Marcella Hill, 44 years old, struggling with premenopausal symptoms, depression, body aches and decreased sexual desire, decided to take testosterone to rejuvenate.
“I’m really miserable, I can’t live in this discomfort,” she said, saying that when she went to the doctor, she prescribed testosterone gel to apply to her shoulders, but her symptoms did not improve. Frustrated by her doctor’s lack of further support, she went to a local clinic and began taking higher doses of testosterone pills. After two years of continuously taking testosterone, she was excited because she felt like she was “rejuvenated” and her sexual desire returned “like in college.”
She praised testosterone on social media, creating a TikTok channel to talk about her experience. After just a few days, her video exploded with 9 million views and hundreds of sympathetic comments.
Hill is one of many premenopausal women who use male hormone therapies to rejuvenate and relieve discomfort. The number of testosterone prescriptions in the US increased nearly 50% from 2013 to 2023. Doctors say that not only men, women aged 40-50 are also interested in it.
“It’s like a fever. They tell each other that this is a miracle drug,” said Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, medical director of Gennev, a telehealth company specializing in menopause.
Patients are often prescribed testosterone gels, tablets or patches, when visiting medical spas and telehealth services. Therefore, the number of people using testosterone may be higher than statistics.
Testosterone is a male sex hormone that plays many roles in the body. In men, it increases muscle mass, libido and deepens the voice. In women, testosterone levels are often much lower, but it also increases sexual desire, muscle strength and energy. Normally, testosterone levels in men are about 15 times higher than in women.
In both men and women, it is normal for testosterone to decrease with age. Men begin to lose testosterone from age 30, women around age 40. At this time, both sexes do not necessarily need to supplement hormones.
Symptoms of perimenopause in women such as hormonal fluctuations accompanied by irregular menstruation, confusion, insomnia and hair loss often begin several years before menopause. If a patient has symptoms such as depression, indifference to their partner, and low sexual desire, doctors often evaluate testosterone levels with a blood test before deciding on treatment.
Testosterone gel is prescribed for women. Image: PRCPB
Topical testosterone products first appeared on the market in the 2000s. According to Dr. Amy Voedisch, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Stanford Medicine, the hunt for testosterone in women only really exploded in the years recently. Before that, they rarely recommended these hormone-related therapies to doctors. Now, almost every menopausal patient who comes to Ms. Voedisch’s clinic actively asks about it.
“They often put it like this: ‘I was listening to a podcast and they said I should use it’ or ‘I follow this person on Instagram, she did it,'” Dr. Voedisch said.
On forums like Reddit, many posts extol the benefits of testosterone in improving energy and sexual desire in women. However, Dr Dunsmoor-Su says these claims are not based on scientific evidence.
According to Dr. Jan Shifren, director of the Center for Midlife Women’s Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved testosterone therapy for women. However, your doctor may prescribe it to treat low libido after ruling out other causes, such as medical and psychological causes. However, in clinical studies, the effectiveness of this hormone is not too obvious.
In addition to reduced hormone levels, the causes of women’s decreased sexual desire are diverse, such as anxiety, depression, metabolic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Some people are exhausted from taking care of children and family responsibilities.
Dr. Shifren recommends that women address other issues before thinking about using testosterone. When prescribed and carefully monitored by a doctor, testosterone is relatively safe with few side effects. However, women should only use 5 mg per day, which is 10% of the dosage for men.
Higher doses can cause side effects such as acne, bushy hair, and even body odor. Some side effects are permanent. Dr. Voedisch recalls one patient who eventually stopped testosterone therapy after his voice began to change.
Dr. Voedisch also warns about side effects due to incorrect dosage of medication. Symptoms last for several months, even after the patient stops taking the medication. However, she also sympathizes with premenopausal women who lack health care options.
“We have ignored women’s health for a very long time. The surge in testosterone also comes from frustration with the medical system and a desire to feel better about ourselves,” Dr. Voedisch said. .