TLDR Testosterone therapy for postmenopausal women appears safe and may protect against heart disease, but requires constant monitoring and more research for long-term effects.
The document discusses the cardiovascular safety and benefits of subcutaneous testosterone therapy (STT) in postmenopausal women. It proposes a new criteria (IDEALSTT) for recommending STT, based on total testosterone level, carotid artery intima-media thickness, and calculated SCORE for a 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease. Despite controversies, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with testosterone has become prominent in treating pre and postmenopausal women. The document also highlights the challenges in diagnosing low testosterone in women due to lack of standard analysis and the fact that much of the total circulating testosterone is biologically unavailable due to its binding to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). The document concludes that constant monitoring is key to the safety and effectiveness of STT treatment. It also mentions that studies have shown no association between endogenous levels of testosterone in women and coronary artery disease, and some studies have shown that it might have a protective effect. However, more long-term dosing studies should be conducted to evaluate testosterone deficiency in women.
3 citations,
October 2022 in “International Journal of Impotence Research” Testosterone Replacement Therapy can improve sexual health in postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, but more research is needed on its long-term effects.
21 citations,
October 2011 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Testosterone therapy helped 63% of androgen-deficient women grow scalp hair, but more research is needed.
49 citations,
February 2009 in “Maturitas” Short-term testosterone therapy in women seems safe with few mild side effects, but long-term effects need more research.
81 citations,
May 2007 in “Fertility and Sterility” Testosterone therapy seems safe for postmenopausal women for a few years, but more research is needed for long-term effects.
282 citations,
October 2006 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” The Endocrine Society advised against routine testosterone therapy for women, citing a need for more research on long-term safety and a clear definition of androgen deficiency.
152 citations,
December 2007 in “Gender Medicine” Male and female skin differ due to hormones, affecting conditions like hair loss, acne, and skin cancer, and suggesting a need for gender-specific treatments.
21 citations,
December 2012 in “Maturitas” Testosterone implants in women require pharmacological dosing to be effective and are generally safe and well-tolerated.
21 citations,
October 2011 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Testosterone therapy helped 63% of androgen-deficient women grow scalp hair, but more research is needed.
37 citations,
February 2013 in “Maturitas” Testosterone therapy is beneficial for women's health and does not cause masculinization or liver damage, and it protects the heart and breasts.
19 citations,
December 2021 in “Endocrine Reviews” There are various effective hormone treatments for puberty induction in boys and girls with hypogonadism, and starting treatment early is important.
