Question: Female Viagra, What Does It Do?
Answer: We’ve all heard of that little blue pill that magically takes a man to full mast, but Viagra has always been seen as a male thing, when men are literally only half of the equation. Enter stage-left Addyi, a ‘little pink pill’ designed to help treat Hypoactive (low) Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. Addyi works by targeting the parts of the brain that control libido, giving you the hot and heavy need for sex—but the efficacy of the drug is still hotly contested.
What Is The Difference Between Male and Female Viagra?
Male Viagra is a near-instant cure for a soft problem that relies on boosting blood flow to the penis. Lady Viagra works differently because, well, blood flow isn’t the problem with female sexual dysfunction. Subdued libido in women has been linked to brain chemistry rather than physical functionality. Studies have found no correlation between women taking male Viagra resulting better or more frequent sexual experiences.
What Is Female Viagra (Addyi)?
So now you know there is Viagra for women, you want to try it, right? But there are a few things you should know about it first. Addyi, also known as Flibanserin, is a non-hormonal pill that was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration in 2015 to treat HSDD in premenopausal women—a disorder that causes low libido and distress in almost any kind of sexual situation. It’s one of the only drugs on the market designed to target low libido for women.
How Does Addyi Work?
Addyi is a psychotropic drug and it’s important to know what happens to your brain when you take it. It works by reducing the brain’s serotonin activity, (serotonin is known to dampen sexual desire), which is the key reason it can increase libido. This video does a good job of explaining exactly what happens when you take Flibranserin, aka Addyi (see 2’30”)
Does It Work?
Addyi is no magic medicine for instant female arousal–it takes around a month to work. And that’s if it’s going to work at all. Unfortunately, it does not work for everyone. Clinical trials showed some improvement in between 46-60% of women. Addyi studies have reported an average of only ½ to 1 additional sexually satisfying event per month after using the drug.
Plus, there can be unpleasant side-effects ranging from dizziness to nausea, drowsiness, fatigue and insomnia present in up to 1 in 10 users. There is evidence that Addyi may work to treat HSDD in some patients, but for others, the hassle of the pill outweighs the benefits. Furthermore, the price tag is a bit hefty at around US$400 for a pack of thirty pills.
Do I Need Addyi?
HSDD is estimated to be present in up to as much as 12% of the adult female population. To know if you have HSDD you’ll need a diagnosis from a doctor, but there are signs. If you have constantly low libido and a feeling of distress, and it isn’t caused by factors such as abuse or a bad relationship, you might just have it. We’ve all had times when we are simply “not in the mood”, but Addyi is prescribed to women who are rarely, if ever, in the mood.
How to buy?
Addyi has not been approved for use in Australia as the TGA generally takes a cautious approach to new medications.
In the meantime, there are several natural female Viagra alternatives. Herbs such as Maca, Red Clover, Korean Ginseng, Tribulus and Sentra for Women are said to boost sex drive.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
How getting my hearing checked gave me a new lease on life
How to tune back into life after hearing loss
Native ad body.
