Female Sexual Dysfunction

2008-03-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

There are many problems that can keep a woman from enjoying sex. They include

* Lack of sexual desire
* Inability to become aroused
* Lack of orgasm, or sexual climax
* Painful intercourse

These problems may have physical or psychological causes. Physical causes may include conditions like diabetes, heart disease, nerve disorders or hormone problems. Some drugs can also affect desire and function. Psychological causes may include work-related stress and anxiety. They may also include depression or concerns about marriage or relationship problems. For some women, the problem results from past sexual trauma.

Occasional problems with sexual function are common. If problems last more than a few months or cause distress for you or your partner, you should see your healthcare provider.

Libigel Sex Salve for Women

2008-03-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

Libigel- a new ointment to enhance female sex drive! Looks like women are about to get a sexual dysfunction drug all thier own. Reported to cause an increase in sex drive within twenty-four hours of application, Libigel, which is being hailed as a "female viagra" may soon hit the market. The product is a testosterone gel which is rubbed into the upper arm and absorbed through the skin.

Libigel Testing approved

2008-03-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

BioSante Pharmaceuticals has started its Phase III safety study of LibiGel for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

The study protocol was finalized after meetings with FDA representatives from the Division of Reproductive and Urologic Products, the Division of Cardio-Renal Products and the Office of Biometrics III.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study will evaluate the cardiovascular risk of using testosterone in 2,400–3,100 women for 12 months, a key preapproval concern of the FDA, BioSante said.

BioSante also will conduct two six-month Phase III efficacy trials, one of which has begun. The company expects to start the other trial shortly.

Female Viagra?

2008-02-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

Jean Toth's experience with Intrinsa -- Procter & Gamble's first-in-its-class testosterone skin patch -- has changed her life. She lost her sexual desire after going through menopause.

"The very first time they showed me how to put it on -- I put it on in their offices -- and on my way home, it was like, 'Yes! We are gonna have fun tonight!' " said Toth, a 56-year-old tax analyst from Cleveland.

Toth was taking the drug as part of Procter & Gamble's clinical trials. The company had hoped to win preliminary approval today for widespread sales from a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee. But the group said that more study is needed to ensure it is safe for long-term use.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that 43 percent of women, like Toth, suffer from what is now called female sexual dysfunction -- including women who have lost sexual desire after menopause.

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Bremelanotide - Nasal Spray Aphrodesiac

2008-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Bremelanotide drug for female is evolved after a long research and speculation. There are different drugs to treat male sexual disorders but there are no successful drugs for combating female sexual dysfunction. Many drugs are being manufactured for women sexual problems but failed to overcome the stress and tension, long working hours, tiredness, emotional problems and family burden, which affects women’s sexual urge and interest because it is link to the brain. Female sexual excitement wholly depends on female brains and its function.

It was a great challenge for medicine and drugs’ manufacturer to bring a drug, which can effectively work in females’ brains and initiate sexual stimulation. Bremalenotide, PT-141 drug for female sexual dysfunction is successfully evolved after long research and speculation. It is manufactured by employing Platin technology. Platin Technology is the application of American drugs and pharmaceutical company who took real challenge to bring out the wonderful drug, Bremalanotide, PTI-141. Some other new drugs for 2007 are januvia, adipex, , byetta, slimona and avodart.

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Testosterone: Woman's Aphrodesiac

2008-01-30T13:50:00.000-08:00

Hormonal -- Androgens, such as testosterone, are a major component of female libido. Testosterone levels decline about 1 percent each year in men, which may contribute to lower male libido with aging. Testosterone also declines with age in women leading to a decrease in female libido. Women who have had surgical removal of the ovaries notice a drop in sexual interest. Replacement of androgens can be helpful in those with age related sexual dysfunction. Testosterone is available by prescription only. An over the counter hormones, such as DHEA, converts into testosterone and thus has a positive influence on libido. Pregnenolone is another over the counter hormone that may increase testosterone levels and thus enhance female libido.

Libido Engancement for Women

2008-01-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

In March of 1998 a new sexual revolution began in the modern Western world. It was at that time that Viagra, a pill for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction, was introduced. This, unfortunately, failed to address the other most important part of sexual relations: the female partner. It is not until recently that medical doctors have begun to recognize there are quite a number of women with low libido who have an interest in enhancing their sexuality, yet there are no good pharmaceutical options. Fortunately there are now herbal supplements for women that effectively address the neglected issue of female libido enhancement.
Female libido is certainly a major concern for many women, particularly as they get older. There's much that can be done to enhance female libido.

Testing for Women's Aphrodisiac

2008-01-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

More women report sexual problems than men, Simes said. A treatment that increases frequency and satisfaction of intercourse, oral sex or masturbation for women could be bigger than Pfizer's Viagra for men, he said.

BioSante's LibiGel, based on the male hormone testosterone, is applied to the upper arm once daily and is absorbed through the skin.

Women naturally produce testosterone, though the amount drops by about half as women age from their 20s to 50s, said Simes.

After a woman goes through menopause or has her ovaries removed, estrogen production slows, leading to symptoms that can include hot flashes and vaginal atrophy.

Estrogen replacement treats some symptoms, but "doesn't do anything for arousal or desire disorders," Simes said.

In February 2004, Pfizer, the world's biggest drugmaker, halted Viagra testing on female sexual arousal disorder because of "inconclusive" results, the company said in an e-mailed response to questions.

aphrodisiac foods

2008-01-28T09:03:00.000-08:00

Aphrodisiac Foods

Some Interesting History
Source: Cambridge World History of Food
Aphrodisiacs were first sought out as a remedy for various sexual anxieties including fears of inadequate performance as well as a need to increase fertility. Procreation was an important moral and religious issue and aphrodisiacs were sought to insure both male and female potency.

Why Certain Foods?
In ancient times a distinction was made between a substance that increased fertility versus one that simply increased sex drive. One of the key issues in early times was nutrition. Food was not so readily available as it is today. Undernourishment creates a loss of libido as well as reduces fertility rates. Substances that "by nature" represent "seed or semen" such as bulbs, eggs, snails" were considered inherently to have sexual powers. Other types of foods were considered stimulating by their "physical resemblance to genitalia"

http://libigel.blogspot.com/2008/01/libigel-and-elestrin-hormone-therapy.html

From MSNBC: Women's Sexual Health

2008-01-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Researh into sexual dysfunction and sexual arousal in general, has always focused on men. Women, it was assumed, could do it without arrousal, and sexual pleasure wasn't much of an issue. Sex researchers are trying to change all that.

"Medical researchers do not often speak or write with exclamation points, but then most medical researchers don’t spend much time trying to figure out why some women are sexually unhappy.

Dr. Susan Davis, however, does just that, and she’s annoyed. “Women’s sexual health has been very trivialized and neglected,” Davis argues. “If a man has a problem with sexual function, he is seen to have a biological problem. If a woman has a problem with sexual function, it is first considered psychological!”

Davis is correct. A 1977 review of “marital sexual dysfunctions” in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine declared: “For classification purposes, the three basic physiologic deficits — excitement phase dysfunction, orgasmic phase dysfunction and vaginismus — are subdivided into primary and secondary types. Primary dysfunctions represent long-standing developmental problems and are usually purely psychological in origin. Secondary dysfunctions occur after a period of normal sexual functioning and may be organic or psychological in origin.”"

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A Sex Positive Approach

2008-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

Sexologist Petra Boynton has written voluminously about the need for sexual satisfaction and the human psyche.

"Sex is something that first and foremost should make us feel good. It might be through desiring someone, being wanted, through a kiss or the anticipation of a kiss, or through physical and emotional sensations that come from being in love or in lust.

Sex challenges us. We take for granted even what the term 'sex' means, and assume it means the same things to everyone. Look closer and we appreciate how sex can be anything from teenage petting to SM. It mixes with politics, psychology, economics, history and anthropology. It's something everyone has an opinion on and most of us do - but it's also something we frequently disagree upon. Sex can therefore be a place of physical passion, and also a place of subversion, activism and protest.

At it's best sex can inspire art and poetry, it can lead us on adventures and encourage us to share and try new things. It's magical and mystical and can provide comfort, passion, and care. It may be something that we encounter frequently or lives in our memories. It may be something that really happened to us, or something we'd always longed for. We may experience it in real or virtual worlds. It can push at the boundaries of our imaginations and fantasies - or can feel safe and reassuring.

It's vital we keep remembering how sex is something that can make the world a better place because we currently live in a climate where sex has become something we view with fear or loathing, or is linked to consumerism or judgmental thinking. We're faced with sexual imagery that might make us think we're liberated, but masks how for many sex can be a source of anxiety, coercion, boredom or fear."

Hopefully medical science will soon start paying as much attention to sex issues that face women as they have to men's sexual performance. There are a number of new drug studies being conducted right now that look like things might be turning around for women.

Sex for a Better World

2008-01-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

From Miriam Kauffman, noted writer on sex as it relates to human health and well-being:

Sex makes the world a better place because it gives us something to talk and laugh about. It is an area where we all feel vulnerable, which can be a good thing, because it gives us commonality (it can also make the world a worse place, because many people think they are the only ones who are vulnerable and can get kind of weird about it).

When sex is pleasurable, it can relieve pain, distract us, bring us closer to others and make us feel better about life, all of which are good for the world. When a person is recognized as a sexual being, with the right to control their sexual expression, then they feel empowered and know that others see them as unique individuals rather than objects to be used.

If we could have an hour or two when everyone had consensual sex (either with themselves or others), that would be a period of time when there would be no killing, no war, less pain and hunger, less fear and a liberation for all.

~ Dr. Miriam Kaufman
Author, pediatrician and public educator Miriam Kaufman is a highly sought after speaker and a regular contributor to the national media.

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Sex and Happiness

2008-01-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

From Buck Angel:

I like the phrase "make love--not war" to express one good way! But really, sex is a natural drive that humans share, and they tend to get edgy and unhappy if these important needs aren't met.

I've read that sex can relieve stress, headaches, and mild depression. I've also heard that it is is the safest tranquilizer in the world, and even more effective than Valium! Sex releases endorphins into your bloodstream giving you a kind of natural high. I can tell you from personal and "professional" experience that sex can be great exercise, which is awesome, too.

I think if everyone were getting all the sex they need and want, then people would be a lot happier and more relaxed; the energy in the whole world would change for the better!

~ Buck Angel
AVN 2007 Transsexual Performer of the Year

Barriers to Satisfaction

2008-01-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

Big "O" Blockers

So what goes wrong on those nights when the fuse gets lit but the bomb never explodes? "Nine times out of 10 it's because [the woman isn't] getting enough continuous clitoral stimulation," Dr. Kerner says. Often, "A woman will get close to orgasm, her partner picks up on it, and [then he either] orgasms immediately or changes what he was doing."

That's why Dr. Kerner frequently recommends the woman-on-top position. Because you control the angle and speed of the thrusts (try a back-and-forth motion so that your clitoris rubs against your partner's abdomen), it allows for the most constant clitoral stimulation. Another solution is to find a position that mimics how you masturbate. If you have solo sex by lying on your belly and rubbing your clitoris with your hands tucked beneath you, then your man can enter you from behind in that position. By watching you he'll also get a better sense of the stimulation you need."Spectatoring" is another problem that can trip women up. "It's when a woman is too concerned with her appearance and/or performance to actually enjoy herself," Dr. Kerner says. There's no way you're going to have an orgasm if you're fretting about your cellulite or stressing over whether your newest as-seen-on-late-night-cable moves feel good for him. Instead, you have to let the erotic sensations register in your mind. Focus. Breathe. Let go. "It may seem counterintuitive," he says, "but you need to relax to build sexual tension."

Sexual Response Cycle

2008-01-17T11:09:00.001-08:00

The APA classifies sexual disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) because they tend to disrupt interpersonal relationships and cause psychological distress. All disorders listed in the DSM in some way disturb the process of arousal and the sexual response cycle. Although controversial, it is the standard approach used by many psychiatrists and clinicians in the United States and other countries to female sexual problems.

A new drug is currently being tested that may significantly aid sufferers from female sexual arousal deficit. Biosante's new testosterone gel, which is rubbed on the upper arm daily, has shown the ability to cause a marked increase in sexual desire within twenty four hours.

Inhibited Sexual Desire

2008-01-17T11:07:00.001-08:00

Inhibited sexual desire (ISD), sometimes called frigidity, sexual aversion, sexual apathy or hypoactive sexual desire, refers to a low level of sexual desire and interest manifested by a failure to initiate or be responsive to a partner's initiation of sexual activity. ISD may be a primary condition (where the person has never felt much sexual desire or interest), or secondary (where the person used to possess sexual desire, but no longer has interest).
ISD may also be either situational to the partner (where he/she has interest in other persons, but not toward the partner), or it may be general (where he/she has a lack of sexual interest in anyone). In the extreme form of sexual aversion, the person not only lacks sexual desire, but may also find sex repulsive, revolting, and distasteful.
Sometimes, rather than being inhibited, there may simply be a discrepancy in sexual interest levels between two partners, both of whom have interest levels within the normal range.

Britain's National Health Service has approved a patch that is claimed to help women regain their sex drive. The BBC earlier reported on the product's pending approval.

The product, Intrinsa, is the first treatment for women with low sex drive, and is available only by prescription for women who have had an early menopause because of surgery. It uses a female-specific form of testosterone. Although testosterone is often considered a male hormone, women also produce it in the ovaries.

Types of Female Sexual Dysfunction

2008-01-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Sexual dysfunction disorders are generally classified into four categories: sexual desire disorders, sexual arousal disorders, orgasm disorders, and sexual pain disorders.

1. Sexual desire disorders or decreased libido can be caused by a decrease in normal estrogen (in women) or testosterone (in both men and women) production. Other causes may be aging, fatigue, pregnancy, medications (such as the SSRIs) or psychiatric conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Loss of libido from SSRIs usually reverses after SSRIs are discontinued, but in some cases it does not. This is known as PSSD.

2. Sexual arousal disorders were previously known as frigidity in women and impotence in men, though these have now been replaced with less judgmental terms. Impotence is now known as erectile dysfunction, and frigidity has been replaced with a number of terms describing specific problems with, for example, desire or arousal.

For both men and women, these conditions can manifest as an aversion to, and avoidance of, sexual contact with a partner. In men, there may be partial or complete failure to attain or maintain an erection, or a lack of sexual excitement and pleasure in sexual activity.
There may be medical causes to these disorders, such as decreased blood flow or lack of vaginal lubrication. Chronic disease can also contribute, as well as the nature of the relationship between the partners. As the success of sildenafil (Viagra) attests, most erectile disorders in men are primarily physical, not psychological conditions.

3. Orgasm disorders are a persistent delay or absence of orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase. The disorder can occur in both women and men. Again, the SSRI antidepressants are frequent culprits -- these can delay the achievement of orgasm or eliminate it entirely.
Sexual pain disorders affect women almost exclusively and are known as dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and vaginismus (an involuntary spasm of the muscles of the vaginal wall that interferes with intercourse). Dyspareunia may be caused by insufficient lubrication (vaginal dryness) in women.