According to data analysed by The Pharmaceutical Journal, testosterone prescribing for women in the UK has increased 10-fold between 2015 and 2023. Behind this is a trend for testosterone being portrayed as a quick fix for complex issues faced by women going through perimenopause, the time when a woman’s body prepares to make the natural transition to menopause. But there’s no clinical evidence to support this and testosterone in women is currently unlicensed in the UK.
Premenopausal women produce testosterone naturally in the ovaries. It is required for the development and maintenance of female sexual organs and sexual behaviour. It is also important for muscle and bone strength, and growth of normal body hair. And it may have favourable effects on mood, wellbeing and energy in women.