Testosterone and Female Sexuality: A Skeptical View
March 2004
in “
Current Sexual Health Reports
”
TLDR Testosterone's role in women's sex drive is unclear and needs more research, as low levels don't always mean less sexual interest and high levels can cause side effects.
In 2004, Geoffrey P. Redmond, MD, challenged the belief that testosterone is essential for women's sex drive in his paper "Testosterone and Female Sexuality: A Skeptical View". He noted that studies showing lower testosterone levels in women with decreased sexual interest were not randomized, and many women with low testosterone still had full sexual interest. Some studies reported improved sexual interest with testosterone treatment, but the levels used were above normal and many women didn't respond. The paper also raised concerns about the safety of excessive testosterone in women, which can cause side effects like acne, hirsutism, alopecia, and possibly impaired carbohydrate metabolism. The paper concluded that the role of testosterone in female sexuality needed more research before it could be widely recommended.
