If you’re a woman aged 70 or older, and are suffering from heart problems, there may be a surprising issue at fault: not enough testosterone in your blood.
According to a study of 9,180 women aged over 70 by Monash University, low levels of testosterone in older women can double the risk of cardiovascular events.
Before menopause, the ovaries are actually the primary producers of blood testosterone, while afterwards, testosterone is produced from the hormone DHEA, which is made by the adrenal glands. Women in the study with low blood testosterone and DHEA, but not low estrogen, were twice as likely to have a cardiovascular event than women with high blood testosterone.
According to Professor Susan Davis, the paper shakes up the idea that testosterone is bad for cardiovascular health, and points to testosterone therapy as a way to forestall heart attacks in older women.
“We need to stop thinking about testosterone as a ‘male’ hormone that is bad for women. It is an important human hormone for both women and men.
“Further research is needed to better understand testosterone action in blood vessels and the heart, including whether treating postmenopausal women with low testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease,” she said.
