New Study Proves "Female Viagra" Not As Effective As Hoped

By SheSpeaksTeam Mar 04, 2016

For those who had high hopes about a newly released drug Addyi, being touted as the “female viagra”, you may want to wait to have that prescription filled. Some new data published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests the drug really isn’t all that effective in enhancing female libido and may not be the answer if you suffer from a decreased sexual desire.

Glamour reports about the new study’s findings that show an even lower rate of satisfaction from women than the original modest FDA findings. The original study conducted by the FDA found that women who took Addyi had on average one extra “sexually satisfying encounter” per month than before taking the drug. But the new study finds that those who suffer from sexual dysfunction and took the drug only have about “one half” of an additional “sexually satisfying” encounter per month.

So, what does all this mean and how do you only have half of a sexually satisfying encounter? Well, the new report is not clear about the “half” statement, but as far as why the drug is not all that effective may have something to do with the way sexual dysfunction differs in men and women. Women’s health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider explains, “Female sexual dysfunction can be more complicated and harder to address, in some cases, than the mechanics of male erectile dysfunction. So treating women with this drug was not likely to be a cure-all.”

When it comes to sexual dysfunction in women, there may never be a cure-all pill since the reason behind the problem may lie in a variety of things for different women. Dr. Wider explains that anything from hormonal contraceptive use, your menstrual cycle, whether or not you are breast feeding or postpartum, moods, emotions and being perimenopausal can have an effect on sexual desire. She goes on to say that there is no one pill that will solve all these issues and there may never be one as effective as the male version.

What do you think of the new findings that the drug being touted as the “female viagra” isn’t very effective?

Do you think science will ever come up with effective treatment for sexual dysfunction in women?