Q: What is the difference between symptoms of oestrogen and testosterone deficiency?

A: Healthy young women produce about 100μg-200μg of testosterone each day which is about 5% of the daily testosterone production in men. Half of this is derived from the ovaries and half from the adrenal glands as the hormone DHEA is converted to testosterone in the body fat. The decline in androgen levels contribute to a decline in sexual desire, arousal and orgasm and also has effects on general well-being, energy, mood, bone physiology and decreased muscle mass as well as hot flushes.

It is important to differentiate the symptoms of oestrogen deficiency in post-menopausal women from testosterone deficiency. The oestrogen deficient woman has typical climacteric symptoms of hot flushes, sweats, sleep disturbance, mood changes and vaginal dryness. These symptoms do, of course, overlap with many of the symptoms of testosterone deficiency known as the Female Androgen Deficiency Syndrome (FADS). -- Professor of Gynaecology, John Studd - Differentiating Hormone Deficiency