Adding Methyltestosterone to Esterified Estrogens Improved their Efficacy in Controlling Hot Flashes

Combination esterified estrogen plus methyltestosterone has been widely used in U.S. practice, particularly for surgically menopausal women with troublesome low sexual desire. Although results of the Women's Health Initiative have raised questions about risks and benefits of hormone therapy, interest in treating postmenopausal women with androgens remains high. Investigators conducted a manufacturer-supported 12-week trial to determine if various doses of oral esterified estrogens plus methyltestosterone (all of which were lower than those in the estrogen-plus-methyltestosterone formulations available in the U.S.) were more effective than estrogen alone, testosterone alone, or placebo in controlling hot flashes. A total of 1288 women were r…