The Drive for Food The drive for food, or hunger, is primarily a survival mechanism. It ensures that organisms, including humans, acquire the necessary nutrients and energy to sustain bodily functions, grow, and repair tissues…. Read More »
A Concept on the Interplay of Desire for Sex and Food in the Brain Introduction The Masturbation Diet is a fanciful way of describing the highly evolved balance in humans between the desire for and… Read More »
Shifren JL, Braunstein GD, Simon JA, Casson PR, Buster JE, Redmond GP, Burki RE, Ginsburg ES, Rosen RC, Leiblum SR, Caramelli KE, Mazer NA. Transdermal testosterone treatment in women with impaired sexual function after oophorectomy…. Read More »
Menopause, a natural biological process marking the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle, is often accompanied by a range of physical and emotional symptoms due to hormonal changes. Among the various treatment options available, testosterone… Read More »
In this video, Dr. Simon, is interviewed by Andrea Donsky, Nutritionist, Research and Menopause Educator, and Co-Founder of We Are Morphus. The interview addresses women’s sexual health, covering the impact of hormonal changes on libido,… Read More »
In a recent article, Hot Flash Drug Succeeds in Two Pivotal Trials, published on the www.medpagetoday.com website, the novel non-hormonal treatment, elinzanetant, is discussed. It has shown significant success in alleviating hot flashes in postmenopausal women… Read More »
Join Dr. James Simon, the globally recognized Women’s Sexual Health Expert, as he dispels myths and sheds light on the truth about sex after 50. In this insightful video, Dr. Simon addresses the common belief… Read More »
Sex after 50: What Women AND Men Need to Know about Vaginal Health But Are Afraid to Ask! (Must See)
In this video, Dr. James Simon, a renowned Women’s Sexual Health and Menopause Expert, takes on the taboo topic of sex and vaginal health after 50. Nicknamed the “Menopause Whisperer” by Washingtonian Magazine, Dr…. Read More »
An important message from my assistant and practice manager: Hello, my name is Barbara Gallagher. Most of you probably don’t know me, I am the behind-the-scenes person that tends to Dr. Simon’s business and consulting… Read More »
In this eye-opening video, we delve into the controversial claims made by Gwyneth Paltrow, renowned actress and founder of the GOOP wellness brand. The discussion revolves around the questionable effectiveness of her products and personal… Read More »
It is well known that erectile dysfunction (ED) increases in prevalence and severity as men* age. Approximately 50% of 50-year-old men have some symptoms of ED, increasing to 60% of 60-year-old men, 70% of 70-year-old… Read More »
Neither men nor women have to orgasm to experience pleasure during sexual intercourse. Communication is the key to discussing sexual pain and dysfunction with the partner. Women who have a low libido can get FDA-approved… Read More »
Dr. James Simon discusses the importance of sexual health during menopause and encourages clinicians to open up the conversation with patients. He discusses several treatment options and resources with Dr. Marla Shapiro. Dr. Marla Shapiro:… Read More »
COVID and Sexual Function
The World’s most significant recent public health crisis is the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic resulted in an estimated 90 million COVID-19 cases, and more than a million COVID deaths in the US. New highly transmissible… Read More »
Is penetration ever painful for you? Whether it’s with fingers, toys, or penises, you’re not alone: An estimated 50% of menopausal women with sexually active partners experience pain during vaginal penetration. And that’s just women… Read More »
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which affects about 10% of women in the United States, is defined as the persistent or recurrent deficiency or absence of sexual desire accompanied by personal distress. There are treatments… Read More »
There is so much misconception about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopause. I was recently featured on #justASK, a healthcare podcast dedicated to providing evidenced-based information from a team of sexual health experts. #justASK is… Read More »
How many times have you shuddered the moment someone mentions your parents or your grandparents having sex? As a doctor specializing in sexual health, I’ve seen that inevitable gasp time and time again. The mere… Read More »
Illustration by Lori Malépart-Traversy Women have the only organ in the human body exclusively dedicated to pleasure: the clitoris! This humorous, brief documentary gives an illustrated and educational history of the clitoris; it also reveals something very… Read More »
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, founder of the wellness and lifestyle brand goop®, recently launched a new “sexual health supplement” marketed under the name DTF. According to advertisements, this product is intended to “support women’s sexual desire, arousal, and mood.” We believe this claim to be an example of a misleading campaign marketed to consumers that is unsupported by scientific evidence.
If your partner is going through menopause, here’s a brief guide for survival. Menopause isn’t just a challenging time for the person going through it, but it can also be difficult for partners, friends, and… Read More »
Back in April 2020, an article in the Journal of Women’s Health prompted me to think about the differences between men and women’s life and death responses to COVID-19. That article illustrated what we’ve heard… Read More »
It’s been 18 years since the landmark Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) initial hormone therapy (HT) results. They gained worldwide attention by throwing HT “under the bus,” alleging the risks outweighed the benefits. I didn’t, and… Read More »
I’m frequently asked whether there’s anything to change in one’s diet to improve sexual function. While there’s absolutely nothing dietary that can treat a severe erectile dysfunction (ED) or significant arousal disorder in women, there… Read More »
Did you know the penis is just a muscle? Did you know Viagra works just by relaxing this muscle? How the penis and its supporting muscles contract and relax can affect erectile function, orgasm, ejaculation,… Read More »
Testosterone Therapy I have been involved in the development of testosterone products for women for many years. My research has been included in the original Princeton Consensus on Testosterone Insufficiency in Women back in 2002, and… Read More »
Sex supplements are everywhere and easy to access, but do they actually work? Studies have shown that even Viagra, an FDA-approved prescription drug, has a placebo effect of over 30%, which tells me that if… Read More »
Catching Cancer in Patients with Lynch Syndrome Does your patient have cancer in their family history? If they have Lynch Syndrome, a simple screening can catch cancer before it’s too late. It’s easy to merely… Read More »
We are pleased to share a recent article in Washingtonian Magazine featuring an interview with our own Dr. James Simon, “The Menopause Whisperer.” In the article, Dr. Simon discusses female sexual dysfunction, the state of… Read More »
Pellet Hormone Replacement FAQ We know that Hormone Replacement Therapy is essential for managing severe menopause (or andropause, aka “manopause!”) symptoms, and hopefully there is an easy way to deliver it, right? Fortunately, there is!… Read More »
Study Shows that Deep Dyspareunia can Improve with Interdisciplinary Treatment There is good news for women who are suffering from Deep Dyspareunia! Dyspareunia is the fancy medical term for painful sex, and can be categorized… Read More »
Dr. Rubin at Planned Parenthood DC’s “I Like It” Event “Nobody taught us about the clitoris in medical school, and doctors rarely ask women if they can orgasm…but they should!” That’s what our very own… Read More »
Let’s Talk About IT Introducing MonaLisa Touch, a groundbreaking vaginal treatment for menopausal women. “IT” is vaginal discomforts, including dryness, burning, itching, and painful sex, all which fall under the umbrella term, “vaginal atrophy.” Vaginal… Read More »
Men have Pills for their Sexual Dysfunction, Why Can’t Women? A Response to “How Addyi, the ‘Female Viagra,’ Can Do More Harm Than Good” By Dr. James A Simon Earlier this month, Dr. Janet Brito,… Read More »
Maybe you’ve heard of taking Vitamin D supplements to help slow down bone loss, but what about taking it to improve your sexual function and satisfaction? According to a recently published study which took place… Read More »
Until recently, I never knew sexual medicine was its own specialty. I mean, of course there has to be a field of sexual medicine, since there are medical fields for every other aspect of biological… Read More »
Treating Postpartum Vaginal Laxity If you’ve given birth, you know all the physical and emotional distress associated with the process! And if you’ve given birth vaginally, you know it can be difficult to bounce back… Read More »
Sexual well-being is an important part of any person’s life, and when things aren’t going well or working right, it can be embarrassing and difficult to talk about with your sexual partner and your doctor…. Read More »
A healthy body image leads to better sexual health, but are breast implants worth the confidence boost? There are several options on the market for breast implants these days; silicone or saline, textured or smooth,… Read More »
Ever since we were infants, skin-to-skin contact meant closeness, calm and intimacy. So when disorders of the skin like Psoriasis interfere with such an important sexual organ (the skin, our largest by far), there are… Read More »
If you or a loved one has an enlarged prostate known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), you are well aware of the negative effects it can have on your life, such as difficult or frequent… Read More »
New research published this month on the JAMA Network Open indicates that 7.0% of women and 10.3% of men have what is now classified as compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). CSBD is defined as… Read More »
We at IntimMedicine are thrilled about the positive changes happening in our culture surrounding the discussion on female sexuality. In a recent article in The Guardian, Sharon Walker interviews five women who are on the… Read More »
Ok, I am sure you know someone who has or has had sex on Thanksgiving. Maybe it was you. But, if the Masturbation Diet® hypothesis is correct (see the other blog posts in this series… Read More »
Ladies, rejoice! If you are covered under Medicare Part D and you are experiencing Dyspareunia (painful sex) after menopause, you can now be prescribed drugs to treat this condition! As many as 1 in 3… Read More »
Exploring the Relationship between Food and Sexual Desire, and Food and Sexual Satiety (Part 2) By James A Simon, MD, CCD, NCMP, IF, FACOG In part one of this blog series, I focused on the… Read More »
Exploring the Relationship between Food and Sexual Desire and Satiety (Part 1) By James A Simon, MD, CCD, NCMP, IF, FACOG Over the next few blog posts, I will discuss our appetites for food and… Read More »
Another month, another painful period. Or maybe that menstrual pain never goes away. For some women, it’s a painful life as usual. But what could be the cause of these painful cycles? Endometriosis may be… Read More »
The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH.org), the preeminent organization focusing on the biopsychosocial aspects of women’s sexuality, welcomes Dr. James A. Simon, M.D., Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The George Washington University… Read More »