Q: “I’ve noticed I don’t have the same sexual desires I used to have. I’m 45 and have always been very sexually active. Is it possible my testosterone has dropped?”
A: This is a very common complaint from both men and women! Libido generally starts to decline as we age and hormones play an important role in that. However, libido for a woman is trickier than for a man. Women are much more likely to be effected by stress, kids, finances, work, etc. and even by relationship nuances. Although a woman can be treated with testosterone, there are generally more things involved with diagnosing low libido than just testosterone.
I would recommend you have your Doctor/Nurse Practitioner check your hormone levels. Often when a woman’s estrogen starts to diminish, she experiences vaginal dryness and sometimes painful intercourse. Estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and testosterone should all be checked. After discussing your results, your provider can prescribe testosterone if you are deficient but may start with a variety of other things before doing that.
In essence, your sexual health is very important and should not be ignored. Don’t be embarrassed to discuss this with a healthcare professional – we are here to help you!