It is more common that men’s erectile dysfunction issues are covered more widely compared to women’s sexual problems. Naturally, women do not experience impotence in the same way as men, but usually, issues concerning women are often related to reduced sexuality and lack of sexual desire.

Women suffering from these problems do not necessarily feel sexual desire or achieve an orgasm during sex. The reasons for these can lie in different psychological factors such as depression, stress, mental pressure, or relationship problems. If a woman thinks that a man does not want her, it can also negatively affect her own desires. However, there may be physical reasons, such as excessive use of various medicines, fatigue, illness or hormonal problems.

If the lack of sexual desire persists, there are often relationship problems and frustration behind. When the lack of libido continues, women’s reluctance to sex can only aggravate the problem further. This can be a tough place for her partner as well. There are currently some ways to deal with these problems, including medication such as Addyi.

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Understanding women’s libido

There are many possible causes for women’s lack of desire, and often behind it is the sum of many factors, for example, hormonal changes such as giving birth or menopause. This is because in these instances the estrogen levels in the body decrease.

Lack of sexual desire may also be a sign of serious illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure, MS, or heart and bladder problems. Medication to treat anxiety, chemotherapy in fighting cancer and blood pressure medicines can decrease libido and make achieving orgasm difficult or impossible. Psychological causes include depression, stress, or sexual violence experienced in the past. Women experiencing sexual violence may suffer from dyspareunia, which means that a woman experiences pain during sex, which may be due to medical reasons, such as yeast infection or herpes, or psychological reasons. Women’s sexual desire is also normally lower during pregnancy.

If the libido is persistently low and long-lasting, you should consult with your doctor. Although the subject still seems to be a taboo for some women. However, sexuality is an important part of mental and physical well-being, so it is not worth to be ashamed of. There is some medication that can help as long as the underlying causes are understood. Many women don’t know or understand that there is help available and the problem is not something that can’t be helped.

How can I increase my libido?

The first step is to understand the underlying causes of the lack of desire. If a woman’s sexual reluctance is caused by hormonal imbalance problems, hormone therapy can help. Estrogen deficiency is also possible to treat. There are many different ways to do this, such as estrogen creams, pills, and patches. It is also possible to use an estrogen-containing contraceptive ring. Estrogen therapy affects mood and brain function, and these treatments also promote vaginal circulation. This, in turn, can help to relieve the decreases libido.

In addition, the role of testosterone in a woman’s libido should not be overlooked because this male hormone plays an important role in female sexuality as well. In some cases, it might be time to consider androgen treatment. Androgens also include testosterone, which is produced by a woman’s body, even though significantly less than in men. Some studies have shown that the libido of women suffering from a deficiency of testosterone is greatly increased with the androgen therapy, while some studies have shown a much smaller link or no contact at all.

Addyi, “the female Viagra”

The actual Viagra used to treat men’s erectile problems has no benefits for women. It is designed to enhance the blood flow to the penis and thus, for women, it will cause no reaction. However, there is a medicine that has gained nicknames ‘female Viagra’ and ‘the pink pill’ vs the male ‘blue pill’. But the terms are misleading, as the effect of the medicine is, of course, completely different. Originally it was supposed to be used as an antidepressant, but during testing was found that it also had a libido increasing effect. This is a new drug called Addyi which is manufactured by Sprout Pharmaceuticals in 2015.1 The US drug authority FDA approved the drug in 2015. So far, this woman’s reluctance is not available in the UK.

Addyi is a tablet formulation that is taken orally and its active ingredient is flibanserin. In order to achieve the required effects, it should be taken every day. According to some, Addyi reinforces sexual orientation by helping to get rid of blockages that reduce libido. Flibanserin prevents serotonin secretion in the brain and, in turn, enhances the production of dopamine and noradrenaline.2

Side effects of flibanserin

Addyi should not be used together with contraceptive pills or alcohol.

Side effects in clinical studies have proven to be the following:

  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • nausea

Other rare side effects include the following:

  • insomnia
  • anxiety
  • dry mouth
  • stress
  • abdominal pain
  • constipation
  • palpitations

Flibanserin can also increase the risk of fainting. In addition, it is a soothing medicine, so it can slow down the reaction time, which increases the chance of accidents if it is taken before driving.

Alternative treatment options

The idea of hormone therapy can scare many thus, there are homeopathic therapies available for those who believe in them. In homeopathy, libido can be treated with various types of grains that affect the low libido. For example, 9 CH Onosmodium virginianum should help in both, male and female low sexual desire. In order to achieve the desired results, 10 tablets should be taken per week. If a woman does not want sex at all, graphite 15 CH is recommended to be taken once a week. It can also be taken with Sepia 5 CH.

These products can be obtained from a pharmacy without a prescription. They are quite inexpensive, and they can be used well on their own without the need to visit a doctor.

References:

  1. The Pink Pill – Addyi
  2. Female Viagra – GQ Magazine