A daily dose of testosterone may be all some women with a low sex drive need to recover a lost libido, a new study says.
In a study of more than 800 postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, researchers found that wearing a patch that delivers a daily dose of testosterone boosts libido and increases the number of satisfying sexual encounters.
Studies show that between nine and 43 per cent of postmenopausal women have low sex drives due to lower sex-hormone levels.
The research showed that:
- Women who received a daily dose of 150 micrograms of testosterone reported an increase in levels of sexual desire.
- Women who received 300 micrograms of testosterone daily reported having a healthier libido as well as experiencing an average of 2.1 satisfying sexual episodes per month, compared to only 0.7 among a placebo group.
"There was an increase in desire, arousal organisms and a reduction in distress, making it a meaningful treatment for women," one of the study's authors, Dr. Michelle Moreau of the Salisbury Clinic in the United Kingdom, told CTV News.
The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The researchers caution that the higher testosterone dose caused some side effects.
About 30 per cent of the study subjects who were given 300 mcg of testosterone experienced unwanted hair growth, compared to 23.1 per cent in the placebo group.
As well, some subjects developed facial acne, changes in their voices and hair loss. Four study subjects developed breast cancer, though one developed the disease very early in the trial while another exhibited symptoms before the trial began.
The researchers conceded that further study on testosterone's side effects must be conducted before the hormone can become an accepted course of treatment for sexual dysfunction in women.
The use of low-dose testosterone patches to improve sexual function in postmenopausal women has already been approved for use in many parts of Europe.
However, testosterone is not approved in the U.S. and Canada, although some doctors do prescribe it to their patients.
"I think this is a reasonable option for women to consider and is a discussion for women to have with their doctors," Dr. Stephen Holzapfel, director of the sexual medicine counselling unit at Women's College Hospital, told CTV News.
Hozapfel cautioned that any woman who is given testosterone should undergo regular checkups, mammograms and Pap smears to ensure the hormone isn't causing potentially serious long-term side effects.
Carlyle Jansen of Toronto women's sex shop Good For Her said that treating a low sex drive doesn't have to solely focus on hormones.
Jansen leads a course called "Where Did It Go? On (Re) Discovering Your Lost Libido," which helps women boost desire with "physical, emotional, medical and/or herbal strategies," according to the seminar's web page.
According to the researchers, studies have shown that despite having a decreased sex drive, many women continue to engage in sexual activity to please their partners, which can lead to feelings of stress and resentment.
"I think women are not prepared to settle for a low sex drive anymore," Jansen told CTV News.
Lise Couet, who was part of the study, said both she and her husband were happy with the results of the testosterone patch.
"I felt a new energy, more strength and concentration, and more desire," Couet said.
With a report from CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and senior producer Elizabeth St. Philip
