Could Testosterone Help Mood and Brain Fog in Perimenopause? | Midlife reMDy

If you have been feeling more flat, more forgetful, less motivated, or like your brain just is not working the way it used to, you are not imagining it.

A 2024 study looked at 510 peri- and postmenopausal women who were already using hormone therapy but still had symptoms like low mood, anxiety, low energy, memory problems, trouble concentrating, and low libido. After 4 months of transdermal testosterone therapy, many women reported improvement. Mood improved more than cognition, but both got better. About 47% reported mood improvement, 39% reported cognitive improvement, and 52% reported improvement in libido.

That does not mean testosterone is the answer for every woman. This was a pilot study, not a large randomized trial, and the authors themselves say we need more research. But it does suggest something important: testosterone may affect more than sex drive alone. In some women, it may also play a role in energy, motivation, mood, and mental clarity.

This matters because too many women blame themselves when they feel off in midlife. Sometimes what looks like stress, burnout, or “just aging” may also have a hormonal component worth exploring.

If your mood, motivation, or brain fog still do not feel right, it may be time to look at your symptoms through a more complete hormone lens.