Libido: Women - Discover What Could Be Causing Your Lagging Libido And How To Reverse It

You cant help but notice the difference. Much more attention has been paid to male ageing and sexual health/libido than female. Since women go through the menopause anyway, doctors seem to have just lumped decreased sex drive right in with all the other menopausal symptoms and told us that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the answer. Well, we all know how that turned out.

HRT isnt the cure-all it was made out to be not by a long shot with its increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers. And now it looks like HRT is losing the libido-boosting notch in its belt too.

In fact, millions of women who agreed to HRT in the hope of recapturing their waning sexual desire may have actually been making the situation worse by not addressing the real underlying problem.

But theres no reason to just keep letting it go downhill. HSI have found a new formula that can help you boost a flagging libido by addressing a deficiency you may not even know you have.

Male hormone may be just as important to women as oestrogen
When you think of womens hormones, oestrogen usually comes to mind. But in reality women naturally produce both female sex hormones like oestrogen and progesterone and male sex hormones, called androgens, like testosterone.

We know that womens oestrogen and progesterone production wanes with age, and then drops dramatically after the menopause. Now we know that the same thing happens with testosterone and that this decline can have equally significant effects on womens overall well-being.

In fact, the effects are so significant that US doctors at Princeton University have characterised the symptoms it causes as a syndrome: Female Androgen Insufficiency Syndrome (FAIS).1 Symptoms of FAIS include unexplained fatigue, decreased well-being and general malaise, blunted motivation and diminished sexual function.2

Before the menopause, women produce testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands. While some women have abnormally low testosterone production even before the menopause, possibly due to problems with adrenal function, in the years approaching menopause all womens testosterone production begins to wane.3

Supplemental oestrogen may make you even less interested in sex
Of course, the same thing happens with oestrogen and progesterone. And for several generations, doctors have been recommending supplemental oestrogen and synthetic progesterone, commonly known as HRT. But now emerging research suggests that supplemental oestrogen may make you feel worse, by slashing testosterone production even further.4

Research has shown that supplemental testosterone can improve womens desire and enjoyment of sex. In one US study at Columbia University in New York, postmenopausal women who took a combination of supplemental oestrogen and testosterone for four months significantly increased the concentration of bioavailable testosterone and reported significantly higher levels of sexual interest and frequency than women taking oestrogen alone.5

In a trial at Boston University School of Medicine, women undergoing androgen replacement therapy reported a significant increase in sexual function.6

Testosterone may improve mood, preserve bones and even protect you from cancer
But the data suggests that testosterone may have other benefits as well. An Australian study of 34 premenopausal women found that testosterone therapy contributed to significant improvements in terms of psychological well-being and depression.7

And some research suggests that adequate testosterone can help women preserve bone mass, protect against breast cancer, and even help maintain cognitive function and memory.8

Of course, there is another side to this story. Despite all the benefits, some experts are still wary of giving women supplemental testosterone as it can cause facial hair growth and acne.

The good news is that deciding you dont want to supplement with testosterone doesnt mean you have to accept the symptoms of FAIS; who wants to live with low energy, depression and a lousy sex life?

Herbal prostate therapies may help women normalise testosterone levels
There are several natural products that can help women boost their testosterone levels naturally, by maximising the bodys production and utilisation of this important hormone.

Youve probably already heard of saw palmetto, which can help men battle prostate problems such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) an enlarged prostate. What you may not know is that part of the reason why saw palmetto works so well against BPH is its ability to affect androgen metabolism.9 Saw palmetto inhibits prostate cells ability to bind testosterone, which feeds prostate growth. By inhibiting the uptake of testosterone, saw palmetto increases levels of free testosterone.10

Currently there is little scientific research to confirm saw palmettos effect on women, but it has been used to treat urinary tract infections and to relieve menstrual symptoms. In fact, saw palmetto has been used in folk medicine for centuries as an aphrodisiac.

Nettle is another natural therapy often used by men for prostate problems.11 It has also long been valued as a medicinal, particularly for treating UTIs in women and increasing the production of milk.

Herbs can be the ultimate aphrodisiac
DesireXX is the name of a product that contains both of these herbs in addition to other all-natural ingredients to help increase your energy levels, improve your mood, balance your hormone levels and send your libido skyrocketing. These include:

• Siberian ginseng, known to boost alertness and exercise performance.12
• Damiana, used for centuries in traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac.13
• Muira puama, used for centuries in traditional medicine as a herbal stimulant, which can enhance physical and mental performance.14
• Wild yam, which impacts the function of
  adrenal glands, where half of womens testosterone is produced.15
• Puncture weed, is an aphrodisiac shown in studies to increase testosterone levels.16, 17
• Liquorice, which can help increase energy levels.

What to take for best results
DesireXX comes in a liquid form and each bottle contains two fluid ounces. The recommended dosage is two droppers (containing 60mg of pure herbal concentrate) of DesireXX in two ounces of juice as needed. You can take up to 10 droppers full one hour before intimate encounters to enhance sexual experience.

Contraindications: Pregnant or lactating women should consult with their doctor before taking this product, as should anyone with a pre-existing health condition.

1. Fertil Steril 2002;77(4):660-665
2. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2003;85(2-5):363-366
3. J Sex Marital Ther 2002;28 Suppl 1:129-142
4. Kirchheimer S Why Womens Libido Wanes WebMD, October 16, 2002
5. J Sex Marital Ther 2002;28 Suppl 1:129-142
6. J Sex Marital Ther 2002;28 Suppl 1:165-173
7. Menopause 2003;10(5):390-398
8. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2003;85(2-5):363-366
9. Mol Cell Biochem 2003;250(1-2):21-26
10. Prostate 1998;37(2):77-83
11. World J Urol 2002;20(5):285-293
12. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72(2S):624S-636S
13. J Sex Marital Ther 2003;29(3):185-205
14. Phytother Res 2002;16(3):223-226
15. Biomed Sci Instrum 2003;39:335-340
16. Life Sci 2002;71(12):1385-1396
17. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2000;25(6):563-575