Testosterone has become one of the most talked-about hormones in menopause care, but its evidence-based role is more specific than the hype sometimes suggests.
In Episode 5 of our MHT series, we look at what testosterone actually does in women, how levels change with age and menopause, and the one clear evidence-based indication for treatment: hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD.
We discuss how HSDD is assessed, the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire, why a blood testosterone level cannot diagnose the condition, and the importance of considering factors such as vaginal symptoms, sleep, medicines, mental health and relationships before prescribing.
We also cover AndroFeme 1 in Australia, dosing and application, monitoring, adverse effects, and why pellets, injections and supraphysiological testosterone dosing should be approached with caution.
And importantly, we separate the evidence from the enthusiasm around claims that testosterone treats fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, low mood, muscle loss or general “anti-ageing”.
P!nk has an important place in our hormonal girl band, but she doesn’t need to sing on every track.
Next episode: Vaginal Oestrogen and Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.
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