What is the pink pill for women called?
The pink pill for women is commonly known as Flibanserin, also marketed as Addyi, and it is sometimes referred to as “female Viagra.”
What Is the Pink Pill for Erectile Dysfunction? Usage and Effectiveness
By Dr. Anvi Dogra
Dr. Anvi Dogra is a dentist by training who has carved a niche as a medical writer, SEO content strategist, and healthcare marketing consultant. With hands-on experience across sectors like pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, medical tourism, digital health, and wellness, she brings a 360-degree understanding of the healthcare industry to her work. Over the years, Dr. Anvi has created SEO-optimized medical content, brand messaging, and marketing strategies for a wide range of clients—including hospitals, healthcare startups, wellness brands, and individual medical practitioners. Her ability to translate complex medical topics into accessible, engaging, and search-friendly content makes her a trusted name in the space. In addition to her work in writing and marketing, Dr. Anvi has also worked as a non-clinical career consultant, helping doctors and medical graduates navigate alternative career paths in health tech, medical communications, and digital health marketing. Her own journey from clinical dentistry to content strategy allows her to mentor others with empathy and real-world insights.
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• 23rd August 2025
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Updated on 23rd August 2025
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4 min. read
INErectile Dysfunction
Quick Read
The pink sex pill for women, Flibanserin (Addyi), is a daily prescription medicine for premenopausal women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). This disorder is characterised by low sexual desire that may cause stress or problems in relationships. It works by balancing brain chemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which affect mood and sexual desire. Studies show it can help some women slightly increase satisfying sexual events and feel less distress, but results may vary. Flibanserin may cause side effects like dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, fatigue, and low blood pressure, especially if taken with alcohol or certain medicines. It is not meant to boost sexual performance or treat low desire caused by relationship problems or other health issues. Flibanserin is currently not available in India, and products sold online as the “pink pill” may not be real or safe. Women’s sexual health is complex, so expecting a pill to solve everything may be unrealistic. Always talk to a doctor before starting Flibanserin or any treatment for sexual concerns.
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If you’ve heard about the “pink sex pill for women,” it’s important to know that this isn’t the official name of any single medicine. Instead, it’s a term often used in marketing to describe drugs that can help with low sexual desire in women. There are many medicines available to support men’s sexual health and arousal, but when it comes to women’s desire, the conversation is often much less common.
That is when a drug called flibanserin has come into the picture and is known by the name of the pink pill. It has been branded by the name Addyi. It is FDA approved but is not available in India, and its journey has been long.
In this article we will learn about this commonly called pink pill, its benefits, and how its use is still in debate among the general population, doctors, and researchers.
What is the Pink Sex Pill For Women?
Flibanserin (Addyi) is the first FDA-approved drug for treating low libido in women, especially in premenopausal women. It has also been known by the name of female viagra. But both of them differ. Viagra is for men and helps by increasing blood flow to the penis before sexual activity. Flibanserin, on the other hand, is for women and works on the brain. It helps in balancing brain chemicals ( dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin) that are linked to mood and desire, which in turn can improve sexual arousal. Viagra is only taken before sexual activity, but flibanserin must be taken daily [1].
What Does The Research On Pink Sex Pills Say?
The history of Flibanserin is long, as the drug faced rejection twice [1] before the FDA finally granted approval in 2015 [2]. The drug was highly controversial due to its benefits and risk ratio [3].
Researchers conducted numerous studies and clinical trials to investigate this drug.
One study [4] was done on 5900 premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder who took flibanserin. These women experienced some improvement in sexual desire and reported 0.5 to 1 additional satisfying sexual events per month when compared to others who did not take the drug.
Another large study done [5] on 7,906 pre- and postmenopausal women who took 100 mg daily showed improvements in satisfying sexual events and sexual desire scores.
Further, a 8-week study [6] compared the effects of flibanserin alone vs. its effect along with sex therapy in women with hyposexual desire disorder. The group that received flibanserin with sex therapy showed higher female sexual function index [FSFI] scores than flibanserin alone.They noticed improvements in desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm. This study suggests that adding sex therapy to flibanserin may enhance sexual function beyond medication alone.
What Makes The Pink Pill So Controversial?
Though Addyi has shown improvements in so many clinical studies and is FDA approved, still it remains a controversial medicine. It is still not available in India. This pill is considered as a milestone for women’s sexual health as worthy of medical attention. A lot of people celebrate that this medicine has added the concept of equality in sexual medicine. But, still the benefits of drugs are not very clearly understood.
Some experts point out that women’s sexuality is very complex and is influenced by many things like brain chemistry, mood, relationship problems, medications, and the overall health of both partners [7].
Risks and Side Effects Of Pink Pill For Women’s Libido
Like any other drugs, Flibanserin also has some risks. Some of the most common side effects include nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, fainting, and low blood pressure.
These effects get worse if the drug is consumed along with other drugs, alcohol and in liver failure patients. The FDA advises women to avoid alcohol while taking this drug to prevent the risk of low blood pressure and fainting [8] [9].
Other Alternative FDA Approved drug for HSDD
In addition to Addyi, another FDA-approved drug for HSDD is bremelanotide, sold under the name Vyleesi. It is not in pill form and is a self-administered injection, taken 45 minutes before sexual activity [10].
Vyleesi works differently from Addyi. Instead of working on daily brain chemistry, it turns on the signals in the brain that help to boost sexual desire. Clinical studies have shown that some women experienced an increase in sexual desire and felt less distress about low desire after using it.
However, Vyleesi also comes with side effects. The most common side effects include nausea, flushing, and injection site reactions.
Difference between Pink Pill Addyi and Vyleesi
| Feature | Addyi (Flibanserin, Pink Pill) | Vyleesi (Bremelanotide) |
| Use | Premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD | Premenopausal women with HSDD |
| Mechanism | Alter the brain chemicals (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin) that are involved in sexual arousal | Act on chemicals (Melanocortin receptor) which affect brain pathways for sexual arousal |
| Dosage | 100 mg oral tablets daily at bedtime | On-demand injection, 45 min before sex |
| Results | Weeks (multiple time or daily us) | Within hours (single use) |
| Side Effects | Dizziness, somnolence, nausea, fatigue, hypotension | Nausea (40%), flushing, injection site pain, headache |
| Contraindications | Alcohol, liver impairment, drug interactions | Uncontrolled hypertension, cardiovascular risk |
| Food and Drug Administration Approval Year | FDA: 2015 | FDA: 2019 |
Final Thoughts
The pink pill (Addyi) remains an advanced yet controversial drug. For some women, it may show improvement in sexual desire and satisfaction. For others, the benefits may not overcome the risks, side effects, and lifestyle restrictions. It is not a “female Viagra,” but rather a daily medication that shifts brain chemistry. It may work better when combined with therapies.
At the same time, many unapproved drugs and supplements are marketed online as “pink pills.” These are not FDA-approved, and their safety is questionable. Be cautious and avoid self-medicating.
If you are experiencing low sexual desire or any sexual concern, always talk openly with your doctor to explore safe, effective, and holistic treatment options.
Disclaimer
"The following blog article provides general information and insights on various topics. However, it is important to note that the information presented is not intended as professional advice in any specific field or area. The content of this blog is for general educational and informational purposes only.
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