Placebo helps women with sexual arousal disorders to have a more satisfying sex life, according to a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
A pair of researchers – Dr. Cindy Meston of the University of Texas at Austin and Dr. Andrea Bradford of the Baylor Medical College in Houston – came to this conclusion after analyzing data from a clinical trial of a drug for female sexual problems. 200 women aged 35-55, suffering from sexual arousal disorders (FSAD) took part in them. One quarter of them (50 women) were selected to take a placebo for 12 weeks. However, none of the patients knew whether they were ingesting the drug or the inactive compound.
One in three women taking a placebo had a significant improvement in symptoms, the primary indicator of which was an increase in the frequency of satisfactory sexual intercourse. Many women also admitted that they felt more agitated during sexual activity. The improvement was noticeable in the first four weeks of the study.
Our research shows that the mere hope of improvement can have a strong positive effect on a woman’s sex life, without any drug treatment, comments co-author Dr. Cindy Meston. In her opinion, expecting improvement and trying to find a solution to sexual problems by participating in a clinical trial could bring couples closer together, promote communication, and even change the attitude towards each other during sexual intercourse.
It should be noted that, apart from the placebo, all women could talk to a healthcare professional about problems in their sexual life and for 12 weeks they had to closely monitor their sexual behavior and feelings, recalls Dr. Andrea Bradford, the second author of the analysis. According to the psychologist, the results of these studies indicate that in many women with sexual dysfunction, even a small intervention can bring a positive effect. (PAP)