It can increase sexual responses in women and men who have hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition characterized by low sexual desire that is distressing to the individual, affects up to 10% of women and 8% of men. men all over the world and can have devastating psychological and social impacts.
Two studies led by physicians and scientists from Imperial College London and the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in the United Kingdom demonstrated that in men with intact sexual desire, kisspeptin can enhance responses to sexual stimuli and increase attraction pathways in the brain, regardless of other reproductive hormones such as testosterone. They also investigated the effects on women and men with low sexual desire (SDHD). These two clinical trials involved 32 premenopausal women and 32 men with (HDDD). In both studies, patients underwent an MRI scan of the brain, as well as blood and behavioral tests. Kisspeptin administration improved brain sexual processing in both women and men, resulting in positive effects on sexual behavior compared to placebo.
The researchers believe the results lay the foundation for kisspeptin-based treatments for women and men with HSDD.
In the second study, which was also a randomized, double-blind, two-way crossover trial, 32 heterosexual men with SDDD (21 to 52 years of age) underwent a similar study with the addition of neck stiffness measurement. penis, between January and September 2021. The study showed that kisspeptin significantly boosted brain activity in key structures of the sexual brain network while increasing penile rigidity by up to 56% compared to placebo, while watching an erotic video. Similar to the study in women, kisspeptin also had greater effects on key brain regions in men more distressed by their low sexual desire. Additionally, psychometric analyzes revealed that kisspeptin improved men’s reported “sexual happiness.”
The two studies were published in the JAMA Network Open journal.