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11/02/2005
Hormone spray promises to boost women's libido
A unique testosterone spray could help women with low libido to enjoy sex, scientists claim.
The spray, developed by Melbourne-based company, Acrux, was found to "significantly" improve sexual enjoyment and satisfaction in young women.
A research team from Monash University tested the spray on 261 pre-menopausal women from Australia, who suffered from low libido and testosterone levels. The spray works in a similar way to sunscreen – it delivers testosterone and a substance that holds the hormone in the skin, where it is absorbed over the course of 24 hours.
Each participant kept a diary of all sexual events – including the level of satisfaction – throughout the 16-week study, which also included the use of 'dummy' placebo doses.
Principal investigator, Professor Susan Davis, Chair of Women's Health at Monash University, said that previous research had focused on post-menopausal women, with low testosterone levels. She said: "But many younger women also report having low sexual interest and enjoyment and traditionally this has been explained away as being caused by relationship issues, depression or other life circumstances. But now we know, for many women, the underlying problem is biological."
Professor Davis said that the spray could make "an enormous difference to the quality of many women's lives". She said: "This is not just about sex – it's about having a satisfying home and social life and having happier relationships and communities all around."
However, Dr Geoff Hackett, of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, warned that women should be thoroughly tested to ensure that they are suffering from low testosterone levels before receiving the spray. He told BBC News Online that low female libido was more complicated than the male sex drive and also warned against the side effects of high testosterone levels, such as acne and the growth of facial hair.
The spray-on treatment is a variation of drug delivery technology patented at the Victorian College of Pharmacy at Monash University.
The study formed part of the approval process for the US Food and Drug Administration – the next phase will aim to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the therapy over a longer period.
(KMcA/SP)
The spray, developed by Melbourne-based company, Acrux, was found to "significantly" improve sexual enjoyment and satisfaction in young women.
A research team from Monash University tested the spray on 261 pre-menopausal women from Australia, who suffered from low libido and testosterone levels. The spray works in a similar way to sunscreen – it delivers testosterone and a substance that holds the hormone in the skin, where it is absorbed over the course of 24 hours.
Each participant kept a diary of all sexual events – including the level of satisfaction – throughout the 16-week study, which also included the use of 'dummy' placebo doses.
Principal investigator, Professor Susan Davis, Chair of Women's Health at Monash University, said that previous research had focused on post-menopausal women, with low testosterone levels. She said: "But many younger women also report having low sexual interest and enjoyment and traditionally this has been explained away as being caused by relationship issues, depression or other life circumstances. But now we know, for many women, the underlying problem is biological."
Professor Davis said that the spray could make "an enormous difference to the quality of many women's lives". She said: "This is not just about sex – it's about having a satisfying home and social life and having happier relationships and communities all around."
However, Dr Geoff Hackett, of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, warned that women should be thoroughly tested to ensure that they are suffering from low testosterone levels before receiving the spray. He told BBC News Online that low female libido was more complicated than the male sex drive and also warned against the side effects of high testosterone levels, such as acne and the growth of facial hair.
The spray-on treatment is a variation of drug delivery technology patented at the Victorian College of Pharmacy at Monash University.
The study formed part of the approval process for the US Food and Drug Administration – the next phase will aim to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the therapy over a longer period.
(KMcA/SP)
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