The role of androgens in hormone replacement therapy.

In recent years, increased attention to women's sexual health has propelled basic scientific research and clinical trials investigating treatment paradigms for improving sexual well-being. As the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction has become manifest, knowledge of the intricate pathophysiological role of androgens in maintaining sexual function has fostered a clearer understanding of the effect of age on androgen status, the role of androgens in the postmenopausal ovary, and aetiological mechanisms of androgen insufficiency in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Understanding the long-term safety and efficacy of physiological androgen replacement and the development of sensitive testosterone assays for specific use in women will better characterise women who are most likely to respond to androgen therapy and, thereby, optimise their quality of life.