Summary of the Study on Testosterone Therapy and improvement in scalp hair growth
This study looked at how testosterone treatment affects hair growth in women with low androgen levels. Researchers surveyed 285 women who had been using testosterone implants for at least a year to treat symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and mood issues. They found that 27% of these women had thinning hair before treatment. Of those, 63% reported their hair grew back thicker after starting testosterone therapy. Interestingly, no one in the study said they lost hair during treatment, even though testosterone is often thought to cause hair loss in women.
“Excellent practice with highly trained clinicians who truly care about their clients’ well-being. Highly recommend to anyone seeking psychotherapy!”
Rebecca Johnson, CA, USA
Donec sit amet eros. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecvtetuer adipiscing elit. Mauris fermentum dictum magna. Sed laoreet aliquam leo. Ut tellus dolor, dapibus eget, elementum vel, cursus eleifend, elit. Aenean auctor wisi et urna. Aliquam erat volutpat. Duis ac turpis. Integer rutrum ante eu lacus.
Vestibulum libero nisl, porta vel, scelerisque eget, malesuada at, neque. Vivamus eget nibh. Etiam cursus leo vel metus. Nulla facilisi. Aenean nec eros. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Suspendisse sollicitudin velit sed leo. Ut pharetra augue nec augue. Nam elit agna,endrerit sit amet, tincidunt ac, viverra sed, nulla. Donec porta diam eu massa. Quisque diam lorem, interdum vitae, dapibus ac.
Women who didn’t see hair regrowth tended to have higher body mass indexes (BMIs), and some had health issues like thyroid problems or low iron. Women with hair thinning before treatment also had lower testosterone levels than those without hair issues. The study suggests that testosterone might actually help hair growth in women with low androgen levels, possibly because it supports healthy hair follicle function, rather than causing hair loss as commonly believed. However, the results are based on what the women reported, not direct measurements, so more research is needed to confirm these findings.
How Did They Conduct the Study?
The study involved 10 women who chose to start testosterone therapy to address symptoms of hormone deficiency. These women were part of a larger study looking at testosterone’s effects on breast cancer risk, but this specific research focused on their voices. Here’s how it worked:
- Participants: The women were, on average, 51 years old (ranging from 35 to 60). Four were postmenopausal, and six were pre- or perimenopausal. Three were smokers. Their average weight was about 66 kg, and their body mass index (BMI) was around 23.7, which is in the normal range.
- Treatment: The women received testosterone through subcutaneous implants (small pellets inserted under the skin) every three months. The dose was tailored to their weight, averaging 138 mg per implant. This method delivers a steady, low dose of testosterone (about 1.4 mg per day), much lower than doses used in other treatments like gender reassignment.
- Voice Measurements: The researchers recorded the women’s voices at four points: before starting therapy, and at 3, 6, and 12 months after starting. They used a digital recorder in a quiet room to capture three types of speech:
- Sentences from a standard voice evaluation tool (CAPE-V).
- A paragraph called the Rainbow Passage, which mimics everyday speech.
- Conversational speech, where women described how to make a peanut butter sandwich.
- Analysis: The recordings were analyzed to measure the F₀ using a tool called a Real Time spectrum analyzer. They used statistical methods (like analysis of variance) to check if F₀ changed over time and whether factors like smoking, menopause, age, or BMI affected the results. The R software and a package called lme4 were used for these calculations.
The researchers also checked the women’s blood testosterone levels to confirm the therapy was working. Before treatment, their levels were low (average 17.2 ng/dl). During therapy, levels rose to an average of 471.6 ng/dl, which is higher than normal for women but within a safe therapeutic range.
What Did They Find?
The study’s findings were clear and reassuring:
- No Major Voice Changes: Overall, testosterone therapy did not significantly lower or deepen the women’s voices. The average F₀ (across sentences, paragraphs, and conversation) stayed about the same from before treatment to 3, 6, and 12 months after starting therapy. Statistical tests showed no significant differences (p-values were high, meaning no change was detected).
- A Small, Temporary Increase at 6 Months: There was a slight increase in F₀ (meaning voices sounded a bit higher-pitched) at 6 months, especially when reading sentences. However, this change didn’t persist by 12 months, and it wasn’t seen in conversational or paragraph speech. The researchers think this could be due to natural voice variations or the small number of participants.
- Improvement in Some Cases: Three women had lower-than-expected F₀ (deeper voices) before starting therapy. Two of them showed an increase in F₀ (their voices became higher-pitched) during treatment, especially those with the highest testosterone levels (671 and 690 ng/dl). This suggests testosterone might have helped their voices, possibly by reducing inflammation or improving muscle or tissue health.
- No Impact from Other Factors: Factors like smoking, menopausal status, age, weight, or BMI didn’t significantly affect F₀. This was surprising because smoking and menopause are known to deepen voices, but the small sample size might explain why no differences were found.
- Data Issues: Two data points were missing: one pre-treatment recording (due to a hard drive failure) and one 6-month recording (the participant didn’t follow up). However, these didn’t significantly affect the results.
What Does This Mean?
The study suggests that testosterone therapy, at the doses used here, does not harm the female voice or cause it to deepen, even after a year of treatment. This is important because many women and doctors worry about voice changes based on older reports or studies involving much higher doses of different hormones (like anabolic steroids or danazol, used for conditions like endometriosis). Those treatments release much more hormone (e.g., 400-800 mg/day for danazol) and are more likely to cause side effects, but even then, voice changes were rare or inconsistent.
The researchers also point out that hoarseness or voice changes are common in women (up to 47% experience them at some point) and can be caused by many things, like infections, allergies, acid reflux, vocal cord issues, or certain medications. Because of this, if a woman on testosterone therapy notices voice changes, it’s important to check for these other causes before blaming testosterone.
Interestingly, the study hints that testosterone might even improve voice quality in some women, especially those with deeper voices due to hormone deficiency. Testosterone has anti-inflammatory effects and can improve muscle strength and tissue health, which might help the vocal cords work better. However, the study wasn’t big enough to confirm this benefit.
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths:
- This was the first prospective study (planned and tracked over time) to look at testosterone’s effect on the female voice.
- It used objective measurements (F₀) rather than relying on subjective complaints.
- The study lasted 12 months with four check-ins, giving a good picture of long-term effects.
- The implants ensured consistent dosing, and blood tests confirmed testosterone levels.
Limitations:
- The small sample size (only 10 women) makes it harder to detect small changes or generalize the results to all women.
- The group was diverse (different ages, menopausal statuses, and smoking habits), which might have masked some effects.
- Two missing data points slightly reduced the data available for analysis.
- The study didn’t look at women who rely on their voices professionally, like singers, who might notice subtle changes more.
Why Is This Important?
This study challenges the myth that testosterone therapy will automatically deepen a woman’s voice. It provides evidence that safe, therapeutic doses of testosterone, delivered through implants, are unlikely to cause voice problems. This is reassuring for women considering testosterone therapy for hormone deficiency symptoms, especially those worried about side effects. It’s also helpful for doctors, who can use this information to counsel patients and avoid assuming testosterone is the cause of voice issues.
The findings also highlight the need to investigate other causes of voice changes in women on testosterone therapy. Finally, the study suggests that testosterone might have positive effects on the voice in some cases, which could be explored in future research, especially for women with voice issues due to aging or hormone decline.
What’s Next?
The researchers recommend more studies to confirm these findings, especially with larger groups and specific populations, like singers or women with voice-related professions. They also suggest looking into whether testosterone could improve voice quality in women with low testosterone or vocal cord issues. For now, this study offers peace of mind that testosterone therapy, when used responsibly, is unlikely to harm the female voice.
