Women’s Hormone Care • Beverly Hills & Los Angeles
Testosterone Therapy for Women in Los Angeles
This page is specifically about testosterone therapy for women. Testosterone is present in women as well as men, but treatment in women has much narrower evidence-based indications than testosterone replacement therapy for men. Men seeking evaluation or treatment should see our Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Los Angeles page. Evaluation should begin with symptoms, menopausal status, sexual health, medications, medical history and other possible causes—not a single testosterone result.
For appropriately selected women, physician-led evaluation can determine whether testosterone should be considered, what alternatives may be more appropriate, and how treatment should be monitored.
David Nazarian, M.D. • Board Certified in Internal Medicine • Approximately 18 years of hormone care
Who May Be a Candidate for Testosterone Therapy?
The strongest evidence supports a therapeutic trial of physiologic-dose testosterone for carefully selected postmenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) after a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment. Testosterone should not be prescribed simply because a laboratory value is low, and current evidence does not support its routine use as a general treatment for fatigue, weight loss, mood, cognition, bone health or anti-aging.
Persistent Low Sexual Desire
Evaluation considers whether low desire is persistent, personally distressing and not better explained by another modifiable factor or condition.
Postmenopausal Women
Evidence is strongest for postmenopausal women with HSDD. Evidence for other populations and indications is more limited.
After Other Causes Are Reviewed
Sleep, mood, medications, relationship factors, vaginal discomfort, thyroid disease and other medical contributors should be considered first.
Evaluation Before Treatment
Consultation
Review symptoms, menopause status, sexual health, medications, medical history and treatment goals.
Targeted Testing
Total testosterone may be measured as a baseline for monitoring, but a testosterone level alone does not diagnose HSDD or establish a female “testosterone deficiency syndrome.” Additional testing depends on the clinical picture.
Shared Decision-Making
Discuss evidence, alternatives, off-label use in the United States, potential benefits, uncertainties and possible adverse effects.
Monitoring
Reassess response, androgenic side effects and testosterone concentrations to avoid excessive exposure. Treatment should be reconsidered when meaningful benefit is not achieved.
Potential Benefits, Risks and Monitoring
For women with an evidence-based indication, the treatment goal is improvement in sexual desire and associated distress while keeping testosterone exposure within the physiologic female range. Long-term safety data remain limited.
What May Improve
In appropriately selected postmenopausal women with HSDD, testosterone can provide a moderate improvement in sexual desire and related sexual-function outcomes.
What We Monitor
Potential androgenic effects include acne, increased facial or body hair and scalp-hair changes. Excessive exposure can increase the risk of additional androgenic effects. Symptoms and laboratory values are reassessed during treatment.
Testosterone Is Not the Same as Menopausal Hormone Therapy
For many women, the primary issue is not testosterone. Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal symptoms, sleep disruption and other menopause-transition concerns may call for a different approach involving estrogen, progesterone, local vaginal therapy or nonhormonal treatment. Testosterone is one possible component of women’s hormone care—not a substitute for a comprehensive menopause evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blood test tell me whether I need testosterone?
No. A total testosterone level can be useful as a baseline and for monitoring therapy, but current guidelines do not support diagnosing HSDD or a generalized female testosterone-deficiency syndrome from a low laboratory value alone.
Is testosterone therapy FDA-approved for women in the United States?
There is currently no FDA-approved testosterone product specifically dosed for women in the United States. When testosterone is considered, the off-label nature of treatment should be discussed as part of informed consent and shared decision-making.
Can testosterone be used for fatigue, weight loss or anti-aging?
Current consensus recommendations do not support routine testosterone therapy for these purposes. Fatigue, body-composition changes and other midlife symptoms often have multiple potential causes that should be evaluated directly.
What side effects can occur?
Potential androgenic effects include acne, increased facial or body hair and scalp-hair changes. Excessive exposure may cause additional androgenic effects, which is why dosing and monitoring matter.
How is treatment monitored?
Monitoring includes clinical response, adverse effects and testosterone concentrations to help avoid supraphysiologic exposure. Follow-up timing is individualized to the treatment plan.
Schedule a Women’s Hormone Consultation
Discuss your symptoms, medical history and whether testosterone or another treatment approach is appropriate for you.
