Testosterone for women
The part of HRT most women are never offered. Considered where symptoms persist on oestrogen and progesterone.
Why this page exists
Most women who come to us are already on HRT. They have oestrogen. If they have a womb, they have a progestogen. And they still do not feel right.
Testosterone is the part of the picture that routinely gets left out. It is not that it is unavailable. It is that there is no licensed product for women in the UK, prescribing it takes confidence and monitoring, and many GPs understandably stop at oestrogen and progesterone. The result is a lot of women being told, in effect, that this is as good as it gets.
What testosterone does in women
Women produce testosterone in the ovaries and adrenal glands, in much smaller amounts than men. It contributes to sexual desire, energy, mood, muscle and bone. Levels fall gradually with age, and drop sharply after surgical removal of the ovaries.
Who it is considered for
Testosterone is usually considered when:
- Oestrogen (patches or gel) and, where needed, a progestogen are already established and working as well as they are going to
- Vaginal symptoms have been treated with vaginal oestrogen, since discomfort suppresses desire on its own
- Low sexual desire remains, and it is bothering you
That order matters. Low desire that persists on good HRT is the pattern that points towards testosterone deficiency rather than something else.
Some women also report improvements in energy, mental clarity, mood and aches. These are commonly described, and they are part of why women seek testosterone, but the published evidence for them is weaker than it is for desire. We will tell you that honestly rather than sell you an outcome.
How it is prescribed and monitored
A male preparation, usually a gel or cream, used at a fraction of a male dose and applied daily to the skin. It is the same type of gel our sister clinic, Arc TRT, prescribes for men with testosterone deficiency, which is why the dose and the monitoring differ so much.
Blood tests before starting and during treatment keep your levels within the normal female range. The aim is to correct a deficiency, not to push levels high. Reviews check both how you feel and what your bloods show, and the dose is adjusted from there.
What we will not do
- Prescribe testosterone at a first appointment without proper assessment
- Prescribe it in place of oestrogen when oestrogen is what you need
- Claim it will fix fatigue, mood or body composition when the evidence does not support that
- Push levels above the normal female range
The honest summary
For the right woman, testosterone can make a real difference to something that matters a great deal and is rarely discussed properly. For others it changes very little. The only way to know which you are is a proper assessment, a fair trial, and a doctor who will tell you if it is not working. That is how we approach every part of your HRT, and if you are already on HRT elsewhere, switching to Arc starts with a review of what you are on now.
