Trials of a testosterone patch to boost sex drive in menopausal women are about to start in the UK. Here, Rachel Ellis assesses how important this patch can be to women’s well-being.
What role does testosterone play in women?
Many consider testosterone to be only a male sex hormone, but it is also very important for women.
It plays a role in maintaining a woman’s libido and energy levels, improves mood, sleep and keeps bones healthy. In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands (while in men it is produced in the testicles).
Do women’s values change over time?
“Levels peak in women’s mid-twenties and begin to decline in their thirties,” says Dr.
“Unless a woman has symptoms of low sex drive that are not improved by estrogen treatment, we will not check her testosterone levels.”
There is no “normal” level of testosterone for women, but they generally have “about one-tenth the level of testosterone that men have,” explains Dr. hamoda
Many consider testosterone to be only a male sex hormone, but it is also very important for women
What are the consequences of low testosterone levels?
This can lead to low sex drive in some women – and is a common symptom of menopause.
However, this is not the case for all menopausal women, and a low sex drive can be linked to other factors, including medical conditions, medications and relationship problems.
Testosterone is a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-approved treatment for women with low libido when HRT fails to alleviate the problem.
“In a significant proportion of menopausal women, testosterone has a beneficial effect on sex drive,” says dr. hamoda
“However, we do not yet know whether testosterone also has a beneficial effect on energy levels, mood, sleep and bone health, and it is not approved to treat these issues.” More research is needed to assess this.’
Is this available to women on the NHS?
There is currently no testosterone product approved specifically for women in the UK. There are three testosterone gels approved for men: Tostran, Testim and Testogel, which are rubbed into the skin daily. It can be prescribed to women with low libido – both on the NHS and privately – under the supervision of a specialist and prescribed by a GP.
But access to the treatment can be spotty with some NHS practitioners feeling uncomfortable or reluctant to prescribe it, perhaps because it is approved for men or because they are restricted by local prescribing guidelines.
“Some NHS GPs will not prescribe it until a specialist has decided it is the right treatment for the woman,” says Dr. hamoda
“A testosterone patch for women would be a welcome addition in the UK. A supplement made especially for them will be more reassuring.”
It is not known how many women in the UK are currently on testosterone therapy.
Is it available privately and what is the cost?
Testosterone gel is available from the NHS and privately for around £80 for a six month supply. To get it privately, you need to pay for a consultation with a private doctor who can do a blood test to check your testosterone levels.
Can men get the same treatment?
Yes, the three testosterone gels currently available to women in this country are intended for men. This can make it difficult for women to estimate the dose they need (for example, women should take a small portion from a sachet as prescribed by their doctor).
“Dose is usually about 5 mg per day for women — 10 times lower than the typical 50 mg per day for men,” says Dr. hamoda
Testosterone deficiency in men is dubbed “male menopause” by some, but it’s a controversial topic, with some experts saying it’s a big problem while others question its existence.
Nevertheless, Superdrug Online Doctor, for example, is seeing steadily increasing demand for its male testosterone testing and treatment service, which launched in 2019. In the last 12 months, the number of orders for this service has increased by 190 percent.
Trials of testosterone patch to boost sex drive in menopausal women begin in UK
What is the benefit of the new patch?
The new patch does the same job as the gels currently available. However, since it’s formulated for women, you don’t have to worry about how much gel to apply. “The patch is also a convenient way to get testosterone, like estrogen patches that are often used with HRT,” says Dr. hamoda
Is this the first testosterone patch for women?
No, another testosterone patch for women called Intrinsa was developed and made available by the NHS in 2007.
However, it was withdrawn about ten years ago for commercial reasons. It was never approved in the US due to insufficient data.
A new testosterone cream for women, AndroFeme, was recently approved in Australia but is not currently approved in the UK, although it is imported for home use under a special license from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
When might the new patch be available?
The new testosterone patch for women with “low libido and reduced enjoyment of life due to menopause” is being developed by a University of Warwick-affiliated company. David Haddleton, a chemistry professor who is leading the research, says trials of the new patch will begin in the fall (2023).
He said: “Our work is not only theoretical but focuses on a problem women face that can drastically affect their daily life and work.
“It can create a product that is desperately needed and simply not available.” But even if the trials are successful, it will likely be several years before the patches are widely available.
Are there side effects when taking testosterone?
“In general, testosterone treatment is very safe and side effects in women are rare,” says Dr. hamoda
“However, as with all androgen (male sex hormone) treatments, there are potential side effects, including acne, excessive hair growth and thinning hair, but these tend to occur when higher doses of testosterone are taken.
“You’d have to take a lot over a long period of time to experience that.” Taking a little more than the recommended dose is unlikely to cause any problems.”
My libido returned – but my husband said it made me irritable
Pictured: Louise Atkinson, 58
Author Louise Atkinson (58) lives in Oxfordshire with her husband Jon (59) and has three children in their 20s. She says:
Once I started taking testosterone, I felt the benefits almost overnight. My mood swings, anxiety and brain fog went away and I felt like I had the energy and strength I had ten years ago.
Admittedly, I started taking Testosterone Gel along with estrogen and progesterone as part of an HRT pack when I hit menopause in my late 40s.
At the time, GPs were reluctant to offer HRT because they feared an increased risk of breast cancer, which was later disproved. The private gynecologist I consulted gave me the same pre-printed three-for-one prescription he gave all his middle-aged patients and insisted that testosterone was an important part of the hormone mix and that it was my driving force. and flags my libido will improve.
The combination made me feel refreshed and friends (especially those who weren’t on HRT) were jealous of my testosterone surge.
The problem was getting it. When NICE guidelines changed in 2015, my GP was happy to include the estrogen and progesterone portions of my HRT formulation but refused to add testosterone. She told me it wasn’t properly tested on women and made me feel like I was asking about illegal party drugs.
I had to come back for a private consultation (£350) and another blood test (£350) to ensure a six month supply of testosterone gel, which was around £50 at the time.
After about five years I stopped updating the recipe – I felt I couldn’t justify the expense – and noticed that my personality had mellowed (my husband found me more pleasant to be around He said that testosterone made me sometimes make irritable).
Interestingly, I lost any desire to keep up with the extreme yoga and handstand classes I was keeping up with every week.
I also got lazy and got a middle aged belly. But about two years ago the lack of energy and drive and libido made me look for another private GP who was willing to give me a private testosterone prescription (£150 for the consultation) on the condition that I take regular blood tests to take care of my levels. The six month prescription costs around £80.
I’ve noticed my energy levels and libido pick up quickly, but testosterone gel is formulated for men in much larger amounts than women need, so every second you have to squeeze a tiny dot out of a pouch and into the skin or rub third day. It’s really clumsy and inaccurate. At some point I let my stock decrease.
The closer I get to 60, the quieter I live and I’m not sure if the energy and readily available libido Testosterone is best for marital harmony when your partner’s natural hormone levels drop.
However, I would be interested in a low dose patch if it could continuously release a small amount of this important hormone. But only if my husband can have one too!
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
