With no female alternative to the “little blue pill,” many women are turning to over-the-counter sexual enhancement products

Not too long ago, I wrote a blog about a promising female libido drug — flibanserin — and the manufacturer’s decision to discontinue its development. With no FDA-approved libido drugs for women, the demand for over-the-counter sexual enhancement products is increasing.

What are these over-the-counter sexual enhancement products?

The most common OTC products that promise to enhance a woman’s sexual experience include lubricants and arousal gels. These products help increase sensation and stimulate circulation in the genitals before and during sex. Vibrators are also a popular sexual enhancement product. They help bring the user to orgasm by increasing genital sensation. Of course, there are many other options, like massage oils and nutritional/herbal supplements to name just a few.

Are these products safe?

Unfortunately over-the-counter sexual enhancement products are unregulated, and there are few clinical trials that test their effectiveness. For clinically sound sexual health information and tasteful, quality products, I recommend checking out the MiddleSexMD website.

Do these products work?

What works for some may not work for others. So go ahead and experiment. But just like with anything else, a healthy diet and regular exercise are good starting points for improving things in the bedroom.

Guest blog contributed by Lisa Larkin MD, FACP, NCMP
Dr. Larkin has been practicing internal medicine in Cincinnati since 1991. After 11 years teaching and practicing at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, she made the choice to shift her focus from teaching to high-quality patient care. In July 2002, Dr. Larkin opened her own practice, guided by the philosophy that she could better serve her patients’ medical needs in a smaller, more personal practice and in an environment over which she had more control.

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