Up to 50% of women experience painful sex and reduced libido during menopause, according to The Menopause Society, and while multiple treatments and medications exist for men with erectile dysfunction, there are only two medications for women with low libido. In the documentary, Amy Denniston, a respiratory therapist, discusses testosterone treatment for women with Dr. Casperson. Denniston explains that what she noticed most when she went on testosterone is that she “got her brain back” as well as increased energy and focus. Casperson explains how important testosterone is for women for muscle health, recovery after workouts, bone health, mental health, mood, and depression.
Here’s the kicker, though: Testosterone is not FDA approved for women in the US, even though our bodies produce it naturally. Per Casperson: “The other problem is your insurance won’t cover it because it’s not FDA approved (for women).” And because women require about one tenth the dose that men do, physicians must prescribe it in men’s dosages and teach their female patients how to divide that into a woman’s dosage.
We shouldn’t need a documentary to remind us that women are just as, if not more, valuable in the menopausal phase of life—or that they still have so much to contribute to society. Wen Shen, ob-gyn at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, sums it up in the film: “Menopause can actually be viewed as freedom, freedom from menstrual cycles, freedom from fear of getting pregnant. Women should celebrate the wisdom and knowledge that is gained from the decades lived and carry themselves with pride that she is someone that has made it through and has a lot to give.”