
Testosterone for performance enhancement? Yes, please!
From Empowering Midlife Wellness with Dr. Susan by Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
May 13, 2026 · 22 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the role of testosterone in women's health and its impact on physical performance.
It’s time to move beyond the fear-based conversation around testosterone and start discussing the science. Testosterone is not simply a “male hormone.” It plays a critical role in women’s physiology — influencing muscle mass, endurance, motivation, cognition, mood, metabolic health, sexual function, recovery, and overall vitality. In this video, I explore: • The evidence behind testosterone and physical performance • Significant improvements in muscle mass and time to exhaustion (running) • Why free testosterone matters more than total testosterone alone • SHBG, albumin binding, and equilibrium dialysis • Genetic differences in androgen receptor sensitivity (CAG repeats) • Why there is no single “optimal” testosterone number for every woman • The importance of individualized dosing and monitoring • Long-term safety data, including transgender testosterone research More than 95% of testosterone is bound to SHBG and albumin. Hormonal physiology is nuanced, individualized, and far more complex than many outdated narratives suggest. The reality is this: When properly prescribed, dosed, and monitored, testosterone therapy is remarkably safe. Referenced studies include: • British…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
Topics covered
- testosterone
- performance enhancement
- women's health
- muscle mass
- individualized therapy
Keywords
- testosterone
- women's physiology
- muscle mass
- endurance
- cognition
- hormonal therapy
- safety data
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: British Journal of Sports Medicine
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