Canadian Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Nicole Williams English says she “literally crawled out of bed” before starting treatment for low testosterone

Nicole Williams English regained his feelings again. The 41-year-old Canadian model recently told Yahoo, Canada She prioritizes health through regular exercise, a healthy diet and ongoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Williams English, who appears in the latest issue Sports Illustrated Swimsuitsaid she began to notice her daughter, Indian Moon, was already in extreme trouble when she was about 18 months old.
This article is for informational purposes only and cannot replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a qualified medical professional or make any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle before doing any physical exercise.
“I'll sleep for 10 hours, and when I wake up I feel like I've been sleeping for an hour and a half. I can't open my eyes. I'm dizzy, I don't feel myself.” “…I'm very moody. I'm snapped up everyone in the morning. I'm not frustrated, but I'm just angry. Everything is annoying. Everything is a disaster for me…my anxiety is really bad.”
Williams English posed with her husband and retired NFL player Larry English, who said HRT helped her restore energy. (via Getty Images)
Williams English’s husband, retired NFL player Larry English, contacted a Florida doctor who ordered a blood survey and a complete hormone panel. The results showed that she was low in testosterone and needed daily medication to help balance testosterone levels.
“I thought I would go to (pharmacy), buy my iron potion, get my D3, but not. Until I went deeper, they really looked at my blood, I would never know.” “I was actually getting up. I was really tired.”
Now, Williams English has discovered a dose that works for her and she has the ability to keep up with a little kid and continue to develop her career. But what is HRT? How do you know that testosterone is low? Continue reading to learn more.
Hormone replacement therapy and low testosterone
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not just a treatment option for menopause women. Although HRT became a form of treatment in the 1990s to help alleviate menopause symptoms (which greatly affects women's quality of life), its uses are not limited to treating brain fog, hot flashes, and other side effects of low estrogen and progesterone. HRT can also be used in women with low testosterone levels. But it's not as simple as it seems.
“Testosterone is a very important hormone in women…but this is poorly studied testosterone and is actually focusing only on niche areas such as libido and sexual behavior,” said Dr. Michelle Jacobson. Yahoo, Canada.
While testosterone does affect women’s sexual desire, it also affects mood, energy levels, bone and muscle health, as well as menstrual cycles and fertility.
HRT can take many forms, including pills, creams, gels and injections. (via Getty Images)
What are the signs of low testosterone in women?
Symptoms of low testosterone in women may include:
Jacobson, who did not treat Williams English, explained that the lack of quality information and evidence makes it difficult to measure and understand that women have lower testosterone levels, because women naturally have lower testosterone levels than men. There is not enough research to understand what gaps in women’s testosterone levels mean for their function and feelings.
“We have years of bad evidence left with us, and that evidence doesn’t really answer the questions we should ask,” Jacobson said. “So we don’t have strong evidence to guide testosterone use in one way or another.”
Although Health Canada currently has no testosterone drugs approved for testosterone drugs for Canadian women and no federally approved testosterone drugs are conducted for women in the United States, Jacobson said health care providers can repurpose and prescribe testosterone drugs approved for lower doses of men.
What are the side effects of testosterone HRT in women?
Testosterone HRT can be in the form of gel and cream, injection, implanted pellet, or oral medication. Although there are benefits to using testosterone HRT for women, it can also have side effects.
Potential side effects may include:
Although some side effects can be reversible by regulation of hormone levels, some are permanent deepening of speech or clitoral enlargement.
How do you know if testosterone HRT is right for you?
Blood tests can help determine if your hormone levels are low, but Jacobson points out that it is important for healthcare providers to consider the patient's symptoms and the potential benefits of testosterone HRT.
“We do need to figure out a way to meet in the middle so that we need not only what the patients need, but their quality of life,” she said. “So much medicine ignores quality of life and focuses on what is medically necessary or directed or taboo, but this provides a big part of the functionality, compliance and well-being.”
Talk to your doctor about options for hormone replacement therapy. (via Getty Images)
Why do testosterone levels drop?
There are many reasons why women have low testosterone levels. As women age, especially in early menopause, testosterone levels naturally begin to decline. However, certain drugs (such as birth control and acne medications or drugs used for hair loss) can also lower the body's free testosterone levels (testosterone is not linked to protein).
Women with ovarian surgery or who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also have lower testosterone levels.
There are a variety of factors that can affect testosterone levels, including poor lifestyle factors, lack of sleep, prolonged stress, substance abuse, alcohol consumption, and smoking.
What is it possible for women to naturally increase testosterone levels?
In addition to taking hormone supplements, there are some steps women can take to help naturally increase testosterone levels, Jacobson said.
“The thing you can do to help improve testosterone is to build more muscle mass and eat more protein,” she said. “It’s kind of like a positive enhanced feedback loop, which is outside of exogenous (external) testosterone.”
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