper and more confident, as though a mental light switch has been flipped back on.

What Are the Side Effects of Testosterone For Women?

At female dosing levels, side effects are typically milder than what people associate with male TRT. That said, testosterone is still a hormone, and it deserves respect.

Possible side effects can include acne, mild fluid retention, mood changes, or increased facial hair. Voice deepening and clitoral enlargement are rare and usually linked to prolonged high dosing, not medically supervised optimization.

Lower dose equals lower risk, but monitoring is essential. This isn’t something to self-manage.

How Is Testosterone for Women Administered?

Every woman is different. Fortunately, testosterone therapy for women is offered in a variety of forms, so you can choose the approach best for you.

Injections: Injections (in our opinion) offer the most control of the current available methods. Dosing can be adjusted precisely, and absorption is predictable. Some women prefer this because optimization tends to happen faster. At SynergenX, women can receive weekly testosterone shots in-clinic or have pre-filled syringes of testosterone sent directly to their door through our Self-Inject TRT program.

Creams: Non-invasive, applied daily, can help keep levels steady. Note: creams do require consistency and careful application to avoid transferring the hormone to partners or children.

Pellets: A longer-term option surgically placed in office. They release testosterone gradually as they dissolve, needing to be replaced in matters of months rather than weeks or days. Many women prefer this option as it’s gentle and doesn’t require daily application or weekly injections. Learn more about pellet-based therapy here.

Each method (all available at SynergenX) has its pros and cons, and the right choice depends on lifestyle, comfort level, and how much dosing flexibility you want as you start your journey back to yourself.

Is Testosterone Therapy For Women Covered By Insurance?

Testosterone therapy is FDA-approved for certain uses in men, but some forms are not FDA-approved for women, resulting in many insurance plans considering it off-label.

For this reason, coverage can vary widely, and many women use self-pay models to get the treatment they need. At SynergenX, we offer insurance options and self-pay options, so women can make the choice that’s right for them.

How Do You Know It’s Testosterone, Not Estrogen or Progesterone?

Testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone imbalances can cause symptoms with a lot of overlap. But when libido loss, reduced muscle mass, diminished drive/assertiveness, and mental fog are all present, testosterone may be worth evaluating.

If you’ve addressed estrogen and progesterone and still feel flat or disconnected, it may not be “just stress.” It may not be “just aging.” It could be a piece of your hormone imbalance that hasn’t been addressed yet.

Will Testosterone Make Me…Manly?

The fear that testosterone will “turn women into men” is rooted in misunderstanding (and probably some outdated gender stuff that needs to be unpacked). Women already produce testosterone. Testosterone therapy simply restores levels to where they function best. And don’t worry: testosterone therapy for women and testosterone therapy for gender transition are entirely different things with entirely different doses.

When done properly, testosterone therapy can support energy, mood, libido, strength, and cognition in a way that feels (and, for many women, completely is) transformative.

If you’re trying to figure out how to balance hormones and you still feel like something is missing, testosterone may deserve a thoughtful, medically guided conversation.

Discounted Women’s Hormone Testing at SynergenX, Low T Center, and HerKare

To help women get access to life-changing hormone care, we have temporarily reduced the testing fees for our women’s hormone testing. Self-pay patients can pay $99 out of pocket, and insurance patients can pay only their copay for the appointment, letting some patients pay as little as $25 for complete hormone testing.

Included in every appointment is a comprehensive hormone panel of over 67 biomarkers (including testosterone), an Autonomic Nervous System test to measure stress and circulation, and, in participating clinics, an InBody body composition scan to establish a physical baseline.

If you’re found to have low testosterone during this appointment, you can receive your first shot of testosterone cypionate for free if you elect to have it during your appointment. These rates will only last until the end of March, so if you’re looking for medically-guided hormone testing, book your appointment at the SynergenX, HerKare, or Low T Center location closest to you.