Medication for Women With Loss of Sexual Desire
Dr. Alessandra Graziottin, who is an expert in the field of women's health and trained in four different fields of medicine, says that the old expression of "use it or lose it" is true. The quality of your sex life and the frequency of sex are key in maintaining sexual desire and drive. The loss of estrogen is partially responsible for lack of arousal, but androgens are a larger portion of the cause. Signs of an androgen deficiency include arousal difficulties and loss of libido as well as reduced muscle mass and loss of pubic hair.
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Lifestyle Choices
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Regular exercise helps psychologically aid a female with sexual desire by helping create a positive body image and increase self-confidence. Eating healthy as well as sleeping at least seven hours a night will help a woman stay in good mental shape, which is also part of the libido. Mental and emotional health is required for a long-lasting libido and sexuality. Menopause that comes naturally causes less of a loss of desire than does surgery-induced menopause caused by removal of ovaries.
Medications to Regain Sexual Desire
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Testosterone is said to help women regain some of their desire, according to Dr. Rick Nauert, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field of medicine. A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine says intervention with testosterone for females who have hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) can regain some of their desire. The Journal of Sexual Medicine also states that testosterone is not recommended by physicians as a treatment, but the transdermal patches of testosterone have been used as an off-label treatment for years, with patients stating a marked difference in desire and arousal.
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Side Effects
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A lack of sexual desire can cause relationship problems, if the mate does not understand the nature of the loss. Many women simply attribute the loss to age, but this is only some of the reason. Estrogen is the driving factor in sexuality for women, and after menopause there is not as much estrogen made in the body. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved hormone replacement therapies (HRT) that will help stimulate estrogen's production. The entire three to five years of perimenopause through menopause can cause a lack of sexual desire that can be addressed with HRT or testosterone. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are several health risks associated with HRT. These risks, as stated by the Women's Health Initiative, include stroke, blood clots, heart disease, breast cancer and mammography abnormalities.
Causes of Loss of Desire
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With age comes less desire or drive, but this is simply due to the chemical changes the body goes through. After menopause, there are substantial differences in the chemicals the body creates and how much of those chemicals are made. When there is a lack of any chemical in the body, there is an outward showing of a side effect directly related to the loss of that chemical. Estrogen, which is the core of sexual desire in women, as well as psychological issues can cause many reasons for a loss of desire. If feelings for the mate have changed, or the relationship has changed, this can be a cause for loss.
Dealing with the Loss
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Having a caring and compassionate mate will help a suffering female through the majority of the loss of sexual desire. She may also ask her physician for a prescription for testosterone or HRT. Some people may consider over-the-counter medications to restore libido and desire. These include herbal supplements, vaginal dryness creams or hormones such as DHEA, which, according to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, converts into testosterone. However, there is currently no proof from the FDA that these are effective. Talking about the loss of sexual desire will not only help with treatment, but the psychological factors that influence desire in women also may be quelled by sharing their feelings with their mate.
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