Current anti-doping regulations prohibit testosterone replacement therapy, even when prescribed for medical reasons for women (men are allowed testosterone with a medical exemption certificate). This restriction disproportionately affects women navigating hormonal changes such as perimenopause and menopause.

Denying testosterone therapy to female athletes potentially compromises their health. Low testosterone levels are associated with significant medical risks, including cognitive decline, metabolic disorders, and reduced bone density.

Testosterone treatment offers critical benefits such as improved body composition, functional capacity, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol balance.

A new paper has gathered the views and experiences of female athletes. It found:

• 79% stopped or reduced exercising – mostly because of menopause symptoms (55%), muscle or joint pain (51%), or loss of stamina (41%)

• Of those who later increased their exercise levels, 64% attributed this to HRT

• Of those using testosterone, 73% felt it helped them return to or increase physical activity

• 41% of competitive female athletes expressed a desire to use testosterone for menopausal symptom relief but were prohibited from doing so

The Newson Research paper, which was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, calls for evidence-based guidelines for testosterone replacement for athletes, particularly for menopausal women, to optimise their health.

The paper is available here