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Postmenopausal women who use testosterone treatment may face a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems, new research suggests.
The research, presented at the Menopause Society’s 2026 annual meeting last month in San Diego, looked at more than 6,000 postmenopausal women ages 45 and older, comparing those who received testosterone treatment with those who did not. Women with a history of cardiovascular disease were excluded.
Among women receiving testosterone, 3.8% experienced a first cardiovascular event, compared to 0.5% of women who did not receive the treatment, according to the Menopause Society.
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These events included heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other cardiovascular problems.
Testosterone is a sex hormone produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands that plays a role in sexual desire, as well as muscle and bone health, mood and cognition, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Postmenopausal women who use testosterone treatment may face a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other heart problems. (iStock)
Anna Cabeca, a board-certified obstetrics-gynecology and menopause expert based in Dallas, told Fox News Digital that the differences between the two groups — women who received testosterone and those who did not — deserve attention.
“The difference between 3.8% and 0.5% is certainly large enough to merit our attention, but we have to be careful about what these numbers actually tell us,” said Cabeca, who was not involved in the study.
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That equates to about 38 cardiovascular events per 1,000 women receiving testosterone, compared to five per 1,000 women who didn’t, the doctor noted.
For women considering testosterone treatment, Cabeca said doctors should review the patient’s overall health, including heart history, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, metabolic health, medications and family history.
Testosterone is a sex hormone produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands that plays a role in sexual desire, as well as muscle and bone health, mood and cognition. (iStock)
“Sexual health is an essential part of overall health, and women deserve to have their concerns about libido, arousal and intimacy taken seriously, especially during and after menopause,” she added.
Although testosterone may improve sexual desire and satisfaction in properly selected postmenopausal women, the possible benefits must be weighed against the potential risks, Cabeca advised.
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In cases where testosterone is appropriate, it emphasizes careful dosing, monitoring and regular checks of the patient’s symptoms and laboratory results.
There are important limitations to the new findings, the researchers acknowledged.
When testosterone treatment is appropriate, experts recommend careful dosing, monitoring, and regular assessments of patient symptoms and laboratory results. (iStock)
The study was observational, meaning researchers looked at outcomes in women who were already receiving testosterone rather than assigning the treatment in a controlled trial.
As a result, the study may show a link between testosterone consumption and cardiovascular events, but cannot prove that the treatment caused them.
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Women who received testosterone may also differ from those who did not in ways that affected their heart risk, including age, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol levels or other health factors, Cabeca said.
“This is an important safety signal that merits further investigation, and not definitive proof of causation,” she added.
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Fox News Digital has contacted the researchers for comment.
Deirdre Bardolf of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Gn Health
