Androgen therapy in women: a reappraisal: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline. Wierman ME ¹, Arlt W, Basson R, Davis SR, Miller KK, Murad MH, Rosner W, Santoro N. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Oct;99(10):3489-510
We continue to recommend against making a diagnosis of androgen deficiency syndrome in healthy women because there is a lack of a well-defined syndrome, and data correlating androgen levels with specific signs or symptoms are unavailable. We recommend against the general use of T for the following indications: infertility; sexual dysfunction other than hypoactive sexual desire disorder; cognitive, cardiovascular, metabolic, or bone health; or general well-being. We recommend against the routine use of dehydroepiandrosterone due to limited data concerning its effectiveness and safety in normal women or those with adrenal insufficiency. We recommend against the routine prescription of T or dehydroepiandrosterone for the treatment of women with low androgen levels due to hypopituitarism, adrenal insufficiency, surgical menopause, pharmacological glucocorticoid administration, or other conditions associated with low androgen levels because there are limited data supporting improvement in signs and symptoms with therapy and no long-term studies of risk. Evidence supports the short-term efficacy and safety of high physiological doses of T treatment of postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction due to hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Importantly, endogenous T levels did not predict response to therapy. At present, physiological T preparations for use in women are not available in many countries including the United States, and long-term safety data are lacking. We recommend that any woman receiving T therapy be monitored for signs and symptoms of androgen excess.
Ongoing improvement in androgen assays will allow a redefinition of normal ranges across the lifespan; this may help to clarify the impact of varying concentrations of plasma androgens on the biology, physiology, and psychology in women and lead to indications for therapeutic interventions.
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The Benefits and Harms of Systemic Testosterone Therapy in Postmenopausal Women With Normal Adrenal Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Elraiyah T ¹, Sonbol MB, Wang Z, Khairalseed T, Asi N, Undavalli C, Nabhan M, Firwana B, Altayar O, Prokop L, Montori VM, Murad MH. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Oct;99(10):3543-50
T use was associated with statistically significant improvement in various domains of sexual function and personal distress in postmenopausal women, although the majority of the trials did not have specific or contemporary diagnostic criteria for androgen deficiency in women. T use was also associated with a reduction in total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein and an increase in low-density lipoprotein and in the incidence of acne and hirsutism. No significant effect was noted on anthropometric measures and bone density. Long-term safety data were sparse, and the quality of such evidence was low.
 

The Benefits and Harms of Systemic Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in Postmenopausal Women With Normal Adrenal Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Elraiyah T ¹, Sonbol MB, Wang Z, Khairalseed T, Asi N, Undavalli C, Nabhan M, Altayar O, Prokop L, Montori VM, Murad MH. J Clin Endocrinol
In 23 RCTs with moderate to high risk of bias enrolling 1188 women, DHEA use was not associated with significant improvement in libido or sexual function (standardized mean difference, 0.35; 95% confidence interval, -0.02 to 0.73; P value = .06; I(2) = 62%). There was also no significant effect of DHEA on serious adverse effects, serum lipids, serum glucose, weight, body mass index, or bone mineral density.
Evidence warranting low confidence suggests that DHEA administration does not significantly impact sexual symptoms or selected metabolic markers in postmenopausal women with normal adrenal function.