Testosterone Prescriptions for Menopausal Women Skyrocket Eight-Fold in Five Years
New data reveals a dramatic eight-fold increase in testosterone prescriptions for women experiencing menopause over the past five years. In 2024, a record 80,793 women were prescribed the hormone, compared to just 9,756 in 2020. This surge is largely attributed to high-profile endorsements from celebrities such as Davina McCall and Dame Prue Leith, who credit testosterone with revitalising sex drives, improving mood, and alleviating symptoms like brain fog and low energy.
Experts Warn of Misleading Claims and Unnecessary Use
Menopause specialists have expressed significant concern over the rapid rise in prescriptions for testosterone, often referred to as the 'male' sex hormone, though it is naturally produced at lower levels in women. They argue that the trend is fueled by hype from celebrities and some doctors, leading many women to take the hormone unnecessarily. Dr Paula Briggs, a sexual and reproductive health consultant at Liverpool Women's NHS Trust and former chair of the British Menopause Society, stated, 'It is very simplistic to say a woman's sex drive will improve with testosterone. I think really only about one woman in ten benefits from testosterone, and even that figure may be generous.'
Dr Briggs further criticised exaggerated claims about testosterone's long-term benefits, such as restoring mid-life vitality, preventing dementia, enhancing bone strength, and maintaining muscle mass, labelling them as 'very misleading'. She added, 'People are, I would say, cynically championing testosterone because there is money to be made with endorsements and promotion.'
The 'Davina Effect' and Celebrity Influence
Davina McCall has emerged as a leading voice on menopause advocacy, calling for better understanding and access to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Her documentary, Sex, Mind And The Menopause, which described testosterone as the 'missing piece of the puzzle' for women still suffering symptoms despite HRT, triggered a substantial spike in prescriptions, dubbed 'the Davina effect'. Other celebrities, including actresses Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts, have also promoted testosterone, with Dame Prue Leith remarking it is 'great for libido – you feel better and younger'.
NHS Data and Prescription Trends
NHS figures indicate the most significant increase in testosterone prescriptions among women in their 50s, rising from 4,513 to 44,575 over five years. For women in their 40s, prescriptions surged from 2,365 to 20,747. This has escalated NHS costs from £700,000 to £5.3 million annually. Current NHS guidelines permit testosterone use only if HRT alone fails to address low libido and other potential causes have been excluded. Notably, testosterone is not specifically licensed for women in the UK but can be prescribed off-label, leading to cautious GP prescribing and more frequent private access.
Risks and Clinical Evidence
The British Menopause Society highlights that clinical trials have not proven testosterone's efficacy in improving cognition, mood, energy, or musculoskeletal health. Additionally, excessive testosterone can cause adverse effects like excess hair growth, acne, weight gain, and in rare cases, alopecia and voice deepening. Experts caution that the reported figures likely represent only a fraction of actual usage, as many women may be obtaining testosterone privately, suggesting the issue is more widespread than official data indicates.
Climate Change Anxiety Linked to Reduced Sexual Satisfaction in Women
A recent study involving 1,000 women aged 30 and above has found that concerns about climate change, such as global temperature rises and melting ice caps, correlate with lower sexual satisfaction. Women with higher climate anxiety reported bedroom satisfaction scores one-third lower than those less worried about the planet's future. Researchers from Necmettin Erbakan University in Turkey noted that better-educated women tend to have greater environmental concerns, and women overall experience heightened anxiety due to their 'reproductive burden' – fears about bringing children into a world facing environmental catastrophe.
Published in the journal Medicine, the study stated, 'As climate change anxiety levels increased, their sexual quality of life levels decreased. Women are more susceptible to the expected consequences of climate change due to the reproductive burden they have. The effects of the concerns of women about this issue on their sexual and reproductive health are highly important in terms of the health of future generations.' Previous research suggests men are generally more optimistic about environmental futures.
Chewing Gum May Enhance Male Sexual Performance
Scientists have discovered that chewing gum during sex could significantly improve staying power for men with premature ejaculation (PE). A study by urologists from the University of Health Sciences in Turkey found that men with PE who chewed gum for 20 minutes before and during sex lasted more than three times longer to climax after one month of this practice. Researchers hypothesise that chewing gum may increase serotonin levels in the brain, reducing anxiety and promoting calmness and focus.
Published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, the study compared gum-chewing to biofeedback therapy, a non-surgical technique to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Initially, the average time to climax was 40.75 seconds for all participants. After one month, it increased to 130 seconds in the gum-chewing group and 125 seconds in the biofeedback group. The researchers suggested chewing gum could be a 'simple, discreet, low‑cost option' compared to other treatments for PE.
