Viagra is maybe the most well-known drug licensed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in people born male. But can women take Viagra?
Viagra is not licensed for use in people born female, as there isn’t enough evidence to support it as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction (FSD).
However, two other medications have been licensed for use in FSD in the USA. These are flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi), sometimes referred to as “Viagra for women”. Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, has also been rebranded as Lady Era and is licensed for use in FSD in certain countries.
Below we look at the effects of both sildenafil and “female Viagra” to see how they work, if they’re safe and how else you can treat FSD.
Three key takeaways
Viagra isn’t licensed to treat FSD, but women can take sildenafil to for pulmonary hypertension.
Some evidence indicates that Viagra can increase blood flow to the genital region in people born female, but other treatments may be more effective for FSD.
Flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi) are known as “female Viagra”, but they are not licensed for use in the UK due to their side effects.
Should women take Viagra?
Recent research has found that sildenafil may have some uses in treating FSD. In addition, sildenafil cream may improve genital blood flow, resulting in increased sexual arousal, orgasm and reduced sexual distress.
Yet this current evidence remains too limited to draw any firm conclusions from, and Viagra is still not licensed to treat FSD in the UK.
Women can, however, be prescribed sildenafil to treat pulmonary hypertension (a condition which causes high blood pressure in your lungs).
How does sildenafil treat pulmonary hypertension?
Sildenafil works for pulmonary hypertension by relaxing your blood vessels and lowering the blood pressure in your lungs. This makes it easier for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.
Because pulmonary hypertension is a very serious condition during pregnancy, people who can get pregnant are recommended to use reliable contraception. However, if you do become pregnant and have pulmonary hypertension, NHS advice is that you continue to take sildenafil throughout your pregnancy.
You can also continue to take it while breastfeeding as it is unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.
What happens when women take Viagra?
Some research has indicated that Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) is present in vaginal, clitoral, and labial smooth muscle, suggesting that PDE-5 is also involved in female sexual function.
Since sildenafil acts as a PDE-5 inhibitor, it’s thought that Viagra may improve FSD by increasing blood flow to the genitals and heightening sensitivity, arousal, and orgasmic function.
However, PDE-5 is expressed in far smaller quantities in the clitoris than in male genitalia. That means Viagra may not be the answer women with FSD are looking for, and other treatments may prove to be more effective.
Is ‘female Viagra’ available in the UK?
Flibanserin is an oral medication designed for women diagnosed with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). It targets neurotransmitters in your brain such as serotonin and dopamine to increase sexual desire. However, taking flibanserin comes with a high risk of side effects.
Bremelanotide is also designed to treat HSDD and is injected at least 45 minutes before sex. Like flibanserin, bremelanotide also targets neurotransmitters in your brain, though its method of action is less understood. Bremelanotide also has a high risk of side effects.
As a result, neither flibanserin nor bremelanotide are currently available in the UK. Lady Era is also unavailable in the UK due to the lack of evidence supporting the use of sildenafil in people born female.
Why would a woman take Viagra?
People born female may turn to Viagra to help with FSD. FSD is an all-encompassing term for the sexual problems people born female may face, and that may impact their sexual relationships. It can include an inability to orgasm, painful intercourse, difficulty staying aroused and a low libido (sexual desire).
The causes of sexual dysfunction in females can be complex, and there are often several contributing factors. For example, FSD can be caused by:
physical medical conditions – like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, multiple sclerosis and bladder problems
hormonal imbalances – giving birth, breastfeeding and going through the menopause can all affect your hormone levels and contribute to FSD
mental health problems –depression, anxiety, high stress levels and a history of sexual abuse can all affect your sexual functioning
10 tips for treating FSD
We’ve spoken to one of our in-house pharmacists, Ayesha Bashir, for their comment:
“There are several non-medical routes you can explore that may help treat FSD, such as:
speaking openly with your partner about what you want in the bedroom
eating a healthy, balanced diet
limiting the amount of alcohol you drink
getting regular exercise
practicing stress management techniques, such as meditation and yoga
speaking with a counsellor or therapist about your sexual issues
using lubricant to ease vaginal dryness during sex
staying sexually active or masturbating regularly to increase blood flow to the vagina
using sex toys if you find that they help you to reach orgasm
“If a combination of the above fail to help relieve your FSD, you should speak to your doctor to see if there are any medical treatments that might be appropriate for your situation. “
Women can take sildenafil on the NHS to treat pulmonary hypertension, but they cannot be prescribed Viagra as it is not licensed for use in women.
Can Viagra make a woman wet?
As Viagra may be able to increase blood flow to your genitals, it could, in theory, be able to help you get wet. However, there isn’t enough evidence to support the use of Viagra in treating FSD. If you need help getting and staying wet during sex, lubricant is a much more effective option.
How long does it take for female Viagra to work?
Bremelanotide is designed to be injected 45 minutes before sex to work effectively. Flibanserin should be taken every day for at least eight weeks before the effects begin to kick in. However, neither of these treatments are currently licensed for use in the UK.
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