Several possible studies
Story checked
Women are turning to testosterone, but what does the science actually say? (opens in a new tab)
medicalxpress.com · 2026-10-03
Short answer
Several possible studiesNo clear answer.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.
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The story
Women are turning to testosterone, but what does the science actually say?
medicalxpress.com · 2026-10-03
The story’s checkable claims.
Read the original story (opens in a new tab)NewsLink checks it
Several studies could be the source of this story.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
Open claim evidenceSearch result
Several studies could fit.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
Source layer
The 3 papers the story cites
Source study separated from background citations.
The research anchor for the report.
- Cited as backgroundmentioned without context
Effect of transdermal testosterone therapy on mood and cognitive symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women: a pilot study.
Archives of Women's Mental Health · 2025
- Cited as backgroundmentioned without context
International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Systemic Testosterone for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Women.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine · 2021
- Cited as backgroundmentioned without context
Accelerating Testosterone Prescribing for U.S. Women
JACC: Advances · 2026
Evidence layer
Claim by claim
What the story asserts. With no source study, there is nothing to check these against.
Reading mode
Scan verdicts. Open evidence only when needed.
Claim 1 of 6Not checkedWomen also produce testosterone, and it plays important roles throughout the body, including in bones, muscles, heart and blood vessels, and the brain.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedabout 10 to 15 times lower than in men
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 2 of 6Not checkedA 2019 meta-analysis of 36 randomized trials found that carefully dosed testosterone can improve sexual desire and satisfaction in some postmenopausal women, and international clinical guidelines recognize testosterone therapy as an evidence-based treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder.View evidenceHide evidence
As stated36 randomized trials
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 3 of 6Not checkedBeyond sexual desire, high-quality clinical trial evidence in women is largely absent, so broader health benefits of testosterone are not well established.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 4 of 6Not checkedA recent U.K. study of 510 women at a specialized menopause clinic found that after four months on testosterone gel, women reported improvements in mood, cognitive symptoms and libido.View evidenceHide evidence
As stated510 women; four months
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 5 of 6Not checkedLong-term safety data in women are limited, especially for heart disease, stroke and breast cancer, and side effects can include acne and increased facial or body hair if doses are too high.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 6 of 6Not checkedDemand for testosterone in women is rising, but female-specific products remain limited; the article says NHS prescriptions in England rose roughly 10-fold between 2015 and 2022 and U.S. prescribing has almost tripled over the past decade.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedroughly 10-fold; almost tripled
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Method layer
No single source study was found.
NewsLink still surfaces nearby research so you can inspect the field instead of a single paper.
Nearby research
No exact source, but these papers are close.
PubMed, Crossref, Europe PMC · 18 candidate papers
Effect of transdermal testosterone therapy on mood and cognitive symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women: a pilot study.
Archives of Women's Mental Health · 2025 · PubMed
International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Systemic Testosterone for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Women.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine · 2021 · PubMed
Accelerating Testosterone Prescribing for U.S. Women
JACC: Advances · 2026 · Crossref
Expanding the Horizons of Menopausal Hormone Therapy: A Narrative Review of Progestogen-Only and Testosterone-Only Strategies for Tailored Management.
Journal of Menopausal Medicine · 2026 · PubMed, Europe PMC
Transdermal Testosterone in Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Rapid Qualitative Systematic Review Using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation
Cureus · 2018 · Crossref
And 13 more candidates considered.