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Susan Davis, Chair of Women's Health, Monash University

Don't believe the hype. Menopausal women don't all need to check – or increase – their testosterone levels

Pexels/Liza Summer

Ever heard “low testosterone” blamed for low mood, brain fog and loss of vitality? Despite all evidence to the contrary, social media influencers are increasingly promoting testosterone therapy as an elixir for women experiencing troubling symptoms of menopause.

In a series of documentaries and social media posts about menopause in 2021 and 2022, British TV presenter Davina McCall promoted the use of testosterone therapy in addition to standard menopausal hormone therapy. The “Davina effect” has helped fuel a ten-fold increase in prescribing of testosterone for women in the United Kingdom since 2015.

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