Rethinking Hormones: Testosterone and Estrogen in Women’s Heart Health

madman · Nov 30, 2025

2025 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions

Dr. Susan Davis

* in the process of doing safety parameters, we found that when we gave women testosterone, we caused blood vessel dilation just like we saw when we gave women estrogen and in fact, when we gave women an ACUTE dose of testosterone, we found it dropped blood pressure even with women lying supine in bed. So ACUTELY testosterone is a vasodilator and CHRONICALLY it's a vasodilator

Emerging research is challenging long-held assumptions about the roles of estrogen and testosterone in women’s health—particularly in the context of aging and cardiometabolic risk. Hear from Dr. Susan Davis as she reviews the evolving evidence. Dr. Davis is an endocrinologist as well as the head of the Women’s Health Research Program and a Professor of Women's Health at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. She also spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

madman · Nov 30, 2025

Thread 'Testosterone and the heart'

Sep 9, 2023

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women aged 65 years and older. Sex hormones have been implicated as having a critical role in the evolution of CVD, with the focus mainly on estrogens in women. Available data also indicate that low testosterone blood levels may be detrimental to cardiovascular function in women. At blood concentrations considered normal for premenopausal women, testosterone has favorable effects on blood vessel function (relaxation and contraction), much of which is determined by the endothelial cells that line the inside...

madman · Nov 30, 2025

Thread 'Testosterone in Women: Myths, Benefits & Risks of HRT After Menopause'

Aug 31, 2025

21:44 How Can Women Measure Testosterone Accurately?

* everybody's sensitivity to testosterone and to estrogen varies otherwise it would be a one size fits all

51:29 What Are The Safety Considerations For Testosterone Therapy?

* if women use too much they will get masculinization including clitoromegaly and voice change and scalp hairloss

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Professor Susan Davis, an endocrinologist and one of the world’s leading experts on hormones in women’s health...

madman · Jan 2, 2026

Thread 'Cardiometabolic Health: Do Sex Steroids Matter?'

Jan 2, 2026

"Cardiometabolic Health: Do Sex Steroids Matter?" which looks at the role sex steroids play in cardiovascular health across the lifespan.

Susan R. Davis

My team who have contributed to the work presented