Is there hope for female sexual dysfunction?

Filed in archive Treatment on July 26, 2005

A recent study suggests that the testosterone patch may help with female sexual dysfunction in a selected population. More studies are needed before it can be applied to a general population:

Treatment with a testosterone patch can improve sexual desire and activity in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) following oophorectomy, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine for July 25.

The findings are based on a study of 447 women who were randomized to receive testosterone patches, at one of three doses, or placebo for 24 weeks. A total of 318 women completed the trial.

Compared with placebo, the intermediate dose (300 micrograms/day) testosterone patch significantly improved sexual desire and increased the frequency of satisfying sexual activity, lead author Dr. Glenn D. Braunstein, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and colleagues note.

("Testosterone Patch Ups Sexual Desire in Women With Surgical Menopause", Reuters, Jul.25)