Why are more and more women taking testosterone?

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Why are more and more women taking testosterone?

Thanks for asking.

Over the course of a woman's life, their hormone levels change in ways that can have a real impact on mood and daily routine. For example, it's pretty well known that libido tends to decline at the time a woman is premenopausal. Now, to address that loss of libido, an increasing number of women have turned to testosterone, or T for short, to rekindle their sexual desire. And if you believe accounts on social media, it does actually work, at least some of the time. Wait a minute, why testosterone? Isn't that a male hormone? Well, it is commonly associated with men, but it's also produced by women in smaller amounts, through their ovaries and adrenal glands. In women, testosterone contributes not only to libido, but also to the development of bones and muscles, as well as physical sexual functions. Levels peak at the end of adolescence and in the early twenties, then gradually decline with age, falling to about half that peak level when a woman hits 60

The social media users posting about the benefits of testosterone have most commonly been women in their forties, and American women in particular. Marcella Hill is one of the better known testosterone influencers, and she's amassed over 125,000 followers on Instagram. She's credited tea with saving her marriage, and now advocates for the benefits of hormone treatment.

Is it really as effective as people say then? Well, scientists don't all agree on that. You see, testosterone has long been studied through a male-centred lens, which makes it harder to assess its effects on female libido, at least for now. But it is generally accepted that testosterone plays a crucial role in sexual motivation and satisfaction. Studies have shown that testosterone therapy can improve desire and sexual satisfaction in post-menopausal women with low levels. Treatments like creams, pills, patches, and injections can be considered for a woman with hypoactive sexual desire dysfunction, a condition that involves a persistent and distressing loss of sexual desire, which affects an estimated 6-13 percent of women in Europe. But it is important to recognize that sexual desire depends on many different factors, not just the libido of the female partner or partners. For example, stress, relationship dynamics, medication use, and overall health can also come into the equation, with hormones being only one piece of the puzzle, really. Is testosterone an authorized treatment then? Well, not really. In the US, for example, there are no FDA-approved testosterone products for women, despite there being 30 for men with low testosterone. Without a clear framework, a lot of doctors will refuse to prescribe it, leading some women to bypass the usual medical pathways, and that's potentially dangerous. The New York Times ran a feature on testosterone used by women in October 2025 and talked about the sale of testosterone products in non-traditional venues like med spas, longevity practices and wellness centres. Stephanie Fobion is a women's health clinic director, and she's quoted in the article as saying, I see more and more of these places popping up because of all the hype around testosterone. And a lot of them are giving women testosterone in doses that get them to levels that are normal in a man, but definitely not in a woman. What are the health risks then? There have sadly been a lot of cases in which different side effects have been observed. These can include hair loss, excessive hair growth in areas such as the upper lip or upper thighs, and acne breakouts. In the long term, too high a dose can also thicken the vocal cords and make the voice deeper or hoarser. Some women have also seen the size of their clitoris increase. In the UK, a major milestone was reached in August 2025 when androfeme became the first ever testosterone cream to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Having already been approved for use in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the past, that means it can now be marketed, and it's due to launch in 2026 Still, if you're considering that kind of treatment, you should absolutely consult a health care professional first, and never forego medical supervision or advice by buying products directly online.