Some studies suggest that testosterone therapy has additional effects , which include increased bone mineral density and decreased serum high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol .
The clinical sequelae of oestrogen deficiency during menopause are undoubted .
However , the pathophysiological role of testosterone during the menopause is less clear .
Several r and omized , placebo-controlled clinical trials suggest that testosterone therapy improves sexual function in postmenopausal women .
Effects of aromatase inhibition on sexual function and well-being in postmenopausal women treated with testosterone: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Objective : The extent to which aromatization of testosterone ( T ) to estradiol is required for the observed effects of testosterone therapy on sexual function and well-being are not known . Therefore , the authors investigated the effects of aromatase enzyme inhibition on sexual function , well-being , and mood in estrogen- and T-replete postmenopausal women in a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled study . Design : Postmenopausal women using transdermal estrogen therapy for at least 8 weeks and reporting low sexual satisfaction ( score < 42 for the Sabbatsberg Sexual Self-rating Scale [ SSS ] ) with a total T value of less than 1.2 nmol/L were treated with 400 μL of a 0.5 % T gel ( total dose 2 mg ) and were r and omly assigned to receive treatment with either 2.5 mg/day of letrozole or an identical placebo tablet . Women were assessed at baseline ( week −2 ) and at 0 , 4 , 8 , and 16 weeks . Sexual function was assessed with the SSS , well-being was assessed with the Psychological General Well-being Index , and mood was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory at 0 and 16 weeks . Eighty-one women were screened , 76 were r and omly assigned to a treatment group , and 30 in each group completed the study . Because this was a mechanistic study , only the 60 women who completed the study per protocol were included in the final analysis . Results : Total T and calculated free T increased from baseline in both groups , with no difference between groups . At 16 weeks , estradiol , sex hormone-binding globulin , fasting lipids , lipoprotein(a ) , and C-reactive protein did not differ from baseline or between groups . Significant increases in total Sabbatsberg Sexual Self-rating Scale scores , total Psychological General Well-being Index scores , and a reduction in Beck Depression Inventory scores from baseline to 16 weeks was seen for both treatment groups , with no effect of treatment allocation . No adverse treatment effects were reported . Conclusions : Increases in total and free T in the physiologic range in postmenopausal women were associated with improved sexual satisfaction , well-being , and mood . In this study , aromatase inhibition did not influence any of these outcomes . Short-term transdermal T therapy did not modify fasting lipids , lipoprotein(a ) , or C-reactive protein
Some studies suggest that testosterone therapy has additional effects , which include increased bone mineral density and decreased serum high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol .
The clinical sequelae of oestrogen deficiency during menopause are undoubted .
However , the pathophysiological role of testosterone during the menopause is less clear .
Several r and omized , placebo-controlled clinical trials suggest that testosterone therapy improves sexual function in postmenopausal women .