Hundreds of women are turning to the testosterone to boost their libidos and enhance their sex lives.
Last week, Kate Winslet, 48, revealed on a podcast that she had begun taking the male sex hormone and it had revolutionized her sex life, making her ‘feel sexy again’.
When people think of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they usually think of estrogen to treat menopause.
But Dr Kanwal Bawa, a Florida-based sexual wellness doctor dubbed The Sex Fairy online, said Kate’s is a familiar story — and that she has prescribed testosterone off-label to hundreds of women from 30 to 80 years old whose sex drive has plunged.
While women naturally have lower levels of testosterone, levels of the hormone start to decrease in their bodies from the age of 30, which could lead to low libido and vaginal dryness.
Testosterone is FDA-approved for use in men who have low T, but it can be prescribed off-label to women as a pill, gel, patch or injection to help mitigate the effects of falling levels as they age, including reviving their sex lives.
Kate Winslet has boosted her sex life by undergoing testosterone replacement therapy and thinks other women should do the same, (pictured on September 3)
Revealing she used testosterone on the How To Fail podcast, Kate Winslet said: ‘Sometimes, women have a real dip in libido because there might be stuff going on with their thyroid.
‘There could also be stuff going on with your level of testosterone.
‘A lot of people don’t know this but women have testosterone in their body, and when it runs out — like eggs — it’s gone.
‘And once it’s gone you have to replace it and that is something that can be done and you’ll feel sexy again… I know.’
And the Titanic movie star is not the only leading lady to come forward and open up about using testosterone for their sex life.
In 2011, Jane Fonda, now 86, revealed she had started taking the hormone at the age of 70, telling The Telegraph at the time: ‘I discovered testosterone about three years ago, which makes a huge difference if you want to remain sexual and your libido has dropped.’
While testosterone is the male sex hormone, women also have small amounts of it that is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands.
In women, the hormone boosts sex drive and energy and maintains muscle mass — but levels start to decline from the age of 30 years.
Warning signs of low testosterone in women include a decreased libido, a lack of energy, vaginal dryness and fatigue, according to doctors.
Doctors diagnose low testosterone by testing the hormone’s levels in the blood.
Low testosterone is considered to be levels below 1.5 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) for women under 50 years and below 1 pg/mL for women over 50.
And while testosterone levels typically decline with age, women with medical conditions involving the ovaries and adrenal glands are more likely to have lower testosterone levels than others.
Dr Kanwal Bawa (pictured), who goes by Dr Sex Fairy on TikTok , says she has seen a surge in women seeking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)
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Dr Bawa told DailyMail.com: ‘About 25 to 30 percent of the women being prescribed testosterone at my office are under 40 years old.
‘I get hundreds of people contacting me all the time, many of whom end up becoming patients.’
She added: ‘We are doing women a disservice by not treating their testosterone levels more frequently because as few people and even fewer doctors realize, women typically have more testosterone than estrogen in their bodies.’
Additionally, some women going through menopause may be prescribed testosterone off-label.
While menopause itself does not cause testosterone levels to drop, women going through the change may be prescribed the hormone to help counteract symptoms of drastic fluctuations of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.
With a drop in these women may experience hot flashes, sleep problems, irritability and fatigue. Studies suggest, however, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can help to counteract these.
More often, women use HRT to counteract these — which is when a patch, gel, or other method is used to add estrogen and progesterone to the body and artificially raise their levels.
Some doctors suggest that testosterone is normally only administered to women who are already on HRT.
To boost testosterone levels in women, Dr Bawa prescribes TRT, which may include a cream that can be rubbed onto the labia or a troche — or small hard tablet — that can be placed into the mouth and allowed to gradually dissolve.
Testosterone is technically a steroid, and when abused can lead to rapid muscle gain. However, in smaller doses it can be therapeutic.
Testosterone can be supplemented using a gel that is rubbed onto the labia of the vagina (pictured, stock image)
Other forms include testosterone injections, pills or patches, which can also be used to boost levels.
Patients typically need to apply these once a day to once a week to boost testosterone levels, with Dr Bawa saying they may need a prescription for the rest of their lives.
The substances contain a very low amount of testosterone and nowhere near levels high enough to cause secondary male characteristics, such as a beard or deep voice, which Dr Bawa said is some women’s top concern.
However, the FDA has not recommended testosterone for women, which the Mayo Clinic says is because of a lack of research on long-term safety.
Research shows since 2009 the number of women getting testosterone has actually decreased, with nearly half of women who receive a testosterone prescription not seeking a refill.
The authors noted in the above referenced 2020 paper, based on health insurance records, that this suggested testosterone therapy was either ineffective or that its benefits did not outweigh the risks.
Side effects of TRT may include skin reactions — such as the appearance of acne — breasts becoming enlarged and tender and weight gain.
Dr Bawa said in order to avoid this, it is important to start patients off on a very low dose and then gradually raise it until reaching a level where the patient was reaping the benefits without unfavorable side effects.
TRT is not recommended for women who have had breast or uterine cancer — because studies suggest it may raise the risk of the cancer returning — or for those who have heart, blood vessel or liver disease.
