This blog is written by our clinicians and aims to keep patients informed with up to date information on medical conditions.
Is testosterone a supplementation part of the HRT treatment?
Testosterone is often perceived as a male only hormone, but scientists have shown that nothing can be further from the truth. Testosterone is produced in ovaries as well as adrenal glands and is often associated with our sex drive and libido levels. Additionally, it is responsible for regulating mood and supporting the health of female reproductive organs and bones. The levels of testosterone start to go down around the age of 40, but not as quickly as oestrogen or progesterone. As it is so important in females health, the question is: is testosterone a supplementation part of the HRT treatment?
Testosterone helps female bodies to develop their reproductive organs and in addition it also plays a role in brain function, our bone and muscle strength and of course our libido.
The hormone replacement therapy is no doubt effective in the management of some of the pre-/post-menopausal symptoms that result from ovarian failure during menopause. Systemic therapy is advised for symptoms like hot flushes, sweating and mood disturbances while topical preparations are advised for symptoms like vaginal dryness.
Around ¼ of all women have sexual symptoms during and after the menopause, including low libido. This can naturally cause a lot of distress and have a big impact on how they feel about their life and their relationship. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help to ease many of the symptoms that come with menopause as well as the low sex drive. If HRT is not sufficient enough for you, a combined treatment of testosterone and HRT is the next answer. Testosterone has been researched mainly to see if it improves sex drive and while the evidence is generally positive, it unfortunately does not help everyone. This may be due to the fact that testosterone is not the only factor that plays part in low libido. To see what is the best option for every woman, it is advised to seek a specialist advice that will ascertain a correct treatment regime is set up.
Testosterone is usually given as a gel, which women rub into their skin in the area of lower abdomen, inner aspect of the forearm or thighs. In the United Kingdom, testosterone therapy is not licensed for use by women, so it needs to be prescribed ‘off-license’. AndroFeme 1 is an Australian licensed testosterone treatment for women that can be prescribed in the UK on a private prescriptions. Please contact our lovely receptionists to know more about AndroFeme and how ROC Private Clinic Menopause Specialists can help you find individualised treatment for your menopausal symptoms.
References:
22-WHC-FACTSHEET-Testosterone-for-women-NOV2022-B.pdf (womens-health-concern.org)
Do you need Testosterone as part of your HRT? (harleystreetemporium.com)
