Overview

The FDA, US Food and Drug Administration has recently accepted female Viagra as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction. It is sold under various brand names, currently available through some specific pharmacies and stores.

The FDA has not permitted Viagra for women to consume. However, many women use it as a treatment for low sex drive. No clinical report says so, however, many women have seen good results with the use of Viagra.

A test was conducted on 202 postmenopausal women, where they were given Viagra for a few weeks. By the end of the test, it was observed that these women had better vaginal lubrication, better orgasms, more sex drive, and surprisingly the stress levels were quite low. However, the same test was conducted on the post and pre-menopausal women did not show any result.

Purpose and benefits

There are many reasons for which you may want to take Viagra pills. As a woman approaches her middle age, it is quite common for her to experience a low sex drive. However, a low sex drive can be an indication of some disorder. 

Many health conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, depression, and stress can be the reason for low sex drive. However, FSIAD (female sexual interest/arousal disorder) is the most common reason for lower libido in women. This condition is also known as HSDD (hypoactive sexual desire disorder). Almost 10% of adult women suffer from HSDD. Some of the common symptoms of HSDD are:

•    Less or no sexual fantasies or thoughts
•    No or limited response to sexual stimulation or cues
•    Loss of or no interest in any form of sexual intimacy
•    The feeling of frustration, worry, incompetence, no sexual arousal or interest

How does Female Viagra work?

Female Viagra is originally an anti-depressant, but in 2015 it became a popular treatment for FSIAD. Its correlation with FSIAD is unclear. It affects the production of chemicals in the brain. It increases the production of norepinephrine and dopamine and lowers the release of serotonin. Flibanserin is FDI approve Women Viagra. Many resources approve of increase low libido. 

Dopamine and norepinephrine are the main chemicals that affect the sexual drive of a person. The more the production of dopamine more is the sex drive. Whereas, norepinephrine plays a role in advancing sexual arousal.

How effective is it?

The female Viagra has gone through many clinical tests to prove its effectiveness. Each test, which was as long as 24 weeks revealed that most women suffering from HSDD see a significant change in sex drive after consuming the medicine for eight to twenty-four weeks.

Are there any side effects?

The most familiar side effects of female viagra include:

•    dizziness
•    nausea
•    difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep
•    tiredness
•    fainting or loss of consciousness
•    hypotension, or low blood pressure

It is not advisable to consume female Viagra if you drink alcohol or if you have a history of liver problems. You must not start this medication on your own and always consult a doctor first. Moreover, you must tell your doctor about all the medications you are currently taking as it interacts with many medications.

You must not take Viagra if you are currently taking any one of the following medications:

•    medicines that are used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases diltiazem (Cardizem) and verapamil (Verelan)
•     you are on antibiotics such as erythromycin (Ery-Tab) and ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
•    Medications that are helpful in treating fungal infections such as fluconazole (Diflucan) and itraconazole (Sporanox)
•    Medications for combating HIV-1 like ritonavir (Norvir) and amprenavir (Agenerase)
•    Medications used for hepatitis C like boceprevir (Victrelis) and telaprevir (Incivek)
•    Many anti-depressants such as nefazodone (Serzone)
•    Many Supplements like St. John’s Wort, ginkgo, or resveratrol

In addition, most importantly, you should not drink grapefruit juice if you are taking female Viagra.

Challenges of approval

One of the biggest challenges that Female Viagra had to face was the approval from FDA. The FDA tested and reviewed the medication repeatedly so as to be sure about its effects and possible side effects. The negative effects associated with female Viagra were the main apprehension behind approving this medicine as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction.

Many questions whether it will be a promising treatment for HSDD or will it be a short-term or long-term treatment were arising. Female Viagra and the male version of Viagra are very different. Female Viagra claims to increase the libido of a woman whereas Viagra improves the blood circulation in the male genital area. Know the full details here. Female Viagra helps in the production of chemicals like norepinephrine and dopamine so as to activate the brain area that controls sex desires. On the other hand, Viagra targets the blood vessels and arteries of the penile area so as to improve the blood circulation to the penis.

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