ABSTRACT
The role of androgens in men and women is receiving increasing attention, not only among scientists and clinicians, but also by our patients. Controversial issues are inevitable when and where clear-cut evidence is either lacking or insufficient. Thus, many questions arise. For example, can the measurement of endogenous testosterone levels delineate a population of women with sexual dysfunction that would respond to testosterone treatment? Can testosterone treatment produce a desired response without achieving pharmacologic levels? What are the longterm consequences of testosterone treatment? Are there other androgens or agents that would provide treatment more easily and are potentially safer than testosterone? Questions like these can only be answered with a full understanding of the normal role of androgens in normal development and function and by assessing the quality of the available evidence.
