W170
TESTOSTERONE REVIVES A WOMAN'S LIBIDO
Several studies show that injections of the male hormone, testosterone, can heighten sexual desire in postmenopausal women who have lost interest in making love, but the benefit of testosterone for menstruating women has not been as well established.
A middle-aged woman's interest in making love is related to her blood level of male hormones (1) and not her female ones (2). A young girl's first sexual experience and first masturbation are associated with a rise in blood levels of her male hormones, not her female ones (3). A woman's blood level of male hormones drops as she ages (4). Like older men, older women with low blood levels of male hormones are more likely to lack interest in making love and can benefit from taking male hormones (5,6,7).
Just as arteriosclerotic older men are more likely to be impotent and suffer heart attacks, women with arteriosclerosis, when stimulated, have reduced vaginal lubrication and wall engorgement and decreased clitoral lengthening (8). There is little evidence to show that unhappiness in marriage is a major cause of general loss of interest in lovemaking, as marital counseling has little effect of sexual interest, while the new drug Viagra has a major effect (9). Low doses of testosterone do not cause any changes in cholesterol, triglycerides, clotting factors and the ovaries (10). If you are in a healthful relationship and are not overworked or sick, your doctor can prescribe Androgel, which is testosterone in gel form (applied to the skin); do not exceed 2.5 grams per week. Other options are a combination estrogen-testosterone pill (Estratest. 0.625 esterified estrogen plus 2.5 mg testosterone) or injections of testosterone enanthate (100 mg once a week for three doses.)
1) A Floter, J Nathorstboos, K Carlstrom, B Vonschoultz. Androgen status and sexual life in perimenopausal women. Menopause - the Journal of the North American Menopause Society 4: 2 (SUM 1997):95-100. androstenedione.
2) J Nathorstboos, I Wiklund, LA Mattsson, K Sandin, B Vonschoultz. Is Sexual Life Influenced by Transdermal Estrogen Therapy - A Double Blind Placebo Controlled Study in Postmenopausal Women. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 1994(Nov);72(8):656-660.
3) CT Halpern, JR Udry, C Suchindran. Testosterone predicts initiation of coitus in adolescent females. Psychosomatic Medicine 59: 2 (MAR-APR 1997):161-171.
4) T Mushayandebvu, VD Castracane, T Gimpel, T Adel, N Santoro. Evidence for diminished midcycle ovarian androgen production in older reproductive aged women. Fertility and Sterility 65: 4 (APR 1996):721-723.
5) Cardozo L et al. The effects of subcutaneous hormone implants during the climacteric. Maturitas 1984;5:177-184.
6) Burger HG et al. The management of persistant menopausal symptoms wuth estradiol-testosterone implants: clinical, lipid and h ormonal results. Maturitas 1984;6:351-358.
7) SR Davis. The role of androgens and the menopause in the female sexual response. International Journal of Impotence Research 10: Suppl. 2 (MAY 1998):S82-S83.
8) I Goldstein, JR Berman. Vasculogenic female sexual dysfunction: vaginal engorgement and clitoral erectile insufficiency syndromes. International Journal of Impotence Research. 10: Suppl. 2(MAY 1998):S84-S90. 8) PEM Lottman, JCM Hendriks, PA Vruggink, EJH Meuleman. The impact of marital satisfaction and psychological counselling on the outcome of ICI-treatment in men with ED. International Journal of Impotence Research 10: 2(JUN 1998):83-87.
9) HM Buckler, K Mcelhone, PN Durrington, MI Mackness, CA Ludlam, FCW Wu.The effects of low-dose testosterone treatment on lipid metabolism, clotting factors and ultrasonographic ovarian morphology in women. Clinical Endocrinology 49: 2 (AUG 1998):173-178.
Checked 9/5/05