Decreasing Your Testosterone — How to Decrease Testosterone if Your Levels Are High
Before we talk about how to decrease testosterone in your body, let’s talk about why you might want to do so.
Usually, high testosterone is a problem for women, not so much for men. Generally speaking, men are more likely to suffer from low testosterone, though it’s not uncommon for men to have low estradiol as well.
Surprisingly (at least, for most people), women actually suffer from low testosterone too. Even though a woman has about 1/10th of the testosterone of a man, when that hormone is low, a woman may experience symptoms, just as a man would.
But these symptoms are not nearly as visible (or as scary) as the symptoms for high testosterone — at least, from most women’s perspectives. You can read a list of some of the causes of high testosterone in women here, but suffice it to say that, no matter the cause, the symptoms are visible, worrying, and even debilitating.
Let’s talk about those symptoms a little before we talk about how to decrease testosterone levels, either naturally or through medical intervention.
Symptoms of High Testosterone in Women
Symptoms of high testosterone in women include, but are not limited to:
- Excessive hair growth — this hair is usually coarse or rough like a man’s hair, and it may appear in odd areas, like your stomach or face
- Excessive acne — more acne than you normally have, especially if it persists
- Balding — this often looks similar to male-pattern baldness
- Reduction in your menstrual cycle — you may experience periods that are lighter or less frequent, or your cycle may stop completely
- Taking on male characteristics — this can be physical, like a lowered voice or reduced breast size, or it can be mental, like an increased libido, or both
If Your Symptoms Are Severe, It’s Unlikely That Natural Methods Will Take Care of the Problem
Unfortunately, if you’re trying to figure out how to decrease testosterone levels on your own, you may be fighting a losing battle. Even moderate symptoms are usually the result of a deeper issue (rather than just naturally high testosterone or something that can be fixed easily).
That being said, if you’re just dealing with a small amount of elevated testosterone, some simple methods may be effective.
I’ll list a few things that you can do on your own to reduce your levels, but I’ll also discuss a few things your medical provider may try. I want to stress the importance of discussing any methods of hormone reduction with your medical provider before following any of these methods.
Even beginning an exercise program or changing your diet should be discussed, just to ensure that there’s not a deeper issue causing your symptoms or disrupting your hormones.
How to Decrease Testosterone Levels Naturally (and How Your Medical Provider May Try to Reduce Your Levels)
Again, I just want to stress that these natural methods are most effective for women who have just a little too much testosterone in their body — if you have underlying issues, diet and exercise won’t help much.
The best way to be sure that you’re not suffering from something more insidious is to get your hormone levels checked by a medical provider, preferably someone who specializes in hormone issues.
How to Decrease Testosterone: Natural Methods
- Exercise — I know, it sounds like this is the answer to everything, but it really makes a huge difference when it comes to your hormones. Introducing or reintroducing exercise into your life can help your body to more effectively regulate itself.
- Eat right — This is the other side of the exercise equation. All the exercise in the world isn’t going to do much if you’re eating food that’s unhealthy and that messes with your hormones
How to Decrease Testosterone: Methods Your Medical Provider May Try
- Birth control — hormone-based birth control medications can be effective at regulating hormones that are out of sync.
- Androgen blockers — while these drugs may reduce the symptoms of your high testosterone, they aren’t going to address the cause. For example, if you suffer from PCOS, an androgen blocker isn’t going to cure this disease.
- Some steroids — a few different steroids (not the kind that people abuse to gain muscle) can help reduce testosterone levels
- Prescription medications — a wide variety of prescription medications may be effective at reducing your testosterone levels.
Don’t Worry so Much About How to Decrease Testosterone Levels as About How to Address the Cause
For some people, there’s nothing we can do to address the cause of high testosterone. For instance, if you suffer from dwarfism or gigantism, there’s not a cure we can apply to get your body to produce testosterone normally.
However, your medical provider needs to make absolutely certain that the root cause can’t be treated before arbitrarily trying to lower or raise your hormone levels.
It all starts with a simple test. If you think you might be suffering from high testosterone, click the button to contact us about a free consultation.
