Testosterone shown to help sexually frustrated women

Health Home>>>> Written by: Dr. Gifford Jones, Special to QMI Agency Jun. 9, 2012 (Shutterstock)

Several weeks ago my column, "Do you want better sex?" struck a resounding note not only with female readers but also with many husbands who want their wives to have fewer headaches. The general response was, Please write more about testosterone and how it can increase female libido.

Testosterone, the male hormone, has been called the hormone of desire. In males the Big T builds muscle for boys and ultimately turns boys into sexually well-functioning men. Women also produce testosterone during puberty, but only about one-tenth as much as males. Later in life they produce less, and this is why some authorities believe women lose interest in sex.

Women may lack this hormone for several reasons. In North America 700,000 hysterectomies are done every year. The ovaries that produce estrogen and testosterone are removed in 50% of these cases between the age of 40-44 years and in 80% between 45 to 54 years of age. This sudden removal of hormones can trigger female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

Studies done at McGill University in Montreal showed that women whose ovaries had been removed proved to be more interested in sexual intercourse after treatment with a combination of estrogen and testosterone. So why is this combination, or testosterone alone, not prescribed more often to replace the tiger in the tank?

The problem is not simple. Some doctors are skeptical about the use of testosterone for women. They argue that not enough study has been done to demonstrate its effectiveness and long-term safety, and until research is complete testosterone should be used cautiously, or not at all. For instance, its been shown that testosterone can have negative effects on cholesterol levels, primarily decreasing HDL, the good cholesterol.

Other critics point out that FSD can be the result of many medical and psychological conditions such as an unhappy marriage, or financial troubles.

Who is right about the use of testosterone will not be solved for many years. After all, the use of estrogen therapy for women has been a controversial subject since 1980. But female advocates of testosterone therapy complain that too many doctors are reluctant to even discuss sexuality, let alone accept the fact that some women would benefit from testosterone.

Dr. Jerald Bain, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, is an exception. He prescribes testosterone, but with some reservations. He says that testosterone is not appropriate for women of childbearing age as they produce sufficient amounts at that age. And its use is also contraindicated in women who have breast or uterine cancer, liver problems or cardiovascular disease.

And theres another problem. Dr. Bain reports that blood studies to measure the amount of testosterone are not always a reliable indicator for gauging FSD. Ovaries and adrenal glands that produce testosterone do not store it. Once produced, testosterone is secreted into the bloodstream where 99% becomes attached to sex hormone binding globulin. The remaining 1% is known as bio-available testosterone or the working T. As well, some women with low amounts of testosterone have great sex lives while others with high amounts have lackluster sexual drive.

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Testosterone shown to help sexually frustrated women

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