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 .
Addition of testosterone to estrogen replacement therapy in oophorectomized women: effects on sexuality and well-being
Objective : To evaluate the effect of adding testosterone undecanoate 40 mg daily to estrogen replacement on sexual function , psychological well-being and self-esteem in surgically postmenopausal women . Methods : A letter of invitation to participate in the study was mailed to women who had undergone hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy for benign disorders during 1990 - 98 . Fifty women , 45 - 60 years old , were consecutively recruited and r and omly assigned to oral treatment with testosterone undecanoate 40 mg plus estradiol valerate 2 mg daily or placebo plus estradiol valerate 2 mg daily for 24 weeks . A double-blind design was chosen , with cross-over to the other regimen for another 24 weeks of treatment . Forty-four women completed the study . Outcome included scores on McCoy 's sex scale question naire , the Psychological General Well-Being index and a self-esteem question naire , at baseline and after 24 weeks of either treatment . Serum concentrations of total testosterone , sex hormone binding globulin , free testosterone , dihydrotestosterone , and rostenedione , estradiol , follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were analyzed at baseline and after 24 weeks of both treatment regimens . Results : After 24 weeks , both treatment regimens had significantly improved some of the sexual variables . The addition of testosterone had a significantly better effect on the sex variables ' enjoyment of sex ' , ' satisfaction with frequency of sexual activity ' and ' interest in sex ' . The total McCoy score was significantly increased by both treatments , but there was a stronger effect when testosterone was also given . Although both regimens improved psychological well-being and self-esteem , we found no significant differences between testosterone-estrogen or estrogen alone at 24 weeks . Serum levels of all and rogens , with considerable individual variation , increased significantly from baseline after 24 weeks of testosterone-estrogen treatment . Supraphysiological levels were achieved in a significant proportion of the women . Increases in estradiol and sex hormone binding globulin were less marked when testosterone was also given . Both treatments reduced gonadotropin levels . Conclusions : The addition of testosterone undecanoate improved specific aspects of sexual function more than treatment with estrogen alone . Improvements in well-being and self-esteem were similar for both treatments . If testosterone undecanoate 40 mg daily should be used for clinical treatment , regular monitoring of and rogen serum levels is needed
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 .