THE ESSENTIAL
- According to a new study, testosterone levels decrease by an average of 50% between the ages of 20 and 60.
- The authors believe that menopause does not cause a drop in testosterone, which therefore begins much earlier.
- They observed that women’s testosterone levels increase slightly from age 58-59 to around age 80-90.
Menopause has nothing to do with it. According to a new study published in the journal eBioMedicinethe decline in testosterone begins much earlier in women, from the age of 20.
Testosterone to reduce menopausal symptoms?
In general, menopause affects women between 45 and 55 years old, according toHealth Insurance. During this period, the permanent cessation of menstruation and ovulation can cause symptoms. These include hot flashes, night sweats, vulvovaginal dryness, urinary problems, fatigue and even joint pain.
To reduce these symptoms, some Internet users are putting forward a solution. On social networks, numerous publications, in videos or in discussions on forums, tout the benefits of testosterone.
A trend that Dr. Amy Voedisch, an obstetrician-gynecologist in the United States, has also observed. Asked by NBC Newsshe notes that this phenomenon is recent (less than five years) and concerns a large part of her patients: “I talk about hormonal treatment for menopause, and people ask me: but what about testosterone?“.
Testosterone levels are not linked to menopause
But for testosterone to act on the symptoms of menopause, there must still be a link… In this new study, scientists have looked into the question. To do this, they mainly relied on two tests carried out in parallel. For the premierthey followed 1,104 women aged 40 to 69, while the second focused on 1,400 participants followed for around twenty years.
So, they discovered that, unlike estrogen, testosterone levels do not change during perimenopause or menopause. In reality, the decline begins much earlier, from the twenties according to researchers. In detail, they discovered that between the ages of 18 and 39, the average drop in the level of this hormone was around 25% and an additional 25% between the ages of 40 and 58-59.
“Our research refutes the idea that menopause causes testosterone deficiency and that testosterone supplementation is an essential part of menopause hormone treatment.“, indicate the researchers in a communiqué.
Finally, scientists’ last observation: women’s testosterone levels increase slightly from 58-59 years old until around 80-90 years old. For the moment, they have not been able to explain this increase, but they believe that it could partly explain the age-related hair loss and the development of facial hair that many women over sixty experience.
To limit the consequences of certain menopausal symptoms, women can take menopausal hormonal treatment (THM). Recently, the High Authority for Health (HAS) reassessed the specialties indicated in the THM. “For a majority, the HAS maintains a favorable opinion on reimbursement, in particular to treat climacteric disorders and prevent osteoporosis”, indicates the Vidal.
