More women in the US and UK are seeking testosterone to manage menopause symptoms, with some turning to online pharmacies without a prescription, according to media reports.There are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved testosterone products specifically indicated for women. Australia has approved a low-dose testosterone product for postmenopausal women, while the UK and New Zealand permit some female-dosed formulations, although availability varies.What’s Happening In The US?Reuters reported that off-label testosterone use is rising in the US, mainly to treat persistently low sexual desire associated with menopause. Some clinicians are also prescribing testosterone for symptoms such as fatigue and loss of muscle strength, despite a lack of medical guidance supporting these uses.Prescriptions for low sexual desire reportedly rose 146% between January 2023 and July 2026. However, many pharmacies and health insurers continue to deny these prescriptions.Also read: US Congress To Hold First-ever Menopause Hearing: Why It Matters For WomenWhy Are UK Women Turning To Testosterone?The BBC reported that some women in Wales are posing as men to buy testosterone from online pharmacies because of difficulties accessing NHS prescriptions.There has also been a “very sharp increase” in testosterone referrals to the NHS for postmenopausal women.Menopause specialist Dr Michelle Olver said she had seen women with testosterone levels up to 12 times the safe level after buying the hormone online, putting them at risk of permanent side effects.Why Is Testosterone Gaining Attention?Also read: ‘I Was Vocal About Cancer But Silent About Menopause Out Of Shame’, Says Actress Lisa RayAlthough testosterone is often called a male hormone, women also produce it, primarily through the ovaries and adrenal glands. Levels generally decline with age.Some women are prescribed testosterone for distressing loss of sexual desire. Others are seeking it for fatigue, impaired thinking, low mood and loss of muscle strength.The FDA is set to hold a public workshop on September 17 to examine testosterone use in menopausal women. The agency says off-label use is growing, while questions remain about its effects on sexual function, mood, cognition, muscle and bone health, as well as long-term cardiovascular and breast cancer safety.What Does The Evidence Say?Menopause does not automatically mean a woman has a “testosterone deficiency.”Notably, there is no established testosterone level below which an otherwise healthy woman is diagnosed as testosterone deficient. A blood test alone also cannot determine whether low testosterone is responsible for symptoms such as fatigue, low mood or loss of sexual desire.However, the Menopause Society and other medical organizations support testosterone use in menopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder.“We do not have any evidence in women that it will improve muscle mass or bone density or mood or well-being or really any other metric,” said Dr Stephanie Faubion, director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Women's Health and medical director of The Menopause Society.“What testosterone is being touted for in the lay public and on social media is not really what we have data for,” she said.Are There Any Side Effects?According to Cleveland Clinic, testosterone treatment generally isn’t recommended for women with cardiovascular disease, liver disease or hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast or uterine cancer. Excess testosterone can cause acne, increased facial or body hair and scalp hair loss. Higher doses may also lead to voice deepening and clitoral enlargement, some of which can be irreversible.Testosterone should therefore not be used in higher doses as a way to boost energy, muscle strength or libido.