Some people would love to have sex but just can’t. Sexual reluctance can put a strain on partnerships and result in depression. However, researchers find a possible antidote in a hormone produced in the body – the results of tests are clear.
Is there a better name than “Kisspeptin” for a sex-boosting substance? The background is serious: There are men and women who feel no desire for sex and have no sexual fantasies – and sometimes suffer massively from it. Sexual reluctance can strain relationships, affecting mental health and fertility. A tenth of all women and an almost as large proportion of men worldwide are said to be affected. But researchers are now finding a possible remedy: the said kisspeptin.
Kisspeptin is a hormone produced in the body that stimulates the release of other sex hormones. Two studies published in the specialist journal “JAMA Network Open” – one on women’s disinclination, the other on men – claim that Kisspeptin can increase desire again.
The researchers examined 32 women of childbearing age and 32 men suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). They were given Kisspeptin and a placebo – then the researchers presented the subjects with visual sexual stimuli, such as pictures of faces with different attractiveness or erotic videos. Non-erotic exercise videos served as controls. At the same time, the physical reactions of the subjects were examined.
It was found that the regions in the brains of women and men that are crucial for sexual desire suddenly became more active under the influence of kisspeptin. In men, the hormone – in contrast to the placebo – also caused a “significant increase in penis swelling” in response to the erotic videos shown, according to one of the studies. And by up to 56 percent. The researchers conclude that the hormone has a positive effect on the sexual behavior of women and men.
Kisspeptin could therefore be used in the future to treat sexual reluctance in women and men, according to the scientists. “Although HSDD is relatively common, treatment options for women are limited, have significant side effects and in some cases it can even be harmful to even try,” study co-author Alexander Comninos of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said in a statement . For men there is currently no approved treatment at all and there is none in sight.
According to Comninos, treatment with Kisspeptin is not only potentially effective, but also safe. The hormone was well tolerated by both women and men. No side effects were found, which is crucial from the point of view of drug development. The researchers are now planning larger studies with other patient groups. If you succeed, you hope to help millions of people around the world.
The name Kisspeptin is reminiscent of the English word for kiss (“kiss”) – but it is derived from the KISS1 gene, which contains the blueprint for Kisspeptin. But somehow it has something to do with kissing: The gene was discovered in 1996 in the town of Hershey in the US state of Pennsylvania. Its discoverers named it “Hershey Kiss Chocolate” after the famous candy that also originated there.
