I read the following in Larrian Reports today (it is free to anyone who wants it, but it is a commercial site so I won't post the link). Even though the study on testosterone didn't show benefit for sexual desire, I don't actually believe it (though I do not use it). There will be another study, if there wasn't one prior, that will say it works. I already know that DHEA works for me, regardless of what any study says.

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Testosterone Levels Fail to Predict Female Sex Drive

"Efforts to pitch Testosterone Replacement Therapy as the Sexual Fountain of Youth got a sharp stick in the groin with the publication of these two studies. The first one measured testosterone and DHEA-S levels in women 45-75 and compared them with a sexual function profile. There was no correlation between low sex drive and low levels of either hormone. In the second study, testosterone replacement therapy with a patch had no effect on raising growth hormone levels or improving IGF-1 production in postmenopausal women. So if your doctor, courtesy of the pharmaceutical rep, wants to hand you a prescription for testosterone to rev up your sex drive - pass. Testosterone will only raise your bad cholesterol, grow hair on your face, raise your insulin levels and pack on the pounds, and that's not sexy!" JAMA. 2005;294:91-96.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2005 Jul;63(1):32-8.

Aimee,
Can you PM me the site? Thanks

These results only confirm what I have long suspected. During my early 40's my sex drived dropped to next to nothing. I asked my doctor to run a testosterone level. My testosterone level was so high they repeated it twice. I have long believed that in my case, the level of testosterone has nothing to do with my libido or lack there of.

I would have to agree with that...just had my hormones checked through salivary testing..and they are off...my testosterone is high also and I have no sex drive...had my hormones tested through blood a couple of months ago and my GP said they were fine..I thought no way..not the way I feel..anxiety thru the roof..depression ...etc....now the saliva test show they are way off ..my progesterone is low..my testosterone is high..and my cortisol is 3X higher than normal range...go figure...

can tell you from personal experience testestrone cream definetly increased my sex drive- and gave me back my ability to have an orgaism. ( which had lost about 5 years after meno began). about 6 months ago had my levels tested and they were at the low end but my DHEA was high so went off the testestrone for 3 weeks and was retested. my levels became non- existent and my drive and ability was nill again. restarted the testestrone- and took about 6 weeks on the cream to regain my ability and about 3 months to get back to the low range- where could enjoy. I have NOT gained any weight, I have NOT grown hair on my face and my cholestrol levels remain unchanged. I do have some hair growth where i apply it to my thigh- but that is it. I will also say that my general mood is much more postive on the testestrone. So think that study- is not too accurate. Yes if a woman takes a man's dose of testrone no doubt she will grow hair on her face. But it is not prescribed the same way. I have a friend who also lost all ability after hysterectomy- told her ask her doctor for it ...she did and she and her husband are happy with the results......don't believe every study.....and hey if you are going to die early- why not go with a smile on your face!!!!

Since I've begun using testosterone in the form of pellets inserted into my hip (along with estrogen pellets), I have resumed my normal energy levels prior to menopause, have had the best sex drive of my whole life (my husband of 29 years asked at one point, "are we ever going to have sex again?"!), have been able to lose a few pounds and increase my muscle mass, and just felt better overall. It's a shame that the information on women using testosterone is still basically negative, and I think uninformed. When a woman uses the right amount, she will not develop facial hair or develop muscles like a man. My blood levels were on the low side of normal prior to using testosterone, but my very wise and knowledgeable doctor said the women he sees who are "low normal" generally have a lot of complaints, basically similar to mine. I have to say this, too, gals, as someone who has used oral natural estrogen and natural in the form of pellets, the pellets have been the best absorbed. Again, my doctor says that he believes they are the closest to how the ovaries used to function. I would encourage anyone interested in investigating this route of natural hrt to do a search on the web using the words testosterone pellets. You will learn a lot and hopefully have someone close to where you live who knows about this therapy which was invented in the late 1930's so it isn't new. I would also be glad to answer anyone's emails who has questions about it.

Diane (who thought I would never be my old self again after meno)

Reading that study makes me MAD! Testosterone, when prescribed in the right amount for WOMEN does NOT grow hair, or lower your voice, or give you bulky muscles or any of that nonsense. It is merely replacing the testosterone that your ovaries used to be making.

I have had very good response to a testosterone gel, which I apply to the inside of my wrist daily. Very low dose, and my ability to achieve orgasm returned. It's not the same as it was in my hot-to-trot 20's & 30's (what is? LOL! )....but it has returned me to a sense of normalcy and well being.

Believe what you'd like about that study, but it is definitely not my experience!