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Here are two recent news stories dealing with libido in women:
Hormone Patch May Heat Up Women's Desires
Mon Aug 19, 7:06 PM ET
Mon Aug 19, 7:06 PM ET
MONDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthScoutNews) -- A skin patch that may help restore sexual desire in post-menopausal women is being tested in clinical trials at more than 150 sites in the United States and Canada.
The thin, nearly transparent hormone patch is worn on the abdomen. It's main ingredient is testosterone, a hormone long-associated with sexual desire and aggressiveness in men.
Millions of women have decreased sexual desire because of lower hormone levels following menopause or hysterectomy. That can lead to frustration, unhappiness and relationship problems.
"More than 40 million women suffer from the lack of sexual desire, which often leads to personal distress or relationship issues," says Sheryl Kingsberg, a clinical psychologist at MacDonald Women's Hospital at University Hospitals of Cleveland, one of the study sites.
"Since no medications currently are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( news - web sites) for the treatment of diminished sexual desire, these clinical studies are an important step in the development of new therapeutic options to help many women and their partners regain a satisfactory sex life," Kingsberg says.
And the second one.
Researchers explore DHEA for postmenopausal health
The importance of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a precursor of estrogen and testosterone, in psychological and sexual health has been underlined in a number of studies. For example, a German study found that DHEA-deficient women supplementing with 50 milligrams DHEA daily for four months had decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improved libido [Wiebke A, et al. NEJM 1999 Sep 30 341(14):1013-1020].
A new study by an Italian team of investigators now suggests that DHEA may be an effective option for preserving health in postmenopausal women. The study [Genazzani AD, et al. Fertil Steril 2001 Aug;76(2):241-8] concluded that oral administration of 50 milligrams of DHEA daily for six months mimics the benefits of traditional HRT (hormone replacement therapy), namely estrogen- progestin in terms of its effects on the GHRH-GH-IGF-1 (growth hormone-releasing hormone-growth hormone) axis.
Lead author, Alessandro Genazzani, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of Modena, says that, “DHEA can be considered a possible replacement therapy since it has a lot of beneficial effects on brain as well as on the neuroendocrine functions in postmenopausal women, [as it] induces the production of allopregnanolone, the most potent endogenous anxiolitic (anxiety-relieving) compound.” Further research will be required to firmly establish the use of DHEA as HRT.
-AP
Now regarding the first story, I think it will be some time before the testosterone patch is put on the market. Safety issues, especially masculinization of women and possible deleterious effects on the heart will hold up its release. Regarding story number two, many of you know that DHEA is over the counter. I have some patients who take 25 mg., 3 or 4 times per week to increase libido, energy and a sense of well-being. (I feel 50 mg is too much.) It's benefits are not appreciated by all patients who try it. Too much DHEA will cause masculinizaion and possibly other deleterious effects similar to those of testosterone.
Dr. Rehert
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