Testosterone for Low Libido in Postmenopausal Women: Not Ready for Prime Time

Testosterone cannot be viewed as a clear-cut answer for women with HSDD; long-term side effects and risk for breast cancer remain uncertain.

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is common in postmenopausal and oophorectomized women and is characterized by absent desire for sexual activity or a decrease in desire sufficient to cause distress. In an industry-sponsored, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, investigators at 65 centers on three continents evaluated the effect of testosterone patches (delivering 150 μg or 300 μg daily) in 814 postmenopausal or oophorectomized women with HSDD who were not taking systemic estrogen.

After 24 weeks of treatment, the incidence of sexually satisfying episodes was significantly greater among women who received 300-μg testosterone than among women who received placebo (mean increase, 2.1 vs. 0.7 episodes per 4 weeks). Based on questionn…

Reviewing Author

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Testosterone for Low Libido in Postmenopausal Women: Not Ready for Prime Time

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Reviewing Author