Study: "Female Viagra" Flibanserin Works
Need a boost to your sex life? The magic could be in a little pill.
On "The Early Show" CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said that magic could be on the way, as a new study shows one pill could improve sex drive and satisfaction in women. It's being called "female Viagra."
Special Section: Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Video Series: Dr. Ashton's Health and Wellness
Ashton said a new paper from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports that after a 24-week treatment of the pill Flibanserin, women found improvement in their decreased sexual desire.
Flibanserin has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and is currently in development.
Ashton explained this drug was originally developed as an antidepressant. This study, which was funded by the drug's manufacturer, looked at women who reported Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, a persistent lack of sexual desire. They looked at 1,378 women. About half of them took Flibanserin for 24 weeks. Researchers found the women who took Flibanserin reported an 18 percent improvement in sexual desire compared to the placebo group.
Another one of the studies, which was also funded by the drug manufacturer, found that it started to work after four weeks, with higher sexual desire and lower distress.
But how does this female "Viagra" work?
Ashton explained Viagra, which is a stimulant for men, increases blood flow. However, Flibanserin is non-hormonal, Ashton said, and according to one researcher may affect a female's mind and the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
As for side effects, according to the drug manufacturer, most were mild. The most common side effects were dizziness, nausea, fatigue and insomnia.
Low sex drive among women, Ashton said, is caused by often complex or numerous factors.
Some possible causes:
• Hormonal changes - notably menopause or pregnancy or breast-feeding.
• Depression
• Stress/anxiety - could be based on relationship problems
• Medications like antidepressants or blood pressure medicines. Recently a new study said women using birth control pills could be at higher risk for sexual problems.
For now, Ashton suggested women can improve their sex drive by consulting a sexual therapist. She also suggested couples therapy.
"You want to get at the root problem," she said. "If it's something like depression or a medication side-effect, deal with those things and hopefully you'll see an improvement in your sex life."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. On "The Early Show" CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said that magic could be on the way, as a new study shows one pill could improve sex drive and satisfaction in women. It's being called "female Viagra."
Special Section: Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Video Series: Dr. Ashton's Health and Wellness
Ashton said a new paper from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reports that after a 24-week treatment of the pill Flibanserin, women found improvement in their decreased sexual desire.
Flibanserin has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and is currently in development.
Ashton explained this drug was originally developed as an antidepressant. This study, which was funded by the drug's manufacturer, looked at women who reported Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, a persistent lack of sexual desire. They looked at 1,378 women. About half of them took Flibanserin for 24 weeks. Researchers found the women who took Flibanserin reported an 18 percent improvement in sexual desire compared to the placebo group.
Another one of the studies, which was also funded by the drug manufacturer, found that it started to work after four weeks, with higher sexual desire and lower distress.
But how does this female "Viagra" work?
Ashton explained Viagra, which is a stimulant for men, increases blood flow. However, Flibanserin is non-hormonal, Ashton said, and according to one researcher may affect a female's mind and the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
As for side effects, according to the drug manufacturer, most were mild. The most common side effects were dizziness, nausea, fatigue and insomnia.
Low sex drive among women, Ashton said, is caused by often complex or numerous factors.
Some possible causes:
• Hormonal changes - notably menopause or pregnancy or breast-feeding.
• Depression
• Stress/anxiety - could be based on relationship problems
• Medications like antidepressants or blood pressure medicines. Recently a new study said women using birth control pills could be at higher risk for sexual problems.
For now, Ashton suggested women can improve their sex drive by consulting a sexual therapist. She also suggested couples therapy.
"You want to get at the root problem," she said. "If it's something like depression or a medication side-effect, deal with those things and hopefully you'll see an improvement in your sex life."
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Great, so now I can look forward to my wife being weak, falling down, and barfing on me all night long.
I can get that just by putting 2 bottles of wine in her.
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18% increase/improvement up from 0 ...which would make that sex still less than halfass interest at 50%. Ought to make for a really interesting lay.....NOT. LOL
Guess this means that instead of sleeping in her sweats and in a separate bed room...at 18%, she still sleeps in her sweats, but removes her bra and socks before laying down and does not kick the man, when he cops a feel. THAT is about as far as 18% would go, right?
Of course, the main reason for this--is that a lot of sex--does not equal skill or orgasms. A lot of bad sex will definitely lower interest and if that pill makes women want more sex--what good will that do if their partner is a lousy lay?
By the way--viagra and stuff likes that only works so much, and all the time you are with a man who has to use it--you know that the erectionnnn is fake, he has a slight headache--it's like having a *****, and masturbating yourself and it never gets as hard as it used to be--- for purists--it is very discouraging.....
I would bet that this female version has similar drawbacks--it will make "some" women more aroused and others will be wired speed freaks, who talk and talk and talk but still have no real interest in sex or feel phony when they do because it is drug induced.
Not to worry-it sounds like the least you could get arrested for is assault with a dead weapon.