Researchers from the University of Michigan argue that women with high testosterone levels don't necessarily need traditional sex. These women are typically very shy and fear intimacy with a new partner. Therefore, they find it easier to masturbate than to confide in a stranger.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Sarah Van Anders conducted a study that found that women with high testosterone levels masturbate more frequently and intensely than those with low androgen levels. However, these hormone levels had no effect on the desires and habits of the men.
A total of 105 men and 91 women took part in the Michigan researchers' experiment. First, the volunteers filled out questionnaires in which they were asked to frankly report their sexual preferences. Then, their saliva was sampled. The scientists analyzed the saliva for testosterone and cortisol levels.
It turned out that women with high levels of male hormones rarely felt the desire to have sex with partners. They rejected one-time flings, preferring to find a steady, reliable partner (scientists had previously shown that testosterone levels decline over time in women with regular sex).