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 .
Serum lipids in oophorectomized women during estrogen and testosterone replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of giving testosterone undecanoate ( TU ) in addition to estrogen replacement on serum lipids in oophorectomized women . METHOD Women with surgically induced menopause ( n = 50 ) were r and omly assigned to oral treatment with 2 mg of estradiol valerate in combination with 40 mg of TU or placebo for 24 weeks . The study was double-blind with cross-over to the other regimen for further 24 weeks of treatment . Forty-four women completed the study . Their serum concentrations of total , high density lipoprotein (HDL)- and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol , triglycerides , lipoprotein-(a ) ( Lp-(a ) ) , total testosterone , estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG )  were analyzed at baseline and after 24 weeks of each treatment . RESULTS Serum levels of total testosterone increased markedly from a baseline mean of 0.8 - 4.9 nmol/l during testosterone addition . The levels of free testosterone significantly increased during the combined treatment and fell when given estrogen alone . Total and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly reduced by both treatments as also were those of Lp-(a ) although the difference was not significant . We found a 13 % reduction in HDL-cholesterol levels when testosterone was added , but no change with estrogen alone . Triglyceride levels were increased by estrogen treatment , but not affected by the combination of estrogen plus testosterone . CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that 40 mg of TU can be given in addition to estrogen replacement with only little side-effects on the pattern of circulating lipids . Although supraphysiological concentrations of testosterone were induced a significant reduction in total and LDL-cholesterol levels occurred
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 .