Testosterone Cream Lifts Libido: Study
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday October 15, 2003
A PILOT study by Australian researchers has shown that testosterone cream rubbed into the thigh can increase libido in pre-menopausal women.
However researchers said more studies were needed to test the safety and effectiveness of testosterone therapy in women, which can also cause hairiness, acne and deep voices if not supervised by a doctor.
All women produce testosterone, a hormone usually associated with men but used by the body to manufacture the female hormone oestrogen.
Testosterone levels decline during a woman's late reproductive years. By the time she reaches her 40s, a woman's circulating testosterone is half that of when she was in her 20s.
Low testosterone is linked to loss of libido, depressed moods and tiredness, as well as possible impaired cognitive function.
No products containing testosterone are registered for use by women in Australia, apart from a cream available only in Western Australia. But doctors can prescribe the hormone in a number of forms including creams, gels, lozenges, skin sprays, patches, implants or injections.
The study by the Jean Hailes Foundation in Melbourne and published in the US journal Menopause, found testosterone cream improved wellbeing, mood and sexual function in pre-menopausal women with low testosterone levels and a low libido - without signs of ``virilisation".
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury