By MarsBars / Getty Images
Loss of libido is a common symptom of menopause. To address this drop in sex drive, a UK university is working on a patch that delivers testosterone. Researchers believe this innovation could change the lives of menopausal women who see no improvement following hormone replacement therapy.
Loss of libido is a common symptom of menopause. To address this drop in sex drive, a UK university is working on a patch that delivers testosterone. Researchers believe this innovation could change the lives of menopausal women who see no improvement following hormone replacement therapy.
During menopause, testosterone levels drop drastically. Naturally produced in small amounts in women, testosterone helps maintain muscle mass, bone density, cognitive function and libido. To treat the common symptoms of menopause, including loss of libido, many women use hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But some women are unable to regain sexual desire.
Testosterone creams and gels are already available, but these products contain testosterone doses designed for men. These products therefore bring risks, especially since too high a dose can cause weight gain, acne and increased hair growth in women.
In response, the University of Warwick has created a company called Medherant to develop the "world's only testosterone patch for menopause." The researchers will launch a first clinical trial in the fall of 2023. Currently, there are no clinically approved testosterone delivery patches for women suffering from adverse menopause symptoms. Only patches that deliver estrogen combined with progesterone are approved.
"This could deliver a product that is much needed and is just not available. With the technology already proven to work, we can use our new patch to remove needless misery from women’s daily lives. We hope this will transform life for those suffering from post-menopause issues nationally, and indeed globally," said David Haddleton, professor of chemistry at the University of Warwick and Medherant’s founder, quoted in a news release.
The British company has designed a patch that provides a controlled and steady release of testosterone, specially tailored to menopausal women. If the patch receives regulatory approval, it will be introduced in the UK and will be the only testosterone replacement patch available in the world.
In 2019, a US study indicated that 40% of women over the age of 60 suffered from low libido, due to symptoms associated with the post-menopausal period, including vaginal dryness. Since 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, an English agency under the Ministry of Health, has recommended additional testosterone for postmenopausal women with low libido if HRT is not sufficient.
