The 21st century quest for female sexual satisfaction comes not from romance, courting or even Kama Sutra type sexual prowess, but from the lab. Forget passion, forget lithe bodies moving rhythmically, forget needing to woo a woman, forget having any skill whatsoever in bed; why bother with any of that when you can get sex in a bottle. Every man’s dream right? Apparently, not. Sexual moirés what they are, there is nothing more frightening than a sexually hungry woman. With the newest, and dare I say, pharmacologically most interesting female desire drugs in clinical trials, concern over the potential explosion of female nymphomania is palpable. According to the New York Times reporter covering the story:
“…what if, in trials, a medicine proved too effective?” laments one scientist … and the FDA rejects “an application out of concern that a chemical would lead to female excesses, crazed binges of infidelity, societal splintering.”
“You want your effects to be good but not too good,” says Andrew Goldstein, who is conducting the study in Washington. “There was a lot of discussion about it by the experts in the room,” he said, recalling his involvement with the development of Flibanserin, “the need to show that you’re not turning women into nymphomaniacs.”
And women, well, they’re not sure whether to jump for joy about the new drugs or bear arms against the 18th century misogynist perspective of female sexuality. I’m pretty certain no one worried about turning men into sex-crazed cads, the 8-hour Viagra induced erections or the potential blindness from said erections. (Fun fact: the same erection promoting enzyme blocked by erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis, Levitra is also found in the retina and when blocked excessively can cause blindness). When all was said and done, a good, solid erection was considered beneficial in and of itself, no matter the cost. Lo, get those women going and watch out. Sex crazed and hysterical, they might upset generations of cultural oppression. Unless, of course, it’s used to maintain the monogamy and monotony of marriage, then by all means pop a libido pill.
The Quest for Female Sexual Desire in a Bottle
Sexual politics aside, these new sexual arousal drugs portend great things for the bedrooms of many. Though developed for women, I suspect they will be cross-marketed to men, almost immediately.
Called Lybrido and Lybridos, the two compounds address sexual desire both above and below the belt. These drugs combine a sexy mix of peppermint coated, testosterone to make you horny, coupled with the erection promoting, genital-blood-flow increasing Viagra (Lybrido), plus a boost of adrenaline with an indirect dopamine kicker (Lybridos). If that isn’t a chemical cocktail to promote copulation, I’m not sure what is. It is Lybridos that intrigues me most and here is why.
Motivating the Brain to Want Sex
Sex begins in the brain and there dopamine is king. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter released with all pleasurable activities, licit and illicit. Our brains are hardwired to seek pleasure via the dopamine reward system. Experience a little pleasure, get a boost of dopamine. Get too much dopamine and addictive behavior or psychosis ensue. Too little dopamine and there is no pleasure and no motivation to seek pleasure.
Adding a bit of dopamine to a hormonally primed and engorged sexual response system would seem to facilitate not only the pleasure response associated with the sexual act itself, but would likely increase the chances that future goal directed behavior would be initiated to sustain or repeat the sexual activity – and to take the drug again. And that is why this drug is so cool, but also, potentially addictive.
A Sex Drug and Sex Addiction
Though the crude and frankly misogynist comments about inducing nymphomania warrant scorn, there is a very real possibility that this cocktail could be addictive. Think about it, combining the pleasure of sex with a boost of dopamine is the perfect addiction. Really, who wouldn’t want to have hot sex, repeatedly. And if taking a small dose of the drug increases sexual pleasure to certain degree, then would taking more of the drug increase the pleasure to a greater degree? Can someone overdose on these drugs? (You know someone will try). Conversely, if one takes the drug repeatedly, does the dose necessarily have to increase to maintain the same level of pleasure?
Because Lybridos enhances sex, a pleasurable, dopamine and endorphin releasing activity in its own right, by increasing dopamine while simultaneously enhancing libido and genital sensitivity, the possibilities for addiction are high. Therein lies the rub. Not only could this be the perfect combination of behavioral and pharmacological addiction, but pleasurable sex threatens every puritanically ingrained, social moire we have, for men and women. Create a drug that makes sex more pleasurable, make that drug and that behavior addicting and social structures will change. Perhaps, not such a bad thing.
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