Editing Testosterone (section)

====Females====
Androgens may modulate the physiology of vaginal tissue and contribute to female genital sexual arousal.<ref name="pmid12007897">{{cite journal | vauthors = Traish AM, Kim N, Min K, Munarriz R, Goldstein I | title = Role of androgens in female genital sexual arousal: receptor expression, structure, and function | journal = Fertility and Sterility | volume = 77 | issue = Suppl 4 | pages = S11–8 | date = Apr 2002 | pmid = 12007897 | doi = 10.1016/s0015-0282(02)02978-3 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Women's level of testosterone is higher when measured pre-intercourse vs. pre-cuddling, as well as post-intercourse vs. post-cuddling.<ref name="pmid17320881">{{cite journal | vauthors = van Anders SM, Hamilton LD, Schmidt N, Watson NV | s2cid = 5718960 | title = Associations between testosterone secretion and sexual activity in women | journal = Hormones and Behavior | volume = 51 | issue = 4 | pages = 477–82 | date = Apr 2007 | pmid = 17320881 | doi = 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.01.003 | hdl = 2027.42/83880 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> There is a time lag effect when testosterone is administered, on genital arousal in women. In addition, a continuous increase in vaginal sexual arousal may result in higher genital sensations and sexual appetitive behaviors.<ref name="pmid10665617">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tuiten A, Van Honk J, Koppeschaar H, Bernaards C, Thijssen J, Verbaten R | title = Time course of effects of testosterone administration on sexual arousal in women | journal = Archives of General Psychiatry | volume = 57 | issue = 2 | pages = 149–53; discussion 155–6 | date = Feb 2000 | pmid = 10665617 | doi = 10.1001/archpsyc.57.2.149 | doi-access =  }}</ref>

When females have a higher baseline level of testosterone, they have higher increases in sexual arousal levels but smaller increases in testosterone, indicating a ceiling effect on testosterone levels in females. Sexual thoughts also change the level of testosterone but not the level of cortisol in the female body, and hormonal contraceptives may affect the variation in testosterone response to sexual thoughts.<ref name="pmid21185838">{{cite journal | vauthors = Goldey KL, van Anders SM | s2cid = 18691358 | title = Sexy thoughts: effects of sexual cognitions on testosterone, cortisol, and arousal in women | journal = Hormones and Behavior | volume = 59 | issue = 5 | pages = 754–64 | date = May 2011 | pmid = 21185838 | doi = 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.12.005 | hdl = 2027.42/83874 | url = https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83874/1/sexy_thoughts.pdf | hdl-access = free | access-date = September 23, 2019 | archive-date = August 29, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210829082052/https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/83874/sexy_thoughts.pdf;jsessionid=AD3535C13DF1611007860B6D237B0C3E?sequence=1 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Testosterone may prove to be an effective treatment in [[female sexual arousal disorder]]s,<ref name="pmid15889125">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bolour S, Braunstein G | title = Testosterone therapy in women: a review | journal = International Journal of Impotence Research | volume = 17 | issue = 5 | pages = 399–408 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15889125 | doi = 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901334 | doi-access =  }}</ref> and is available as a [[testosterone (patch)|dermal patch]]. There is no FDA-approved androgen preparation for the treatment of androgen insufficiency; however, it has been used as an [[off-label use]] to treat low [[libido]] and [[female sexual arousal disorder|sexual dysfunction]] in older women. Testosterone may be a treatment for postmenopausal women as long as they are effectively estrogenized.<ref name="pmid15889125"/>