Low
hormone level linked to sexual dysfunction
Menopausal
women twice as likely to report problems, study
finds
NEW YORK - Women who have
particularly low levels of the hormone DHEA during menopause may be more likely
to have sexual dysfunction, a new study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that among more than
300 women they followed for 3 years, sexual dysfunction became more common as
women progressed through menopause. Postmenopausal women were more than twice
as likely as premenopausal women to report problems like lack of interest in
sex, pain or difficulty reaching orgasm.
But there was also evidence
that other factors contributed to sexual dysfunction, including the women’s
levels of DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone. Women with relatively low blood
levels of the hormone were 59 percent more likely to report sexual problems
than those with high levels.
Dr. Clarisa R. Gracia and
colleagues report their findings in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
DHEA is a hormone produced
mainly by the adrenal gland that acts as a precursor to testosterone and
estrogen. The body’s DHEA production peaks in young adulthood and gradually
declines with age; because of this, supplements of synthetic DHEA are widely
marketed as an anti-aging panacea.
However, the current
findings do not mean that women with sexual dysfunction should turn to the
supplements, as there’s not yet any evidence that they’d help, according to the
study authors.
“A randomized controlled
trial assessing the safety and efficacy of (DHEA) is needed to support its use
for the treatment of sexual dysfunction,” Gracia and colleagues write.
The study included 311 women
who were between the ages of 35 and 47 at the outset. Once a year, the
researchers took blood samples from the women to measure various hormone
concentrations. They also questioned the women about their health, menstrual
cycles and sex lives.
Overall, Gracia’s team
found, one-third of the women had some degree of sexual dysfunction by the end
of the 3-year study period.
Women with relatively low DHEA
levels were at greater risk, as were those with anxiety symptoms and those who
lacked a regular sex partner. Women who had children younger than 18 living
with them were also more likely to report sexual problems.
The findings, according to
Gracia’s team, confirm that sexual dysfunction becomes more common as women
move through menopause, and that hormones may be one of several factors that
play a role.
They call for more research
to understand the various reasons for women’s sexual dysfunction so that
effective therapies can be developed.