KING

Nasal spray to boost a woman's libido

When it comes to sexual dysfunction, men have had options for years.

Now Researchers are looking to provide the same for women. One includes a nasal spray to boost a woman's libido.

Local author Joan Sewell has spent the last few years in search of her libido.

The result: a humorous new book called "I'd Rather Eat Chocolate."

"Sex was not something I looked forward to as relaxation or burning off steam. It wasn't that way for me," she said.

Now researchers, like Seattle's Dr. Robin Kroll, are looking for ways to enhance female desire and arousal.

"This is like Viagra. You take it when you want to have sex," she said.

Unlike Viagra, the new drugs, including a nasal spray called Bremelanotide, target the brain.

"I think that looking at novel delivery systems is very important. With testosterone, we find the best way to deliver it is through the skin in patch for or a gel or lotion. When were talking about affecting desire or arousal in the brain, we're looking at some different delivery systems. A nasal spray may be more effective," she said.

With good reason.

"We could see areas of the brain like pleasure and reward that would become activated with arousal," said Dr. Ken Maravilla, University of Washington.

Dr. Maravilla has been using MRI scans to study how healthy women's brains react to erotic images. Now he is testing women with arousal disorders to compare results.

"Arousal disorder is much more complicated in women than men," he said.

The media hasn't helped matters by raising expectations, neither has the little blue pill and its counterparts.

"As women age and lose some of their arousal and their partners are able to get Viagra, we begin to find a mismatch in sexual response and sexual desire sometimes," said Dr. Kroll.

Researchers are looking at two distinct problems: desire disorder – meaning lack of interest, and arousal disorder – a lack of physical response.

"Although there's considerable overlap, we're doing two separate clinical studies. One is on a medication which is an oral agent called Flibanserin, which is being tested in pre-menopausal women for hyposexual desire disorder or lack of libido, the second medication in clinical trials is for arousal disorder and this is actually a nasal spray," she continued.

Neither one is available now, but both are in early clinical trials.

However, Dr. Kroll occasionally prescribes testosterone gel off-label, but with this caveat:

"Pharmacological intervention isn't the only approach and shouldn't be used by itself," she said.

She also says women need to know that normal is a wide range, so "it's not a disorder if it's not of concern."

That's where Joan stands.

"I consider this to be average, normal, not dysfunctional, and we shouldn't use men as the gold standard," she said.

She and her husband Kip have reached a new understanding – more through collaboration than compromise.

"It explains so much. I understand now why women are the way they are and why men are the way they are and what's going on between the sexes," said Kip Sewell.

And it also helps that they can laugh about the journey – and the chocolate.

The local clinical trials are still recruiting patients.