I AM YOU – Ep. 61 – Why Testosterone Matters for Women Too

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.  

In this episode, Dr. Alvarez breaks down one of the most misunderstood hormones in women’s health: testosterone. Far too often labeled a “male hormone,” testosterone has been overlooked in women for decades — despite the fact that it plays a critical role in energy, motivation, muscle mass, metabolism, brain function, sexual desire, and even vascular health.    

Through the story of a woman in midlife who no longer felt like herself, Dr. Alvarez explains how hormone shifts during perimenopause and menopause can affect far more than libido. She connects the dots between testosterone, cardiometabolic health, inflammation, blood pressure, sleep, and long-term heart risk — making the case that hormone care without cardiovascular awareness is incomplete care.    

With clarity and urgency, she unpacks:

• Why testosterone is not just about sex — it is a metabolic, vascular, and reproductive hormone in women

• Why women naturally produce testosterone, and why calling it a “male hormone” is misleading

• The biggest myths about testosterone therapy in women

• Why symptoms cannot be understood from one lab value alone

• Which tests matter most, including total testosterone, SHBG, free testosterone, lipids, ApoB, glucose, A1C, and blood pressure

• Why physiologic dosing, proper testing, and careful monitoring matter

• Five practical steps women can take right now to protect both their hormones and their hearts      

This episode is both a reality check and an invitation: if your energy, desire, metabolism, or sense of self has changed, do not ignore it. Understanding your hormones is not vanity — it is part of understanding your cardiovascular health, your vitality, and your future. Because becoming the CEO of your own health starts with finally understanding the biology no one ever explained to you.  

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