PHILADELPHIA – Meno-pausal women had more sex and were happier about it when using an experimental hormone patch hailed by some as a possible female equivalent of Viagra, doctors reported Tuesday.
Women on the testosterone patch had sex about four times more often than they usually did in two months, compared with only one additional session for women given a fake patch containing no hormone, a study found.
Those who got real patches also reported more arousal, pleasure and orgasms, and had better self-images.
“We found an increase in activity, an increase in desire and a decrease in distress,” said Dr. Robin Kroll, a Seattle gynecologist who reported results of the study Tuesday at a meeting of infertility specialists.
The research was sponsored by Procter &Gamble Pharmaceuticals, which is developing the patch, called Intrinsa, with Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc.
It was the first big test of the patch in women who went through menopause naturally and complained of low sex drive. A previous study in women who became menopausal because of surgery had similar results, and the companies already have asked the Food and Drug Administration to approve its use for those women.
“The testosterone patch looks very promising. It may be the answer for what women are looking for in a libido lag in menopause,” said Dr. Marian Damewood, a University of Pennsylvania gynecologist and president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
As many as 30 million American women will have gone through natural menopause by next year, and another 10 million will be menopausal because of having their ovaries removed, Procter &Gamble estimates.
Lack of interest in or pleasure from sex is a big problem for such women, partly because of the decline in testosterone. Even though men make far more of this hormone than women, females still need a certain amount of it to have healthy sex lives, experts say.
Taking testosterone pills isn’t advised, because it can cause excessive hair growth, liver complications and other problems.
‘Female Viagra’
In a study, menopausal women with low sex drives found an experimental hormone patch recharged their libidos and produced happier results.
How it works: The patch, called Intrinsa, replaces the small amount of testosterone that women’s ovaries produce before they hit menopause.
Target market: Procter &Gamble estimates 40 million American women will be menopausal by 2005.
Caveats: The patch hasn’t been federally approved yet, and it’s only been tested for a six-month period.
Hormone patch
In a study, menopausal women with low sex drives found an experimental hormone patch recharged their libidos and produced happier results.
How it works: The patch, called Intrinsa, replaces the small amount of testosterone that women’s ovaries produce before they hit menopause.
Target market: Procter &Gamble estimates 40 million American women will be menopausal in 2005.
Caveats: The patch hasn’t been federally approved yet, and it’s only been tested for a six-month period.
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