Wellbutrin: Viagra for Women?
Ever since the introduction of Viagra, the wonder drug developed by Pfizer for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, women have been hoping for an equivalent drug to effect an improvement in their own sexual responses. Good news! That drug may already exist.
Wellbutrin, a drug developed by Burroughs Wellcome as an antidepressant, has shown promise as a possible treatment for sexual dysfunction, particularly in women. Its use in men has been less clear, with some studies showing improvement and others not. The latter may be due to the low dosages employed in the studies or the short time frames used. As with most antidepressants, Wellbutrin has a delayed onset of activity.
Studies on the drug prior to its introduction as an antidepressant showed that it was an effective drug with few negative side effects; especially noteworthy was its lack of unwanted sexual side effects. Since such sexual side effects are a common complaint for antidepressants, this was welcome news. Some patients even expressed improved desire and performance. Many physicians began prescribing Wellbutrin either instead of other antidepressants or in conjunction with them as a way to offset the loss in sexual desire and performance.
The drug was later approved by the FDA for use as an aid for smoker’s wishing to kick the habit and sold under the name Zyban. The drug was subsequently approved for patients with seasonal affective disorder. But, for reasons unknown, Burroughs Wellcome never attempted to gain FDA approval for Wellbutrin’s use as a treatment for sexual disfunctions although a handful of blind studies, including ones on people without any symptoms of depression, have shown its efficacy as such. Follow these links to read the study summaries for yourself:
- Pyschosexual dysfunction
- Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
- Orgasmic Dysfunction in Nondepressed Subjects
Now, I’m not a physician or pharmacist, and I don’t advocate the use of drugs unnecessarily, but I do personally take Wellbutrin regularly as an antidepressant, and from my own experience, I was intrigued enough by the drug’s positive aspects to research this subject and to pass along what I’ve learned.
Remember, Wellbutrin is a prescription drug and is not specifically approved for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions.
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Anne Lyken-Garner | Jul 9, 2008 | Reply
My only problem is that if women who don’t need antidepressants take this drug for it’s ‘other’ properties, that it may induce depression or other similiar diseases.
A very informative article