The quest for a female Viagra!

Given the unprecedented success of Viagra tablets since being introduced more than ten years ago, drug companies have embarked on research with the hope of finding its female equivalent.

At present, their focus is on developing a medication that can increase the flow of blood to the female genitals. The premise of developing such a medication is to allow for enhanced lubrication of the vagina and the relaxation of its muscles.

This concept draws heavily on the already known function of Viagra tablets, which work to increase the flow of blood to the corpus cavernosum of the penis, thereby enabling erection.

Thus far, a host of promising drugs have been put forward. Some of the drugs include prostaglandin, which has been approved already for men, phentolamine and apomorphine, two drugs that have been tested for sexual arousal disorder in women.

Regardless of the fact that drug companies succeed, the good news, however, is that women do not necessarily have to wait for a sex pill. There are a number of drugs available to them.

According to research, counseling, exercise, vaginal lubrication products and sex videos can all help enhance a woman's libido.
In addition, the three following options — while not scientifically proven — are easily available and can also hold the promise for boosting a woman's sex life.

•L-arginine amino acid cream
This is the same amino acid that has been often said to promote muscle development among athletes, and is also believed to increase the flow of blood to the female genitals, thus triggering sexual urges.

According to Dr. Jed Kaminetsky, clinical assistant professor of urology at the New York School of Medicine, “Our studies on 500 patients showed that 70 percent of women who used this cream topically on their clitoris and labia approximately thirty minutes before having sexual intercourse reported more arousal and stronger orgasms.”
•DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone, a natural steroid prohormone believed by scientists to have anti-ageing properties, is produced by the ovaries and adrenal gland and which can undergo further conversion to oestrogen testosterone.

A hormone that depletes with age, DHEA can be bought over the counter in supplement form.

In a small study published on Sept. 30, 1999 in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was written that women who took 50 mg of DHEA daily observed a considerable increase in their sexual interests.

In addition, other preliminary findings reported encouraging outcomes.

However, most DHEA products recommend taking only 25 mg per day. DHEA is best used under a doctor's supervision, because of its ability to trigger heart attacks and breast cancer and also its masculating side-effects such as facial hair.

•Testosterone therapy
According to recent research from Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital , women who have had one or both of their ovaries removed (oophorectomy) and hysterectomy, treatment with testosterone has shown to improve their sexual functions and psychological well being.

However, any woman who is looking to boost her testosterone levels should work closely with her physician so the hormone can be monitored. Too much of the hormone can cause, inter alia, facial hair and a change in a woman's voice, which is irreversible.

A study, meanwhile, examining the combination of yohimbine — a natural extract from tree bark that excites part of the central nervous system — and L-arginine glutamate has shown that postmenopausal women were twice more aroused after taking the combination drug and viewing an erotic film than women who used a placebo.