While women produce much smaller amounts of testosterone, they do produce it--until menopause. After menopause women produce far less estrogen and almost no testosterone. The ratio of testosterone to estrogen tilts further toward estrogen and weight gain often follows.

Millions of men take testosterone supplements--usually with a cream or gel or patch. While it is clear that testosterone goes with virility and muscles, I have not seen much research on the effectiveness of testosterone supplements.

The problem is that mens' bodies often convert free testosterone to estrogen This of course defeats the intent of the supplement. Testosterone is a very emotional issue for men and I would expect a placebo effect in at least at third of men taking it. Thus a testimonial from a friend is not very good evidence.

What can be done?

>Exercising helps--especially weight lifting.

>Keeping trim reduces estrogen production.

>Avoiding fat in meat (that isn't organic) helps as most animals in the US are fed estrogen to fatten them up and the hormone residues are in their fat.

>Certain supplements can help metabolize estrogen including: diindolylmethane (DIM), chrysin, and nettle.

>Cruciferous vegetables are rich in DIM.

>In extreme cases, there are aromatase inhibitor medications that block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. They are primarily used in cancer treatment and would be off label for general health.

For several years some women have been using topic testosterone vaginally to increase sexual desire and sexual responsiveness. (This is an off label prescription.) There is some evidence of its effectiveness, but I would expect a strong placebo effect. Women should only even consider testosterone supplements for health and weight problems if they have had a thorough study of all their hormone levels.

Most of us could use some tweaking in our exercise and nutrition to help with testosterone levels. As with so much of health, going to extremes often does more harm than good, e.g., research indicates that either too little or too much testosterone increases the risk of cancer.

For men who want more in dept information, I recommend Dr. Al Sears' book 12 Secrets to Virility. For women who want to know more about hormones, Suzanne Somers' books on bioidentical hormone replacement, while very controversial, are a thought provoking read.

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Anti-aging Psychologist Dr. Michael Brickey is President of the Ageless Lifestyles Institute and author of Defy Aging. His new book, 52 baby steps to Grow Young, gives two-page-a-week practical steps for developing a youthful mindset at every age. Further information is at www.DrBrickey.com and www.Anti-Aging-Speaker.com.