Testosterone Improves Antidepressant-Emergent Loss of Libido in Women: Findings from a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

In a study from March 2014, 44 premenopausal women with SSRI/SNRI-induced loss of libido were treated with either transdermal testosterone (TT) or a placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome, the Sabbatsberg Sexual Self-Rating Scale (SSS) score, did not show significant improvement with TT therapy. However, the TT group experienced a significant increase in the frequency of satisfactory sexual events (SSEs) by 2.3 events compared to the placebo group's 0.1 event increase (P = 0.02). The change in the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R) score approached significance (P = 0.06). No serious adverse events were reported. The study suggests that TT may benefit women with antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction, although further research is needed to explore its effects on other antidepressant classes and testosterone formulations. The study was funded by the Australian National Health Medical Research Council and had disclosed conflicts of interest.