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In a pioneering Australian study, researchers are testing a testosterone cream on numerous women in their later reproductive years to address issues of low libido.
Currently, women in their 30s and 40s who experience distress due to low libido have no available treatment options.
“It’s a taboo topic, so you often find yourself quietly enduring,” remarked Sarah Eglinton, 52, who had participated in a similar testosterone trial.
Sarah noted that during her mid-30s, she attributed her low libido to the exhaustion of raising young children.
“I wasn’t aware that at that stage, my testosterone levels were dropping and would continue to decline,” she explained.
Experts say about 10 per cent of women who are premenopausal in their later reproductive years experience a loss of sexual desire.
That number doubles to nearly 20 per cent in perimenopause.
“In Australia, right now, there is no specific treatment for low libido that has been approved for premenopausal and perimenopausal women,” said Professor Susan Davis, head of the Women’s Health Research Program at Monash University.
Previous work by the Monash University team was pivotal in having testosterone cream approved in 2022 for women after menopause.
“This really has been a game changer for a lot of women,” Davis said.
That same formulation, which involves rubbing a small amount on the thigh so it can dissolve into the skin, will be used for the new study.
It’s currently enrolling 260 women who live in Victoria, aged between 35 and 50, who are not yet in menopause.
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