A new study suggested that using testosterone gel everyday can improve women’s performance.
The study was funded by the Mason Foundation and conducted by a group of researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia led by health researcher and professor Susan Davis. 92 women aged 55 to 65 who were not taking any sex hormone therapy participated in the trial. The participants were divided into two groups: one used the gel daily while the other had it randomized.
The women used a testosterone gel from BioSante—a topical gel which can be applied either on the abdomen, upper arms, shoulder, or anywhere where there is less fat. They used 0.22 grams per application in 26 weeks.
After the application period, the researchers asked them to take a cognitive assessment called International Shopping List Task, an assessment that measures verbal learning and memory. The facilitator reads a shopping list which is not visible to the participants yet they have to remember as many as they can.
The assessment had two parts: the primary and secondary. The primary part evaluates memory, language, decision-making skills, and sensory-motor-spatial. The secondary evaluates attention, concentration, learning, thinking, and perception.
The assessment revealed that those who used the testosterone gel daily had higher scores with an average score of 1.57 points than those who used it randomly which had an average of 0.037 only. In percentage, the daily users were 97 percent better than the random users. However, this is just for the primary part of the assessment. The group had the same score for the secondary part of the assessment.
The research team admitted that they will need to do further research to prove that testosterone therapy can really improve women’s memory. They find this study relevant and plan to test it on Alzheimer patients for one year.
Testosterone therapy is commonly used on men to treat erectile dysfunction but women started using it as well as it to increase libido and cure skin and hair problems. This new study is the first attempt to see if it can also enhance mental performance.
