Hormones
Testosterone, menopause and hormone therapy as you age.
85 answers, from 586 studies
Last updated: September 2026
Key questions
Can vaginal oestrogen therapy do more than simply relieve symptoms -- such as preventing urinary tract infections or even extending your life?
Vaginal oestrogen does more than relieve symptoms: it roughly halves the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections and…
Yes · Strong evidence
What role do hormones play in mental health complaints, and does current psychiatry fall short by only targeting symptoms?
Hormones, and cortisol in particular, play a demonstrable role in mental health complaints in a proportion of patients, but…
Moderate evidence
How do you get your hormone levels tested during perimenopause?
Hormone tests during perimenopause are difficult to interpret: AMH is the most practical option, but does not reliably predict…
Moderate evidence
Which hormone levels are tested during menopause and what do the results mean?
During menopause, the hormones measured most commonly are FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and AMH; elevated…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does the lipid profile change after menopause, and what can you do about it?
After menopause, the lipid profile demonstrably worsens due to the decline in oestrogen. Regular exercise and moderately…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Why do bones become more brittle after menopause, and what can help?
Bone loss after menopause is well understood and partly preventable: oestrogen deficiency is at the core, but good nutrition,…
Yes · Strong evidence
What can help women increase their libido?
There are several well-supported options depending on your life stage: for women after menopause, transdermal testosterone has…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do your hormones influence how quickly you age?
Hormones do influence ageing, but do not control it entirely. Fat distribution, muscle mass and inflammatory processes are all…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does an adrenal cocktail actually work?
The adrenal cocktail has never been tested in humans and rests on an assumption, exhausted adrenal glands caused by stress,…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does fadogia agrestis increase your testosterone?
Do not use it. There is barely any human evidence that fadogia agrestis raises testosterone, it is not authorised for sale in…
Insufficient evidence
Does hormone therapy help women age more healthily?
Hormone therapy relieves menopausal symptoms well and shows positive indications for bones and metabolism, but the effects on…
Moderate evidence
What does menopause do to your risk of cardiovascular disease?
Menopause demonstrably increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily through unfavourable changes in fat…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does shilajit actually work as a supplement?
Be careful. There is little strong evidence that shilajit works, it has no authorised novel-food status in the EU, and…
Preliminary evidence
Does boron raise your testosterone?
The two randomised studies in men show no effect on testosterone; the only small study that did find a rise in men had no…
No · Preliminary evidence
Does tongkat ali actually work for your testosterone?
Do not use it, even though it probably does raise your testosterone. The European food safety authority EFSA found signs that…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does the transition or menopause do to your gut microbiome?
Menopause is accompanied by measurable shifts in the gut microbiome, but how large these are and what they mean in practice…
How do I know whether my mood swings are hormonal or something else?
The cyclical pattern of your symptoms is the best distinguishing factor: if they occur only in the two weeks before your…
What is the relationship between the thyroid and the immune system?
There is a clear and well-defined relationship: autoimmune diseases of the thyroid arise because the immune system attacks the…
Does excess weight really make your hormones worse?
Excess weight disrupts your hormones in multiple ways simultaneously, and this is not a coincidental association. In men,…
Can an unhealthy diet cause puberty to start earlier?
A calorie-rich diet high in animal protein and low in fibre increases the likelihood of earlier puberty in girls, especially…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does your body fat affect hormone production as you get older?
Body fat has a considerable influence on your hormonal balance as you age: more abdominal fat disrupts insulin sensitivity,…
Can hormones explain why women live longer on average than men?
Sex hormones likely contribute to women's longer lifespan, but they do not fully explain the difference. Social factors also…
What does caffeine do to your stress hormones when you drink a lot of it?
High caffeine intake raises your cortisol, especially during stress or exercise and later in the day; you partially adapt to…
Can a vitamin D deficiency affect your hormones?
A vitamin D deficiency disrupts hormone levels, primarily through a rise in parathyroid hormone PTH, which affects your bones,…
Does the amount of muscle mass you have affect your hormone balance?
More muscle mass improves your insulin sensitivity and is associated with more favourable hormone values after training, but…
Why do some women experience thyroid problems after giving birth?
After delivery, the immune system sometimes overshoots and damages the thyroid, leading to temporary hormonal disturbances in…
Can low blood sugar disrupt your hormones, and how do you notice it?
Low blood sugar immediately raises stress hormones and causes symptoms such as trembling, sweating and irritability. People…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does chronic sleep deprivation do to your fertility when you are trying to conceive?
Chronic sleep deprivation and frequent insomnia have been linked in several large studies to a lower chance of conception and…
Do male hormones affect how quickly men age?
Declining testosterone measurably accelerates ageing of muscles, bones and sexual function, but the links to mood and skin are…
Can your thyroid be thrown off balance by getting too much or too little iodine?
Both too little and too much iodine can disrupt the thyroid; make sure you get enough each day, but avoid large supplements…
Why do some women suddenly experience anxiety symptoms after menopause?
Fluctuating oestrogen levels disrupt brain systems that regulate anxiety and mood, causing some women to experience anxiety…
Is there a link between your hormones and the risk of dementia later in life?
There is solid evidence that thyroid hormones, sex hormones and stress hormones all play a role in dementia risk. The evidence…
What does using steroids (as in sports) do to your bones?
The effect of steroid misuse in sport on your bones has barely been studied at the high doses used in practice. The side…
What does taking the pill for a long time do to your hormones when you stop?
After stopping the pill, your hormone balance generally recovers within a few weeks to months, regardless of how long you have…
Can low progesterone levels cause symptoms before menopause?
Low progesterone levels can cause symptoms well before menopause, such as an increased risk of uterine cancer, more abdominal…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What do thyroid problems have to do with osteoporosis?
Both an overactive and an underactive thyroid increase the risk of osteoporosis. If you have a thyroid condition, it is wise…
Does sunlight affect your hormones, and if so, how?
Sunlight affects multiple hormones simultaneously: it stimulates vitamin D and beta-endorphin, suppresses melatonin, and can…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can eating disorders such as anorexia cause permanent bone damage?
Anorexia causes permanent bone damage in the majority of cases, particularly when the condition begins during adolescence.…
What is the relationship between your thyroid and depressive symptoms?
There is a clear association between thyroid problems and depressive symptoms, although the precise direction of influence has…
Do men need estrogen for their health?
Yes, men need oestrogen for strong bones, healthy blood vessels, and fertility. Both a deficiency and an excess are harmful,…
What does pregnancy do to your hormone balance in the long term?
Pregnancy brings about hormonal changes that are partly temporary, but in the case of gestational diabetes the risk of type 2…
Can stress make you infertile?
Prolonged, severe stress can genuinely disrupt fertility, but whether ordinary everyday stress alone is enough to cause…
Moderate evidence
Can thyroid problems worsen your memory and concentration?
A clearly underactive or overactive thyroid can noticeably affect your memory, concentration and mood. With mild thyroid…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What are hormone disruptors, and are they really found in everyday products?
Hormone disruptors are demonstrably present in a great many everyday products and are measurable in the human body. Complete…
Yes · Strong evidence
Does fasting (intermittent fasting) help improve your insulin levels and other hormones?
Fasting probably improves your insulin levels, but most studies are small and short-term. Eating early in the day appears to…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Can exercise really improve your hormone levels as you get older?
Yes, exercise demonstrably raises several hormone levels in people over 40. The strongest practical benefit lies in muscle…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Is it true that women age more slowly biologically than men?
Multiple studies confirm that women are biologically younger than men of the same age, but women also spend their extra years…
Why do you sleep worse as you get older, and do hormones play a role in that?
Sleeping worse with age is well documented and has multiple causes, including brain changes and, in women, the menopause.…
Yes · Moderate evidence
What does chronic stress do to your weight in the long run?
Chronic stress contributes to long-term weight gain and abdominal fat through elevated cortisol, inflammation, and less…
Can eating too little disrupt your hormones, even if you do not have an eating disorder?
Even a temporary, substantial calorie deficit can disrupt sleep and reproductive hormones in healthy women; the timing of your…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How does your gut microbiome influence your hormone balance?
Your gut microbiome drives multiple hormones through enzymes, fermentation products and bile acids, ranging from oestrogen to…
What does alcohol do to your hormones when you drink it regularly?
Drinking alcohol regularly disrupts your hormonal balance in several ways: testosterone falls in men, cortisol rises…
Does using the contraceptive pill increase my risk of cancer?
The pill demonstrably lowers the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, but slightly raises the risk of breast cancer with…
Moderate evidence
Can women preserve their fertility longer through lifestyle choices?
Lifestyle can influence your fertility, but genetics largely determines when you go through menopause. Avoid frequent heavy…
Moderate evidence
Does menopause accelerate skin ageing?
Menopause noticeably accelerates the loss of collagen, moisture retention and skin thickness, but spots and skin cancer are…
What does your estrogen level do to your memory and concentration?
Oestrogen has a measurable influence on memory and concentration, and the decline during perimenopause is accompanied by…
Can your thyroid be normal on a test but still cause symptoms?
Yes, a normal test result does not rule out thyroid-related symptoms. If you continue to have symptoms after a normal result,…
Can poor sleep permanently disrupt your hormones?
Poor sleep disrupts your hormones quickly and measurably, but 'permanent' is too strong a claim: recovery appears possible…
What does chronically high cortisol do to your belly fat and blood sugar?
Chronically high cortisol directs fat toward the abdominal cavity and increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2…
What does cortisol do to your body in the long run when you are chronically stressed?
Chronic stress noticeably dysregulates your cortisol system: your daily rhythm flattens, your immune function, sleep and…
What is a healthy HbA1c value?
There is no fixed 'healthy' HbA1c value: lower within the normal range appears to be better, but how low is optimal also…
Do black cohosh or red clover help with hot flushes during menopause?
Black cohosh modestly but demonstrably reduces hot flushes; red clover has too little solid evidence to recommend. If you want…
Moderate evidence
Can you delay menopause with lifestyle or diet?
Avoiding smoking, eating less red meat, and eating more citrus fruit and oily fish appear to have a favourable influence on…
Preliminary evidence
What helps against menopause symptoms like hot flushes and mood swings?
Hormone therapy works best against hot flushes and night sweats. Those who cannot or do not wish to use it can choose from…
Strong evidence
What complaints are most common during menopause?
The most common menopausal complaints are joint and muscle pain, fatigue and sleep problems; hot flushes are the most…
Does menopause increase a woman's risk of joint pain or joint complaints?
Menopause increases the risk of joint pain and osteoarthritis in most women; it helps to avoid excess weight, stay active, and…
Does my growth hormone decline with age, and does that matter?
Your growth hormone does indeed decline sharply with age. Reversing that with hormone injections offers little benefit in…
Yes · Strong evidence
Is testosterone important for women?
Testosterone is a physiologically relevant hormone for women, with the strongest evidence for sexual desire and sexual…
Do men get osteoporosis too?
Men certainly get osteoporosis, and after a first fracture they are at even greater risk of a subsequent fracture or death…
Does the menopause disrupt my sleep, and what can help?
The menopause genuinely disrupts your sleep, primarily through hot flashes and hormonal changes. Cognitive behavioural therapy…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Does my weight and metabolism change during menopause?
During menopause, your body composition changes profoundly: more abdominal fat, less muscle and a lower resting metabolic…
What does the stress hormone cortisol do to my ageing?
Chronically elevated cortisol accelerates muscle loss and disrupts your metabolism, and that effect is real. Good sleep and…
Is it worth getting my hormones tested if I feel run down and lacking energy?
Testing thyroid and adrenal function can be worthwhile if you feel run down, but having a broad hormone panel done without a…
Moderate evidence
What does the menopause do to my heart and bones in the long term?
In the long run, menopause increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and bone loss, and that effect is greater with an…
Does testosterone decline in men with age, and should you do something about it?
Testosterone really does decline in men with age. TRT is well supported only in men with established hypogonadism and…
Yes · Strong evidence
Can you counteract DNA damage from ageing through your lifestyle?
Quitting smoking, exercising regularly and eating plenty of vegetables demonstrably reduce DNA damage; antioxidant supplements…
Yes · Moderate evidence
How do I know if I am at risk of osteoporosis?
You can get a good sense of your risk based on age, sex, hormonal history, medication use and lifestyle. If you have multiple…
Strong evidence
Is hormone therapy for the menopause safe and worthwhile?
Hormone therapy works excellently against hot flushes and vaginal symptoms, but whether it is safe for you depends on your…
Strong evidence
Does my libido decline after 40, and is there anything I can do about it?
A decline in libido after 40 is normal but not inevitable. For men with a confirmed low testosterone level and associated…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Do DHEA or growth hormone help against ageing, or are they risky?
For healthy older adults, DHEA is not a proven anti-ageing agent, and for growth hormone the long-term risks are unknown. If…
Preliminary evidence
Does a male menopause exist?
A male menopause genuinely exists, but it proceeds so gradually that many men do not recognise their complaints as hormonal;…
What exactly happens during perimenopause, and what helps with it?
Perimenopause brings a wide range of symptoms, from hot flushes and sleep problems to bone loss. Hormone therapy is the…
Yes · Moderate evidence
Which supplements actually help with menopause?
Red clover isoflavones and black cohosh have the strongest evidence for reducing hot flashes; soy isoflavones also help to…
Moderate evidence
How can you increase sperm quality and quantity after the age of 40?
Improving sperm quality after forty is possible through lifestyle adjustments and, if you have a varicocele, surgical…
Moderate evidence
Does using testosterone help if you are over 50, and can it be dangerous?
Testosterone can be worthwhile for men over 50 with a medically confirmed testosterone deficiency, but it is not a treatment…
Yes · Strong evidence
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