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Testosterone May Help Improve Women's Sexual Life After Menopause

The hormone testosterone is normally linked with males. However, a recent study published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology proves otherwise. The paper focuses on the impact of testosterone on the sexual life of post-menopausal women.

Reviewing the 36 trials conducted to understand the possible impact of the hormones on improving the sex life of women who have achieved menopause, the research team came to the aforementioned understanding.

The team made use of 46 reports of 36 trials which comprised of 8,480 participants and was comprised of testosterone treatment that had lasted for a period of 12 weeks.

Testosterone May Help Improve Womens Sexual Life After Menopause

Testosterone Is Beneficial For Women

Yes, although you may believe that testosterone is the 'male' hormone that only benefits men, thousands of studies will prove you otherwise. The hormones can help in improving women's libido and orgasms, and also help improve muscle strength, mood, metabolic function; as well as the ability to think, remember, and reason [1] .

In past researches, although it was pointed out that the hormone can be beneficial for women, the available formulations of testosterone therapy were developed for men, with no evidence on the effect it can have on women.

The current study reviewed findings from 1990 to 2018 and the team of researchers examined how the testosterone therapy affected sexual function (along with other factors such as cardiovascular, cognitive, and musculoskeletal health), so as to identify the possible impact the hormone has on the woman's mood, lipid profiles, breast density and hair growth - and was asserted that it had no benefits to a woman's cognition, bone density, muscle strength, or body composition [2] [3] .

Senior author Professor Susan Davis from Monash University, Australia said, "The beneficial effects for post-menopausal women shown in our study extend beyond simply increasing the number of times a month they have sex."

She continued, "Some women who have regular sexual encounters report dissatisfaction with their sexual function, so increasing their frequency of a positive sexual experience from never or occasionally to once or twice a month can improve self-image and reduce sexual concerns - and may improve overall well-being."

No Serious Side Effects - But More Research To Be Done

After examining and analysing the data incurred from all these studies, the researchers concluded that the participants had experienced no serious side effects from the treatments. It posed no risk to the individual's insulin levels, blood pressure, glucose levels or breast health [4] .

The researchers were also able to gather the understanding that women who had undergone testosterone therapy were not prone to the risk of developing cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack or stroke.

However, few of the minor side effects noticed in the participants were worsening lipid profiles and increased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [5] .

Prof. Davis also pointed out that although the study has incurred a possible positive impact of testosterone hormones in post-menopausal women, more clinical studies are required to gather a credible and strong result.

View Article References
  1. [1] Davis, S. R., & Wahlin-Jacobsen, S. (2015). Testosterone in women—the clinical significance. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 3(12), 980-992.
  2. [2] Davis, S. R., Jane, F., Robinson, P. J., Davison, S. L., Worsley, R., Maruff, P., & Bell, R. J. (2014). Transdermal testosterone improves verbal learning and memory in postmenopausal women not on oestrogen therapy. Clinical endocrinology, 81(4), 621-628.
  3. [3] Buckler, H. M., McElhone, K., Durrington, P. N., Mackness, M. I., Ludlam, C. A., & Wu, F. C. W. (1998). The effects of low‐dose testosterone treatment on lipid metabolism, clotting factors and ultrasonographic ovarian morphology in women. Clinical endocrinology, 49(2), 173-178.
  4. [4] Janssen, I., Powell, L. H., Kazlauskaite, R., & Dugan, S. A. (2010). Testosterone and visceral fat in midlife women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) fat patterning study. Obesity, 18(3), 604-610.
  5. [5] Davis, S. R., Robinson, P. J., Moufarege, A., & Bell, R. J. (2012). The contribution of SHBG to the variation in HOMA‐IR is not dependent on endogenous oestrogen or androgen levels in postmenopausal women. Clinical endocrinology, 77(4), 541-547.

Read more about: menopause sexual health