FDA approves drug to boost women’s sex drive

Packaged in a pink and black box, the second medication approved to increase sexual desire in women may soon be hitting the market. AMAG Pharmaceuticals’ drug, Vyleesi, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as a shot women can give themselves in the thigh or abdomen to raise sexual interest for several hours.

In 2015, the FDA approved Addyi — the so-called “female Viagra” that provided marginal benefit and serious risks. AMAG Pharmaceuticals declined to release price information, but may face similar difficulties such as limited insurance coverage and unpleasant side effects. The FDA approved Vyleesi for premenopausal women with a disorder known as hypoactive sexual desire order, defined by a persistent lack of interest in sex, which leads to stress.

Trials showed side effects such as nausea, flushing, injection site reactions and headache. FDA approval was based on women’s responses to questionnaires, showing increased sexual desire and less sex-related stress, although the women did not report an increase in sex.

According to the FDA, women with high blood pressure or heart disease should not take the drug. Trials showed increases in blood pressure after injections. Vylessi may also interfere with a drug for people with alcohol and opioid dependence, called naltrexone.

A healthy sex life has multiple benefits, from improved immunity, sleep and heart health to lower blood pressure and reduced stress levels. If your sex drive needs a boost, there are natural ways to improve it without taking medication and risking serious side effects.

1. Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars in your diet. High levels of sugar in your bloodstream can actually turn off the gene that controls your sex hormones.
2. Eat a healthy diet which will help to normalize your insulin levels.
3. Optimize your vitamin D levels, ideally through appropriate sun exposure as vitamin D levels increase testosterone levels, which may boost libido.
4. Exercise regularly. Make sure you incorporate high-intensity interval training exercises, which also optimize your human growth hormone (HGH) production.
5. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol excessively.
6. Be sure to get plenty of high-quality, restorative sleep.
7. Consider choline and vitamin B5 supplements. The neurotransmitter that triggers the sexual message, in both men and women, is acetylcholine (ACH). With too little ACH, sexual activity goes down. One way to safely and effectively enhance ACH levels in your body is to take choline supplements (1,000 to 3,000 mg) and vitamin B5 (500 to 1,500 mg).
8. Stress can dampen your libido and make sex the last thing on your mind. Taking control of your emotions by finding a stress relief activity that works for you.
9. Try maca root. It’s has been used for centuries as a libido booster and it's also used to relieve menopausal symptoms in women.