Menopausal women struggle for testosterone access in US

A growing number of women are turning to testosterone during menopause, but getting the treatment can be surprisingly difficult since there is no US-approved product for females.

The problem 
The lack of approval pushes doctors to prescribe products made for men but at much smaller doses. This can create problems at pharmacies, where some prescriptions are being rejected because the medication requires customized dosing.

Women then have to go to compounding pharmacies for specialized doses, which can be costly. Insurance coverage also remains limited.

A women’s health nurse notes that a three-month supply of compounded testosterone costs $100 compared to only $30 for a 10-month supply at a commercial pharmacy.

Doctors mainly recommend testosterone for menopausal women experiencing persistently low sexual desire. Some providers also prescribe it for fatigue, mood improvement, and to preserve muscle mass and bone density, although researchers have not established that it helps with those problems.

Demand has climbed sharply. Data from healthcare analytics firm Truveta shows that testosterone prescriptions for women increased 146% between January 2023 and July 2026.

The FDA is reviewing the evidence as researchers work on testosterone treatments specifically designed for women.