Ever since the arrival of Viagra and its explosive growth as a blockbuster drug to treat erectile dysfunction in men, there has been growing interest in a female Viagra. After all, its estimated that up to 43% of all women suffer from some form of female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

That translates into millions of women who either cant get excited about sex, find it painful, or cannot achieve an orgasm. Most of these women (three quarters) are post menopausal but there are other reasons for FSD, including the use of anti-depressants.

So with all these women not having or not enjoying sex, the demand for some sort of Viagra for women is a marketing vacuum waiting to be filled.

Is there anything currently available that really works as a female version of Viagra (not counting all the herbal / natural aphrodisiacs of dubious effectiveness and safety)?

In 2001, there was a flurry of interest when the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reported that women with FSD who take Viagra have more sexual fantasies, have sex more often, are more likely to enjoy it, and have far more orgasms. Although Viagra isnt recommended for women, some doctors have been prescribing it off label for their female patients. (Viagra hasnt been studied in pregnant or breast feeding women, so caution is advised.)

There was also talk of a womens Viagra cream (containing the same active ingredient as Viagra, sildenafil) that could be applied to the genital area. In early trials, it seemed to have the desired effect but has so far not made it to market.

The Patch: Is a New Viagra for Women On The Way?

The Intrinsa patch showed great promise as the latest candidate for Viagra for women. It works by boosting testosterone levels in the blood, which can help women whose hormones are declining with age or as a result of a hysterectomy.

Intrinsa was recently approved in the UK for prescription-only use by post-menopausal women. But it hasnt been approved for sale in the US because the FDA denied Procter & Gamble a license in 2004, concerned about long term effects of the hormone.
Womens Viagra Spray

Meanwhile, another company called Palatin Technologies is racing with P & G to get their womens Viagra on the market first. Palatins product, Bremelanotide, is an inhaled drug delivered by atomizer. It works on the brain to encourage sexual arousal rather than by increasing blood flow to the genitals. And, Palatin says, Bremelanotide is effective for both men and women.

The company says a single dose of Bremelanotide results, in most cases, in a stirring in the loins in as little as 15 minutes. Women feel genital warmth, tingling and throbbing, not to mention a strong desire to have sex.

The bad news? The New Jersey company is still conducting clinical trials and FDA approval is long way down the road.

Drug manufacturers are rumored to be working on about 25 formulations to treat female sexual dysfunction. So as the little blue pill for mens sexual enjoyment approaches its tenth anniversary on the US market, women continue to wait for a product just for them... a female Viagra capable of rocking their world.