Increased Libido Side Effect
Increased libido means an increase in sexual desire.
At first glance it may seem that increased sexual desire is a positive effect or "pleasurable" side effect. However, an extremely high sex drive (known as hypersexuality) can interfere with lives and careers and have serious consequences:
- Difficulties at work
- Serious relationship problems.
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Inadequate self-esteem
Medications that enhances dopamine neurotransmission are often associated with increased sexual desire6.
| Drug | Incidence |
|---|---|
| Anadrol | |
| AndroGel | Rare |
| Apokyn | |
| Aripiprazole (Abilify®)13 | < 1% |
| Bupropion (Wellbutrin®)8, 9 | Bupropion has pro-sexual effects, including increased libido, intensity of orgasm, and arousal. May work as an antidote for drug-induced sexual dysfunction. |
| Cabergoline (Dostinex®)10 | < 10% |
| Campral | Infrequent |
| Celexa | Infrequent |
| Clozapine | < 1% |
| Clozaril | < 1% |
| Delatestryl | |
| Depo-Provera | < 1% |
| Donepezil (Aricept®)4 | 1% to 10% |
| Effexor | Infrequent |
| Exelon | Infrequent |
| FazaClo | < 1% |
| Gabitril | Infrequent |
| Gengraf | 1% to 3% |
| Haldol Decanoate | |
| Klonopin | Infrequent |
| Lamictal | Rare |
| Librium | |
| Lotensin | < 1% |
| Lupron | |
| Methylphenidate (Concerta®, Ritalin®)5 | raises dopamine levels |
| Methyltestosterone (Testred®) | |
| Moban | |
| Namenda | Infrequent |
| Neoral | 1% to 3% |
| Norpramin | |
| Parcopa®12 | |
| Paxil | Rare |
| Permax | Infrequent |
| Pramipexole (Mirapex®)14 | |
| Lansoprazole (Prevacid®, Prevpac®) | < 1% |
| Prozac | Infrequent |
| Rasagiline (Azilect®)7 | |
| Reminyl | Infrequent |
| Requip | Infrequent |
| Rilutek | Infrequent |
| Risperidone (Risperdal®)11 | Infrequent |
| Quetiapine (Seroquel®)3 | Infrequent |
| Stalevo | |
| Surmontil | |
| Symbyax | Rare |
| Tasmar | Infrequent |
| Topamax | Rare |
| Trazodone | may increase sexual desire in both men and women1, 2 |
| Trileptal | |
| Xanax | 1% to 10% |
| Zoloft | Rare |
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Aphrodisiac herbs
List of herbal supplements, that can stimulate sexual desire and performance, and increase pleasure15:
- Tribulus terrestrins
- Chlorophytum borivilianum
- Withania somnifera
- Panax ginseng
- Eurycoma longifolia
- Avena sativa
- Ginko biloba
- Myristica fragrans
References
- 1. Sullivan G. Increased libido in three men treated with trazodone. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988 May;49(5):202-3. PubMed
- 2. Gartrell N. Increased libido in women receiving trazodone. Am J Psychiatry. 1986 Jun;143(6):781-2. PubMed
- 3. Menon A, Williams RH, Watson S. Increased libido associated with quetiapine. J Psychopharmacol. 2006 Jan;20(1):125-7. PubMed
- 4. Segrec N, Zaman R, Pregelj P. Increased libido associated with donepezil treatment: a case report. Psychogeriatrics. 2016 Jan;16(1):70-2. PubMed
- 5. Schmid Y1, Hysek CM1, Preller KH, et al. Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015 Jan;25(1):17-25 PubMed
- 6. Driver-Dunckley ED, Noble BN, Hentz JG, Evidente VG, Caviness JN, Parish J, Krahn L, Adler CH. Gambling and increased sexual desire with dopaminergic medications in restless legs syndrome. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2007 Sep-Oct;30(5):249-55. PubMed
- 7. Reyes D, Kurako K, Galvez-Jimenez N. Rasagiline induced hypersexuality in Parkinson's disease. J Clin Neurosci. 2014 Mar;21(3):507-8. PubMed
- 8. Labbate LA. Bupropion-SR-induced increased libido and spontaneous orgasm. Can J Psychiatry. 1998 Aug;43(6):644-5.
- 9. Modell JG, May RS, Katholi CR. Effect of bupropion-SR on orgasmic dysfunction in nondepressed subjects. J Sex Marital Ther. 2000 Jul-Sep;26(3):231-40. PubMed
- 10. Wittstock M, Benecke R, Dressler D. Cabergoline can increase penile erections and libido. Neurology. 2002 Mar 12;58(5):831. PubMed
- 11. Xenitidis K, Campbell C, Davidson CK, Johnson T, Jansen K. Risperidone-induced hypersexuality. Br J Psychiatry. 2013 Sep;203(3):233 PubMed
- 12. Both S, Everaerd W, Laan E, Gooren L. Effect of a single dose of levodopa on sexual response in men and women. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005 Jan;30(1):173-83. PubMed
- 13. Schlachetzki JC, Langosch JM. Aripiprazole induced hypersexuality in a 24-year-old female patient with schizoaffective disorder? J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2008 Oct;28(5):567-8.
- 14. Moore TJ, Glenmullen J, Mattison DR.Reports of pathological gambling, hypersexuality, and compulsive shopping associated with dopamine receptor agonist drugs. JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Dec;174(12):1930-3. PubMed
- 15. Malviya N, Jain S, Gupta VB, Vyas S. Recent studies on aphrodisiac herbs for the management of male sexual dysfunction. Acta Pol Pharm. 2011 Jan-Feb;68(1):3-8.
Published: September 01, 2016
Last updated: December 16, 2017
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