But for all those of us looking to spice up our lust life, many different libido-boosting, arousal-enhancing gels, patches and pills are poised to hit the market. Though they’re not a repair for challenges rooted in connection difficulties-which may very well benefit from counselling-they give some very anticipated remedy solutions. Finest Overall health spoke with authorities across Canada for an update on the most up-to-date.
Female-oriented arousal aids
Specialty individual lubricants make up the majority of remedies readily available to enhance female arousal and improve orgasm. Present over-the-counter goods consist of Vibrel, a vitamin B3-based formula that bolsters blood flow beneath the belt, and Zestra, which reportedly enhances “sensory nerve conduction” with botanical oils. Both arrived in Canada final year.
With these experimental natural solutions, a powerful placebo effect could possibly partly account for their effectiveness, explains Lori Brotto, director with the Sexual Well being Laboratory in the University of British Columbia. Still, she encourages patients to try them. “If the patient added benefits for the reason that she’s expecting to, great-go for it.”
So far, there is only 1 Wellness Canada-approved product for women with arousal disorder (the inability to attain or sustain excitement and lubrication in the course of sex): Eros Therapy. This hand-held device goes on the clitoris and utilizes a gentle mini vacuum to heighten blood flow and sensation. It can be applied through foreplay or with no intercourse to situation sexual responses. “It’s a unique sort of vibrator, seriously,” says Irv Binik, a psychology professor at McGill University and director in the Royal Victoria Hospital’s Sex and Couple Therapy Service. “Some females like it; some don’t.”
Testosterone therapy-for females?
Testosterone appears to play a direct part in sexual wish for both men and women, and goods containing the hormone are currently becoming prescribed “off-label”-that is, prescribed for a use not authorized by Overall health Canada-for women with low libido. “What’s fascinating is the fact that, for females with low testosterone, it seems to raise want but also arousal, or lubrication, and sense of orgasm, so it might have an effect across the sexual response spectrum,” points out Dr. Stephen Holzapfel, director in the Sexual Medicine Counselling Unit at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. Within the U.K., Procter & Gamble’s testosterone-based Intrinsa patch has been prescribed to surgically menopausal girls since last year, but it has yet to land in North America.
LibiGel can become the first drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for female sexual dysfunction. It’s a testosterone gel applied daily to the upper arm and could launch inside the U.S. as early as 2011. In a small but notable trial with surgically menopausal women, these who used it for three months reported an improve in “satisfying sexual events” by 238 percent compared to baseline levels. But like HRT, testosterone products are controversial due to the fact the safety of their long-term use-especially by premenopausal women-is unknown, and there are fears of adverse effects in pregnancy, breast cancer and heart disease. Latex dildos will quickly heat up when exposed to your body temperature, making for a more comfortable erotic ride.
Increasing libido by focusing on the brain
Going beyond blood flow and hormones, some scientists are focusing on the brain. New Jersey-based Palatin Technologies is investigating a new class of drugs that could spur need in men and women by acting around the zones with the brain linked with arousal. Though research on the company’s headline-grabbing “aphrodisiac,” a nasal spray called bremelanotide, was shelved last year more than FDA concerns about side effects (namely, increased blood pressure for short periods), a similar product is now getting tested on women. Animal studies are promising: The drug led the females to solicit sex more often, says Jim Pfaus, a Concordia University professor of psychology who has researched each the old and new compounds. The substance “amplifies the action with the excitatory system” within the brain, he explains. The thrusting vibrator is ugly, but it works well.
