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 .
Testosterone dose-response relationships in hysterectomized women with or without oophorectomy: effects on sexual function, body composition, muscle performance and physical function in a randomized trial
Objective This study aims to determine the dose-dependent effects of testosterone on sexual function , body composition , muscle performance , and physical function in hysterectomized women with or without oophorectomy . Methods Seventy-one postmenopausal women who previously underwent hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy and had total testosterone levels less than 31 ng/dL or free testosterone levels less than 3.5 pg/mL received a st and ardized transdermal estradiol regimen during the 12-week run-in period and were r and omized to receive weekly intramuscular injections of placebo or 3 , 6.25 , 12.5 , or 25 mg of testosterone enanthate for 24 weeks .  Total and free testosterone levels were measured by liquid chromatography – t and em mass spectrometry and equilibrium dialysis , respectively . The primary outcome was change in sexual function measured by the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women . Secondary outcomes included changes in sexual activity , sexual distress , Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning , lean body mass , fat mass , muscle strength and power , and physical function .  Results Seventy-one women were r and omized ; five groups were similar at baseline . Sixty-two women with analyzable data for the primary outcome were included in the final analysis . The mean on-treatment total testosterone concentrations were 19 , 78 , 102 , 128 , and 210 ng/dL in the placebo , 3-mg , 6.25-mg , 12.5-mg , and 25-mg groups , respectively . Changes in composite Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women scores , thoughts/desire , arousal , frequency of sexual activity , lean body mass , chest-press power , and loaded stair-climb power were significantly related to increases in free testosterone concentrations ; compared with placebo , changes were significantly greater in women assigned to the 25-mg group , but not in women in the lower-dose groups . Sexual activity increased by 2.7 encounters per week in the 25-mg group . The frequency of and rogenic adverse events was low . Conclusions Testosterone administration in hysterectomized women with or without oophorectomy for 24 weeks was associated with dose and concentration-dependent gains in several domains of sexual function , lean body mass , chest-press power , and loaded stair-climb power . Long-term trials are needed to weigh improvements in these outcomes against potential long-term adverse effects
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 .