At present
there is no such thing as a
‘female Viagra’,
at least not yet. But with studies
saying that over 43% of women
suffer from sexual dysfunction,
many large pharmaceutical and
drug companies are now in a
race to develop a female Viagra
for women. However developing
this female Viagra is not as
simple as it seems.
According to most research,
female sexual dysfunction is
most often characterized by
a lack of sexual desire or arousal.
Some studies report that over
a third of women complain that
a lack of desire is one of the
main reasons for them not being
sexually stimulated.
Researchers believe that a
woman’s lack of sexual
interest is often tied in with
the kind of relationships they
share with their partners. In
women lack of sexual interest
can also be triggered by emotional
issues such as family problems,
illness, death, financial problems,
prior or current emotional/physical
abuse, fatigue and or depression.
In women sexual dysfunction
is more psychological than physical.
But physical illness can also
contribute to women’s
sexual problems such as heart
problems, cancer, diabetes,
thyroid disorders, neurological
illnesses and autoimmune diseases.
Prescription medication, anti-depressants,
over-the-counter medications
and drug abuse can all lead
to women lack sexual interest.
Though there is currently no
FDA approved treatments for
sexual impotence in women, there
are plenty of alternatives that
are out there that have not
been approved. Research is also
being conducted by big pharmaceutical
giants like Pfizer and P&G,
but more investigations still
need to be explored.
Currently for women who have
had a hysterectomy or have had
their ovaries removed, doctors
now prescribed testosterone
to improve the female sexual
drive.
The failure of P&G’s
testosterone patch Intrinsa
shows that many big companies
are now moving fast to find
a treatment for sexual dysfunction
in women with many promising
drug. Some of the newly developing
treatments include prostaglandin
(which is already approved for
men), apomorphine and phentolamine,
all of which are under clinical
trials. Research has also shown
that with exercise, counseling
and vaginal lubricants, many
women have felt their sex drive
increase.
Listed
below are some unapproved and
herbal treatments being used
to treat impotence and sexual
dysfunction in women:
L-arginine amino acid
cream is currently
used by athletes to promote
muscle development. In women,
this cream is being used to
increase blood flow to the clitoris
to encourage sexual desire.
DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone
is a male hormone that is produced
by the adrenal gland and ovaries
in the body, which are then
converted into testosterone
and estrogen in men and women
respectively. Recent studies
show that women taking DHEA
daily have a significantly increased
sex drive. Unfortunately, this
treatment also has serious side
effects like the risk of a heart
attack increases and along with
the risk for developing breast
cancer increase. Women also
tend to develop more facial
hair under this therapy.
Testosterone Therapy is being used by doctors
for women who have had hysterectomies
or oophorectomies. The testosterone
here is given in small doses.
A promising treatment, many
women under its clinical trails
claim improved sexual functioning.
Herbal creams and tablets
such as Vigorelle, estraVil
and Avlimil are being
widely touted by their manufacturers
as the ‘female Viagra’,
however these products are not
FDA approved and so they have
no real quality standards. Claimed
to be made from botanical herbs
and extracts such as Red raspberry
leaf, Organic Damiana Leaf and
Ginger root, these products
should be approached with extreme
caution.
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