A new study found a new cure for women experiencing sexual problems that are taking antidepressants. Women can exercise before they engage in sexual activities to boost their libido.
Antidepressant medication is commonly prescribed by doctors to women experiencing moderate to severe depression. It helps balance the chemicals in the brain but it is also known for its usual side effects such as restlessness, weird dreams, dry mouth, diarrhea, and decreased sexual desire or libido.
Researchers from the University of Texas led by Tierney Lorenz, a postdoctoral fellow from the Indiana University, recruited 52 women experiencing low libido which is one of the common side effects of taking antidepressants. They were all subjected in a nine-week study.
All the participants did not exercise for the first three weeks of the study. On the second three-week period, there were divided into two groups: the first group was asked to exercise 30 minutes before having sex, the second group exercised but was not specifically advised to have sex right after. For the final three weeks, the groups were interchanged.
Their study showed that doing at least 30 minutes of exercise before having sex significantly improved the orgasm experience and sexual function of the participants.
The researchers explained that exercise was able to relieve the women of the antidepressant side effects because it helps stimulate the sympathetic nervous system which helps regulate the blood flow in the genital which is affected by the antidepressant medications.
"Considering the wide prevalence of antidepressant sexual side effects and the dearth of treatment options for those experiencing these distressing effects, this is an important step in treating sexual dysfunction among women who are taking antidepressants," Lorenz said in a press release.
The study was published in the journal Depression and Anxiety.
