A new study published this week suggests that women with high levels of both oestrogen and testosterone at midlife are at a higher risk of developing fibroids than women with low levels of hormones. This finding is important because this is the first time that testosterone has been linked to fibroids.

In this study 1412 women aged 45 -52 were monitored over 13 years with each woman having an annual check-up where their hormone levels were measured. It was found that women with high levels of testosterone in their blood were 1.33 times more likely to develop fibroids than women with low levels of testosterone, and women with high levels of both oestrogen and testosterone had an even greater risk , they were 1.5 times more likely to develop fibroids.

Dr Jennifer Lee, one of the researchers explained the importance of these findings by stating that:

“The research opens up new lines of inquiry regarding how fibroids develop and how they are treated. Given that managing uterine fibroids costs an estimated $34.4 billion in annual medical expenditures nationwide, it is important to identify new ways to better treat this common condition.”

You can read more about this research here