Giving Women a Lust for Life

Testosterone patches can do for women what Viagra does for men - only better.

Testosterone may be inextricably linked to masculinity, but in fact women have 10 times more of the hormone than estrogen. A testosterone patch promises to restore the sex drives of women with low libido, a decade after Viagra was made available for the male population.

The female testosterone patch Intrinsa is the first treatment for women with low libido to be available on prescription.  Where Viagra increases blood flow to the sex organs, Intrinsa is more subtle: by releasing a low, measured dose of testosterone into the bloodstream it stimulates thoughts about sex and increases a woman's energy levels.  In short, it makes her feel sexy.

Up until now, the only female libido treatment available was a testosterone implant, and these were only given to women who had had their ovaries removed. The treatment had its drawbacks - dosage problems meant some patients experienced excess hair growth and acne.  But Intrinsa's low-level hormone release represents a breakthrough that could, in theory, be prescribed to boost the sex drive of any post-menopausal woman.

Some doctors are concerned that Intrinsa could be seen as a lifestyle drug. But consultant gynecologist Professor John Studd believes it could have a wider use among women with sexual problems.  He claims that hormone treatments can be much more effective - and cheaper - than lengthy psychosexual counselling and therapy sessions.

"Libido is not just due to hormones," he says. "I always say it's a mixture of heart, head and hormones. We can help the primary cause of a poor relationship by increasing energy levels, and I know patients who have never had orgasms in their lives who suddenly begin to have them regularly. There may be young women who for some reason do not have adequate libido or sexual response.  Now, this can be corrected. [Intrinsa] does work, it is safe and easy to administer and I have no doubt it will be used by good doctors off-license."

Source: Independent News and Media Limited, April 17, 2007

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