Can Low Testosterone Cause Depression in Men and Women?

Testosterone is a vital hormone for our health and wellbeing. In both women and men, testosterone can heavily impact mood and psychological wellbeing, including anxiety and depression. Learn who may benefit from supervised testosterone supplementation therapy.

Why is Testosterone important in women and men?

Testosterone is critical to our growth and development throughout life, from the womb and in adulthood. In men, the testes are the main producers of testosterone. In women, androgens are produced in the ovary, adrenal gland, and peripheral tissues.

Testosterone not only plays an important part in the development of genitalia, but also heavily influences our brain, muscle, and bones. Low testosterone can cause multiple abnormalities:

• Poor concentration
• Depression and anxiety
• Decreased memory and energy
• Both female sexual dysfunction and erectile dysfunction
• Reduced sexual desire

Testosterone and Depression

In both men and women, restoring testosterone levels can improve symptoms of depression.

• Inflammation predisposes to depression and anxiety. Testosterone deficiency is associated with greater inflammation, and supplementation appears to improve this.
• Testosterone and its related androgens act as neurosteroids and can promote new neural connections (neuroplasticity) through the BDNF pathway. This pathway can have powerful effects on depression.
  • Perimenopausal women with depression, in particular, may suffer from deficiencies in these pathways
  • This is related to how IV Ketamine can provide powerful antidepressant effects
• GABA, an important neurotransmitter implicated in depression and anxiety, is influenced by testosterone
• Men with dysfunctional gonads (and low testosterone) have higher risk of developing depression
• Depression in elderly men is associated with their lower testosterone levels

Women, in particular, can be heavily impacted by testosterone balance:

• Elevated testosterone levels are associated with depression in PCOS, premenstrual syndrome, and postpartum depression.
• Low testosterone is associated with depression in patients after surgical ovary removal and in menopause.

Testosterone and Wellbeing

Deficiencies in testosterone can dramatically impair sexual and psychological health. Sexual dysfunction and its related worries can then dysregulate hormone levels leading to unbalanced testosterone and related hormones (called "subclinical hypogonadism" in men). This can be a virtuous or vicious cycle:

• Healthy sexual health can promote healthy testosterone levels, and improve sexual health
• Impaired sexual health can further reduce testosterone levels, further reducing sexual health

Such sexual dysfunction can significantly impact wellbeing, and testosterone supplementation can thereby restore sexual health and wellbeing. Testosterone supplementation can improve wellbeing in both men and women.

Testosterone and Cognitive Function

The wide-ranging effects of testosterone in the brain also include cognition. There is a beneficial relationship between testosterone and cognitive health. Many studies are ongoing investigating the impact of testosterone on cognitive impairment and dementia. dementia.

Normal testosterone levels also promote healthy muscle and fat levels in your body. These changes can occur within 3 months and continue to improve over 1-2 years. This is particularly important to reduce frailty in elderly men.

What Reduces Testosterone Levels?

Testosterone production naturally declines in men at about 1% per year. In women, androgen levels naturally decrease about 50% from ages 20 to 50 (but normal menopause doesn't affect this). Causes for abnormal testosterone deficiency include:

• Mental stress
• Inadequate sleep
• Deficiencies in zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D
• Obesity
• Sexual dysfunction
• Infections (HIV, mumps)
• Surgical removal of ovaries (both left and right) leads to 50% reduction in testosterone
• Hysterectomy
• Diabetes, metabolic syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Radiation and chemotherapy
• Kidney and liver disease
• Opioid, steroid, and antifungal medication use

These factors need to be addressed before starting testosterone supplementation.

Risks of Testosterone Supplementation

Testosterone supplementation carries serious risks if not carefully supervised. These risks include:

• Prostate cancer or prostatic hyperplasia
• Blood clots (secondary to high red blood counts)
• Worsening sleep apnea
• Decreases in HDL ("good cholesterol")
• Infertility

The risk of heart disease is controversial. Fortunately, recent studies demonstrating testosterone replacement does not increase risk of heart attacks under doctor supervision.

Is Testosterone Therapy Right for You?

Balanced hormones are important for physical and psychological health. Testosterone replacement therapy can be a powerful treatment for patients seeking relief from depression and anxiety. Contact Clarus Health for an individualized approach to testosterone replacement therapy to optimize your mental health and wellbeing.