“Sometimes women have a real dip in libido because there might be stuff going on with their thyroid. There could also be stuff going on with your level of testosterone,” Winslet, 48, told the listener.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but women have testosterone in their body, when it runs out—like eggs—it’s gone. And once it’s gone you have to replace it, and that is something that can be done and you’ll feel sexy again. I know,” the Oscar-winner added, seemingly referring to her own use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Winslet also suggested that the listener should have her thyroid levels and testosterone levels checked, noting, “Those things could have a direct impact on how you’re feeling. It’s not your fault, our bodies are weird and they behave in strange ways, especially as we get older.”
But the hormone, produced by women’s ovaries and adrenal glands, begins to gradually decrease beginning in one’s 30s, reaching especially low levels after menopause (although low testosterone can also be caused by estrogen therapy and hypothyroidism).
Possible side effects include acne, weight gain, hair loss on head, and an increase in facial hair.
That’s led to some disagreement among physicians.
“Women are being led to believe that it’s the missing piece of the jigsaw, that it’s going to be the solution to their relationship problems, and I think we have to be much more scientific about how that information is provided for women,” Paula Briggs, chair of the British Menopause Society, said in response to the study. “It’s coming from celebrities and politicians, and that’s not necessarily appropriate.”
“The biggest concern around it at this point is just making sure that you’re with a provider that understands hormone therapy,” she says. “But I love testosterone. I personally prescribe it a lot of my patients and I think it’s one of the one of the biggest-kept secrets to women, ultimately, feeling good.”
Reasons for decreased sex drive can range from the mental—depression, anxiety, relationship problems, past trauma, or mental illness—to the physical. Those reasons may include use of certain medications (like SSRIs, for depression, nutrient deficiencies, and yes, low hormone production in the ovaries, including estrogen and testosterone.
That’s why, adds Sholes-Douglas, “You really have to dig deep to see: Why is your libido low? Women’s libido is complicated. It’s not just slap some testosterone on and it’ll be better. You need a full workup to see what is really happening.”
If blood tests do indicate low testosterone, for example, it’s important to also have one’s thyroid checked, as hypothyroidism could be a culprit—as Winslet suggested to the podcast listener.
She concluded, though, with this piece of advice: “Go easy on yourself… and if he adores you, let him bloody ravage you.”
