Testosterone for women after menopause: what do we know?
Clinicians have treated women with testosterone for decades, with the intention of addressing a variety of concerns and symptoms.
A recent meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial data (36 RCTs including 8480 study participants) found that Testosterone used by women after menopause significantly increased sexual function, including satisfactory sexual event frequency, sexual desire, pleasure, arousal, orgasm, responsiveness, and self-image and also reduced sexual concerns and distress. No serious adverse events were recorded.
Global experts have studied testosterone therapy in women after Menopause
An Australian Lead, Globally position statement on the use of Testosterone therapy for women has been endorsed by the International Menopause Society, The Endocrine Society, The European Menopause and Andropause Society, The International Society for Sexual Medicine, The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, The North American Menopause Society, The Federacion Latinoamericana de Sociedades de Climaterio y Menopausia, The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The International Society of Endocrinology, The Endocrine Society of Australia, and The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Unfortunately much of the medical literature analysed pathologises sexuality, defining hypoactive sexual desire disorder/dysfunction (HSDD) and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) as medical conditions with defined criteria for which women who participated in clinical trials presented for medical intervention.
Can blood testosterone levels be measured to see if replacement is needed?
The physiology of androgens is complicated because of their enzymatic conversion in tissues and possible intracrine metabolism. Study authors agree It is hard to define hormone level based criteria for either defined disorder.
Guidelines acknowledge no cut-off blood level can be used for any measured circulating androgen to differentiate women with and without sexual dysfunction. What we do know is over a woman’s lifetime, her natural circulating androgen levels fall, and this corresponds to reduced sex drive after the perimenopause/menopause transition.
Is Testosterone Safe for Women?
Testosterone in referenced studies was used as a regular drug taken consistently by study participants trans dermally or in the form of continuous release subcuticular implants.
Meta-analyses of the available data show no severe adverse events during physiological-level testosterone use, with the caveat that women at high cardiometabolic risk were excluded from studied populations. Findings were reassuring, and suggest that short-term non-oral testosterone therapy for women without cardiovascular risk factors is safe, does not increase breast mammographic density nor impact breast cancer risk.
Menopause: Disease or Lived Reality?
There is an unmet need for the provision and medical approval of testosterone treatments specific to women, formulated with the aim of enhancing sexual pleasure and satisfaction in a non-pathology centric model.
Lovers' Crazy Love is a novel concept. We use rapidly absorbed vaginally delivered feminine testosterone doses in combination with vasodilator molecules that draw blood flow to your genital area. We know testosterone boosts libido. We want women to be able to enjoy that advantage without a disease label, not all the time but when they want to.
We believe menopause is not a disease. It is a stage of life where a woman resides for many decades of her sensual experiences. Lovers mission is to help you find pleasure.
References:
Islam RM, Bell RJ, Green S, Page MJ, Davis SR. Safety and efficacy of testosterone for women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial data. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 Oct;7(10):754-766. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30189-5. Epub 2019 Jul 25. PMID: 31353194.
Davis SR, Baber R, Panay N, Bitzer J, Perez SC, Islam RM, Kaunitz AM, Kingsberg SA, Lambrinoudaki I, Liu J, Parish SJ, Pinkerton J, Rymer J, Simon JA, Vignozzi L, Wierman ME. Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Oct 1;104(10):4660-4666. doi: 10.1210/jc.2019-01603. PMID: 31498871; PMCID: PMC6821450.
Davis SR, Davison SL, Donath S, Bell RJ. Circulating androgen levels and self-reported sexual function in women. JAMA. 2005;294(1):91–96.