Study Finds Viagra & Flibanserin Combination Works for Women

The women taking the Viagra & flibanserin combination reported at least one additional positive sexual experience, while 10% of the women showed meaningful improvements. Order free Viagra for women & get it delivered in just a week!

Female Viagra is a term that has been used to promote herbal supplements that promise sexual benefits for women.

There is no evidence that most of those supplements actually provide sexual benefits. There is an herbal supplement called Prelox that is sold in health food shops and pharmacies that has been used in trials to determine its effectiveness. The results were inconclusive as to whether the supplement helped or whether it had a placebo effect. In some people, placebos tend to help them experience the sensation or benefit that the drug or supplement being tested is designed to elicit, whether they take the actual drug or the placebo during the trials.

A female version of Viagra is not available for women at this moment in time. However, the Federal Food and Drug Administration, FDA, recently, in 2015, approved the marketing and sale of a drug called flibanserin. That drug is being dubbed ‘the female Viagra’ by the media and it has been approved to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder. That condition is characterized by a low desire for sexual activity. Flibanserin is the first drug of its kind that has been approved by the FDA for treatment of sexual dysfunction in women who are pre-menopausal.

The mechanisms that actually allow the drug flibanserin to work are unknown, however, the company that applied for approval from the FDA believes that it balances the brain chemicals that are responsible for making women feel sexual desire. Although the drug has shown that it increases desire in some women, it does not enhance sexual performance.

Differences between Flibanserin and Viagra

Viagra is a drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men by increasing blood flow to the penis, and to enhance sexual performance. Flibanserin is a drug that is used to treat low sexual desire in women by balancing the chemicals in the brain that are thought to enhance mood. Viagra must be taken up to four hours before sexual activity is anticipated while flibanserin must be taken daily at bedtime.

The drug was originally developed in 1995 for use as an antidepressant. Trial studies showed that the drug did little for depression, but did have an effect on mood, specifically sexual desire. It was not until 2008 that research was conducted to explore flibanserin’s effectiveness as a sexual desire enhancer. Since that time, the FDA has denied approval of the drug twice. The agency noted that there was no statistical significance in the trials that showed an increase in sexual desire in women. It also noted that it was apprehensive about the dangerous side effects.

New trials were conducted with a different set of parameters over a period of eight years. The results of those trials submitted in 2014 entailed four focus points: a sexual function index, satisfaction, sexual events, and the distress that resulted from having a low sex drive. The sexual function index is a list of questions that women in the trials answered about their sexual experiences that allowed them to rate their levels of desire over a period of 28 days. The report showed that, when compared to the placebos that some of the women in the test group were given, all of the women taking the Viagra & flibanserin combination reported at least one additional positive sexual experience, while 10% of the women showed meaningful improvements.

How Flibanserin gained FDA approval

The drug was analyzed by the FDA based on three trials that were submitted by the company seeking approval. The three trials involved over 2,000 women who had been diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder by their physicians. In those trials, some of the women were given placebos and others were given a dose of flibanserin before they went to bed each night during the trial period. Those who took the actual drug reported that they had an increase in their sexual desire and, as a result, sexual activity during the trial. Those women also reported that they experienced less stress related to their low sexual drives.

Viagra for Women

While the effectiveness of Viagra for treating male erectile dysfunction has been proven, it is not a suitable drug for women. Because widespread trials have not been conducted, the effects of Viagra on women are not known and it is unclear whether the drug is safe for their use or what long-term effects it could have on women’s bodies. For this reason, Viagra is only available to men.

Medical trials of Viagra in women failed to show any increase in sexual desire. A study conducted by the UCLA Female Sexual Medical Centre reported that women who took Viagra experienced an improvement in sexual enjoyment. It is thought that the result is due to Viagra’s ability to increase blood flow to women’s genitals. Subsequent studies indicate that those study results may have been false and those women experienced an improvement in sexual enjoyment by chance, rather than due to the drug itself.

When women took Viagra during infertility research conducted by the American Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine, their chances of becoming pregnant increased. Many women are unable to become pregnant due to a thin uterine lining that does not have enough thickness to allow an egg to implant. Once the trials were complete, researchers thought that the drug increased blood flow to the uterine area and resulted in a thickening of the uterine lining.

A study was conducted by Penn State College of Medicine on the use of Viagra in women to treat the pain and cramps that many women experience during their menstrual cycle. That study was not conclusive that Viagra actually helped with that condition.

Why women need a female Viagra

Women and sexual dysfunction

It has been estimated that between five to eight million women in the United States experience a lack of sexual desire. It is the most common sexual dysfunction in women of all ages. Prior to the approval of flibanserin, there were no options for treatment of the condition with drugs designed specifically for that purpose.

The lack of desire can have an effect on women’s daily lives. While taking a drug that can increase sexual desire sounds wonderful, there may be other factors involved that, when treated, will resolve the issue entirely. For example, mental health issues such as depression, low self-esteem, hormonal imbalance, and stress are all related to a lowered sex drive in women. Lifestyle habits and fatigue are also contributors to the condition. Before taking any sex enhancement drug, a physician should be consulted to rule out treatable conditions that may be causing the problem.

From a physical aspect, sexual activity provides a workout for the pelvic muscles. That exercise tends to strengthen the pelvic muscles and help increase bladder control and avoid the incontinence that some women experience at times during their life. In addition, engaging in sexual activity burns calories. The longer and more rigorous the activity, the more calories are burned.

Psychologically, sex is a mood booster. When an orgasm is reached, women tend to experience happiness, lowered anxiety, and contentment. Sexual activity generally results in a reduction of stress. It also tends to bring women closer to their partners and enhances the relationship.

In studies conducted by different institutes, sexual activity has been shown to increase immunity to germs and viruses. It has also been shown to reduce cramps and post-menopausal syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

Women and antidepressant effects on sexual desire

Some antidepressants are known to cause sexual dysfunction in women. As many as 70% of the women taking those types of drugs have reported sexual problems, according to a study lead by Dr. H. George Nurnberg, University of New Mexico School of Medicine professor. The study showed that 72% of the premenopausal women being treated with antidepressants who were also given Viagra greatly improved their chances of obtaining orgasms while only 27% of the women in the study who were given a placebo experienced those results.

Women who participated in Nurnberg’s study were unaware of whether they were being given the actual drug or a placebo. While those taking Viagra did not experience an increase in sexual desire, they did experience an increase in the time it took to orgasm and an increase in the pleasure of the orgasm.

The women that were included in the above-noted study were chosen based on their use of antidepressants and their reported sexual problems including lack of desire, lack or delay in reaching orgasm, and difficulty in lubricating or sexual stimulation. Hormone levels were assessed prior to the study. It is important that women who take Viagra in the studies have their hormone level tested. It is imperative that the hormone levels are normal for Viagra to be effective. When hormone levels are normal, Viagra sends blood flow to the genital area and engorges the clitoris. That effect was explained as the reason that women taking Viagra experienced improved orgasms. Even so, it was noted in Nurnberg’s study that women with higher levels of testosterone were more likely to react positively to Viagra.

The only real improvement that was found by Nurnberg’s study was the increased likelihood of reaching orgasm. There was no improvement in lubrication or level of desire. It should be noted that Viagra does not increase desire in men either.

Viagra and side effects in women

During Nurnberg’s study, it was concluded that the main side effects reported by the women included headache, and temporary vision disturbances. Those symptoms were not bad enough for the women to drop out of the study. The women also did not report that they had a worsening of their depression during the study.

Flibanserin adverse reactions

The FDA noted that the most common reactions to the flibanserin included dry mouth, insomnia, sleepiness, and dizziness. Fatigue was also reported as a common symptom related to taking the drug. It was also noted that women who suffered from low blood pressure experienced loss of consciousness, especially when the drug was combined with drinking alcohol.

Less common reactions to the drug include constipation, stomach pain, rash, and vertigo. A small number of women in the trial experienced abnormal uterine bleeding and appendicitis.

Because of the severity that the side effects can present, the drug can only be prescribed by trained certified health professionals and administered by certified pharmacies. Training encompasses counseling women on the side effects and exploring their lifestyle and health status.

Dr. Janet Woodcock stated that the FDA strives to advance and protect women’s health and support safe treatments for sexual problems. Dr. Woodcock is the director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. She further stated that flibanserin gives women a safe treatment option for low sexual desire.

Contraindications

According to the FDA, this drug is contraindicated for the following:

• Women who are post-menopausal
• Women who are likely to drink alcohol while taking the drug
• Pregnant women
• Nursing mothers
• Women who have liver problems

Dosage

The recommended dosage of flibanserin is 100 mg taken at bedtime. The drug can increase the risk of hypotension and syncope when taking during the day. It also can cause a sedative affect that can result in accidental injury if the drug is taken during waking hours.

Summary

There have not been enough studies completed by researchers to find out whether Viagra is safe for women to use. Until those studies are completed, it is unlikely that Viagra will be approved by the FDA for use in women. In the meantime, researchers and scientists are working on alternatives that will help treat sexual dysfunction in women.

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