Nick Panay, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and consultant gynaecologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, told a General Practitioner’s conference, there was a need to tell women about the possible benefits of taking testosterone. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37588549

He said he believed testosterone should be made available to all women who could benefit. Loss of libido affects 15% of menopausal women.

He said patients who had taken testosterone had reported huge increases in their mood, energy, muscle strength and stamina.

Mr Panay said: “They go from feeling drained to being able to run marathons again.”

Since there are no licensed products available for women, he had to prescribe it “off-label” which he found “frustrating”.

All licensed testosterone medications are designed for men and have to be measured down for women, he said.

Dr Channa Jayasena, a clinical senior lecturer in endocrinology at Imperial College London, said testosterone can be given to women in much lower doses than men.

He said: “It’s mainly given in a patch. Women have both sex hormones – oestrogen but also testosterone – made by their adrenal glands and also the ovaries.

“It is a natural hormone but less is known about its effects.”