There are many factors that can cause female sexual dysfunction and I provide a list below. Female sexual dysfunction can be classified under several categories: a lack of sexual desire, difficulty with orgasm, difficulty in getting aroused, and pain during sexual intercourse. I am glad to report that, except for painful intercourse, all other aspects of female sexual dysfunction such as arousal, desire, and orgasm, can be enhanced with the use of natural herbs. I am convinced that most women will notice a benefit from herbal sex enhancers or a product that has a combination of sex herbs. I have formulated Passion Rx which can help many women. Additional sex herbs that can treat female sexual dysfunction include Muira Puama herb, Horny goat weed herb, Tribulus herb, and Tongkat ali herb.

Passion Rx - Medical Doctor Formulated for female sexual dysfunction disorder
Passion Rx is a Bestseller - Time Tested - customers continue reordering
We know Passion Rx works because users order over and over.

In recent years science has made breakthroughs in the understanding of female sexual dysfunction. But, for hundreds of years, civilizations around the world have known about locally grown herbs that address female libido with far fewer side effects than prescription drugs. Now, renowned physician and herbal expert Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of Natural Sex Boosters, has discovered a combination of exotic herbs from the Amazon jungle, India, China, Malaysia, and Africa, that support healthy female libido and sensation, as well as to simply enhance sexual pleasure. Passion Rx provides a natural solution for those looking for a sexual boost without synthetic drugs or hormones.
   The potent sexual herbal extracts in Passion Rx include Ashwagandha, Catuaba, Cnidium, Herba Cistanches, Horny goat weed, Maca, Muira puama, Passion flower, Tongkat Ali (Eurygold and LJ100), Tribulus and Yohimbe. A version of Passion Rx without yohimbe is also available.

Understanding the causes of female sexual dysfunction disorder

Psychological -- The causes of female sexual dysfunction are numerous, and it is difficult to list them all, but most often female sexual dysfunction is related to anxiety, stress, depression, marital or relationship problems, life crisis, financial difficulties, being too busy with lots of commitments, religious repression, or some form of mental illness.

Q. Is taking care of children a cause of female sexual dysfunction?
   A. It can be. If a woman is very busy, preparing breakfast, taking the children to school, cleaning the house all day, doing all the shopping, preparing dinner, taking the children to the doctor's office, after school events, etc., then the stress and distractions could be a cause of female sexual dysfunction.

Hormonal -- Androgens, such as testosterone, are a major component of female libido. Testosterone levels decline about 1 percent each year in men, which may contribute to lower male libido with aging. Testosterone also declines with age in women leading to female sexual dysfunction. Women who have had surgical removal of the ovaries notice a drop in sexual interest. Replacement of androgens can be helpful in those with age related sexual dysfunction. Testosterone is available by prescription only. An over the counter hormones, such as DHEA, converts into testosterone and thus has a positive influence on libido. Pregnenolone is another over the counter hormone that may increase testosterone levels and thus enhance female libido. However, the risk of side effects and potential long term health consequences of testosterone must be taken into account. My preference is to avoid hormones unless absolutely necessary and instead use herbal supplements for libido enhancement. These herbal libido boosters are extremely effective. Treatment for female sexual dysfunction with hormones while avoiding side effects is difficult. See below regarding the role of DHEA and female sexual dysfunction.

Vascular -- Alterations in the flow of blood to and from the genital region are a minor cause of female sexual dysfunction. For instance, medical conditions such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high cholesterol, hypertension, or diabetes reduce blood flow to the genital organs.  An additional factor that can impede blood flow is surgery in the pelvic or abdominal area.

Neural -- Nerve damage from disorders such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke affect the brain’s ability to respond to sexual stimulation. In women, abdominal or pelvic operations can occasionally lead to nerve damage. Women with sexual dysfunction are more likely to have decreased tactile sensation in the genital area. Pudendal nerve impairment may play a role in female sexual dysfunction.

Chemical -- Some chemicals involved in the human sexual response include dopamine, acetylcholine, and nitric oxide. Certain medications and drugs interfere with the proper activity of the body's chemicals and hormones responsible for female libido.

Female sexual dysfunction and medical conditions
Certain medical conditions cause female sexual dysfunction. These include hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, neurologic disorders, and insomnia. Treatment for female sexual dysfunction depends on the diagnosis and therapy for the particular condition causing the problem.

High Quality products formulated by a medical doctor
Consider highly popular all natural products including Mind Power Rx for better mental concentration,  focus, and mood; Diet Rx which helps you eat less. It really does curb appetite; Good Night Rx for better sleep; Eyesight Rx for better vision, often within days; MultiVit Rx a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and vitality; Joint Power Rx for healthy joints; Prostate Power Rx for a healthy prostate gland; and Passion Rx for sexual enhancement, better libido, and improved performance and stamina in men and women.

Female sexual dysfunction drug or medication
No effective an safe female sexual dysfunction drug treatment is available at this time. Testosterone has been promoted as one option, but hormones are unsafe to use in the long run. Herbal remedies may be a better option.

Q. Why have the pharmaceutical companies not come up with an effective female sexual dysfunction drug or medication?
   A. We are certain they are trying very hard. Perhaps in the near future the drug companies will find an effective female sexual dysfunction medication. In the meantime, the aphrodisiac herbs are quite helpful and useful.

Q. Would you consider Levitra a female sexual dysfunction pill?
   A. Levitra has not been found to be very helpful in improving sexual desire or pleasure in women.

DHEA and female sexual dysfunction
Women who have particularly low levels of the hormone DHEA during menopause may be more likely to have sexual dysfunction. Among more than 300 women studied at University of Pennsylvania and followed for 3 years, sexual dysfunction became more common as women progressed through menopause. Postmenopausal women were more than twice as likely as premenopausal women to report problems such as lack of interest in sex, pain or difficulty reaching orgasm. But there was also evidence that other factors contributed to female sexual dysfunction, including the women's levels of DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone. Women with relatively low blood levels of the hormone were more likely to report sexual problems than those with high levels. The study included 311 women who were between the ages of 35 and 47 at the outset. Once a year, the researchers took blood samples from the women to measure various hormone concentrations. One-third of the women had some degree of sexual dysfunction by the end of the 3-year study period. Women with relatively low DHEA levels were at greater risk, as were those with anxiety symptoms and those who lacked a regular sex partner. Women who had children younger than 18 living with them were also more likely to report sexual problems. Obstetrics & Gynecology, April 2007.

Testosterone patch as female sexual dysfunction treatment
Testosterone patches can be effective in those who have female sexual dysfunction due surgery to remove their ovaries. Dr. Sheryl Kingsberg of University Hospitals of Cleveland in Ohio analyzed the results of a six-month trial of testosterone patches in 132 women reporting sexual dysfunction. The women were in "surgical menopause," resulting in low production of sex hormones, including testosterone. Fifty-two percent of the women who were on the patches said they experienced a meaningful benefit, compared to 31 percent of the women on placebo. The FDA has not approved any type of testosterone treatment for female sexual dysfunction. Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals made the testosterone patches and funded the study. Journal of Sexual Medicine, July 2007.
   Comments: One wonders if testosterone patches worked in some women whether the over the counter hormone DHEA, taken orally, would work as well at a fraction of the cost.

Androgen status in healthy premenopausal women with loss of libido.
J Sex Marital Ther. 2005 Jan-Feb;31(1):73-80.
Androgen deficiency may contribute to female sexual dysfunction and loss of libido. The role of the active metabolite of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in these conditions is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the role of androgens and DHT in the etiology of loss of libido in healthy women. Loss of libido in otherwise healthy women may be related to relationship problem, depression, psychosocial factors, and sexual dysfunction in the partner but do not appear to be related to androgen status.

Age and female sexual dysfunction disorder
About three-fourths of middle-aged and older women are sexually active and two-thirds of them are at least somewhat satisfied. There has been little research on the sex lives of middle aged and older women, in particular on sexual dysfunction among women in this age group. Richer or more highly educated women have more sex, while moderate alcohol consumption, lower body mass index and better health also are tied to more frequent sexual activity. Younger women and those in a significant relationship are more likely to have sex more frequently. Defining sexual dysfunction in women can be difficult. Female sexual dysfunction prevalence studies should be interpreted with caution until researchers accept a standard definition. Obstetrics & Gynecology, April 2006.

Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction disorder
A May 2006 survey of 1,415 women living in and around Boston has found that almost 40% who had sex with a partner in the last 4 weeks had some degree of female sexual dysfunction. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was highest in Caucasian women (44%), followed by Hispanic (33%) and African American women (31%), according to lead author Karen E. Lutfey, PhD, researcher, New England Research Institute, Watertown, Massachusetts. The women answered questions about their levels of sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain during sexual activity with a partner. Married women reported higher rates of sexual dysfunction than their divorced or widowed counterparts, with the exception of Hispanics. Being divorced or widowed "was protective" against sexual dysfunction, compared to being married. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was greater in women who had the highest socioeconomic status.

Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction symptoms and its relationship to quality of life: a Japanese female cohort study.
Urology. 2005 Jan;65(1):143-8.
To clarify the age prevalence of female sexual dysfunction and the factors that contribute to the varying frequency of sexual intercourse and satisfaction with sexual life in Japanese women. Of 8956 participants (median age 57 years, range 17 to 88) in a Japanese female cohort study, 5042 (56.3%) responded. We evaluated 2095 women aged 30 to 69 years who completed a questionnaire that queried about their sexual life. When women in their 30s were compared with those in their 60s, we found that the prevalence of the symptom of orgasmic disorder, sexual desire disorder, arousal disorder, and lubrication disorder had increased significantly from 15% to 32%, 27% to 57%, 29% to 57%, and 12% to 51%, respectively. The rigidity of the partner's erection, orgasm, and arousal contributed significantly to sexual frequency and foreplay and orgasm to satisfaction with sexual life. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction increased with age.

Female sexual dysfunction research
The marketing of a disease: female sexual dysfunction.
BMJ. 2005 Jan 22;330(7484):192-4. Moynihan R.

Female sexual dysfunction disorder after gynecological surgery
Female sexual dysfunction following vaginal surgery: myth or reality?
Curr Urol Rep. 2004 Oct;5(5):403-11.
This article reviews the mechanisms by which vaginal surgery affects female sexual function and related pathophysiology to potential causes. The anatomy, neurovascular supply of the clitoris and introitus, and intrapelvic nerve supply are discussed as they apply to vaginal surgery. The incidence of female sexual dysfunction after various transvaginal procedures for indications such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, anterior/posterior colporrhaphy, perineoplasty, and vaginal vault prolapse has been discussed. Current literature regarding female sexual dysfunction following other procedures such as vaginal hysterectomy, Martius flap interposition, and vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistula repair also are reviewed.

Female sexual dysfunction disorder questions
Q. Does Viagra or Levitra help in treating female sexual dysfunction disorder?
   A. These male impotence drugs are not helpful in treating female sexual dysfunction.

Q. Does Vigorelle work for female sexual dysfunction?.
   A. In the case of this female sexual dysfunction product, we have not tested it ourselves, but the company's marketing tactics do not appear to have high integrity. See the link above.

This female sexual dysfunction page was last updated in January 2008.