Female hypoactive sexual desire disorder due to androgen deficiency: clinical and psychometric issues

Menopause, surgical or naturally occurring, with reduced or deficient ovarian functioning has a major impact on morbidity and mortality in mid to late life. In particular, a growing body of literature is focusing on the role of androgens in maintaining women's health and emotional well-being. Further study is needed in the administration of physiologic levels of testosterone replacement therapy as an adjustment to estrogen replacement. The Sexual Energy Scale was developed to provide an objective means of measuring the change in a patient's subjective experience of vitality/sexual energy with androgen replacement therapy. The scale also provides a clinical indication for androgen replacement dosage adjustment. Advantages in using low doses of methyltestosterone in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder are discussed.