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American Morning

Female Libido

Aired January 03, 2003 - 08:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is the hormone that makes men men, but testosterone may also be a help for women who received hormone replacement therapy. Victoria Houston and Dr. James Simon write about the benefits of the male hormone for females in their new book. It's called "Restore Yourself: A Women's Guide to Reviving Her Sexual Desire and Passion for Life."
Recently, Paula had a chance to talk with the authors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: You were essentially told by a doctor that you were going nuts because you weren't interested in sex anymore and you married to this much younger guy.

VICTORIA HOUSTON, COAUTHOR: And I was only 43.

ZAHN: So how did this guy come into your life?

HOUSTON: Well, the doctor had said to me when I asked about it that it was in my head. Well, a couple of days -- a couple of months later, I found out that another friend was taking a good drug, Estratest, which was make a difference. And I said to the doctor, why didn't you tell me this? She said, I make my patients ask twice, because most are married to older men who are fading. Well, when I found out that that wasn't the case and that is this drug made a difference, I was incensed, because I had a physician making a decision that should be mine.

And through another journalist friend, I was alerted to Dr. Simon's research, called him up and said, we've got to help women learn how to talk to their doctors, and so we starred to partner on this project.

ZAHN: Let's talk about how women are supposed to do this. This has always been a taboo subject. It's always uncomfortable for women to discuss very personal things with their doctor unless they have a superb relationship with that physician.

DR. JAMES SIMON, COAUTHOR: And, Paula, that's part of the problem -- if women are reluctant to let anybody know, whether it's a female physician or a male physician, then no one can intervene. So they have to really speak up, write it down. My suggestion is write it down, even if you have to write it out word for word, send him a letter.

ZAHN: The statistics are pretty overwhelming, particularly women in their 40s. If you look at those statistics, you would think that most women just don't want to have sex anymore.

SIMON: That's true, and beginning in the late 40s, women begin to experience hormonal changes that decrease their interest in sex. When a woman used to be interested in sex, typically right around the middle of her cycle, or right before she started her period, there are hormonal changes that are gone at those two times of the cycle, and she may not have those urges as she did before.

ZAHN: How are you treating these women, or do they even want to be treated? Maybe that's OK with them, depending on the relationship with their partner.

SIMON: It's very important. If they're not interested in changing it, don't fix it if it ain't broke in their head. So if they are having a problem, if it's causing dysfunction or problems in their relationship, then we have medications that can easily be used to improve their sex drive.

ZAHN: Let's talk about the benefits of testosterone treatments. I will put up on the screen a series of full-screens, these little graphics that tell us it increases bone density, body fat, decreases muscle weakness, gives you a positive sense of well being. Boy, with that kind of salesmanship, we should all run out and get it.

SIMON: Well, part of the issue here is that women and many physicians don't realize that testosterone, one of the most potent -- quote -- "male hormones," is actually a very important female hormone, present in a woman's body, four to ten-fold greater amounts than is estrogen, the women's hormone.

HOUSTON: Really?

SIMON: Absolutely, and we've never really gotten that word out.

ZAHN: Are there any side effects to testosterone? Are there any risks that women should be familiar with?

SIMON: You're asking exactly the right question. Women ask me all of the time, am I going to start looking like you, Dr. Simon, with a full beard and a bald head.

HOUSTON: I have to interrupt. After 13 years on Estratest, do I look like my coauthor?

ZAHN: No, but you're both very good-looking people, indeed.

SIMON: But the issue is, too much testosterone does exactly what women are worried about. But, remember, women make lots of testosterone their entire lives, and when it's gone, it needs to be replaced, not in excessive amounts, but in normal physiologic amounts, and that's the key.

ZAHN: You found your answer in Dr. Simon. Does that mean the rest of the world should be jealous of your sex life, Victoria?

HOUSTON: At 43, I thought my enjoyment of sex, which has always been a serious and important part of my life, was over. Today, at 57, I date a delightful man. It's not that sex is always about sex. It's about intimacy, and closeness and someone to snuggle with.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that was -- you know, you should try watching this with a bunch of guys in the room, but that was a very important topic, and that was Victoria Houston and Dr. James Simon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 3, 2003 - 08:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is the hormone that makes men men, but testosterone may also be a help for women who received hormone replacement therapy. Victoria Houston and Dr. James Simon write about the benefits of the male hormone for females in their new book. It's called "Restore Yourself: A Women's Guide to Reviving Her Sexual Desire and Passion for Life."
Recently, Paula had a chance to talk with the authors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: You were essentially told by a doctor that you were going nuts because you weren't interested in sex anymore and you married to this much younger guy.

VICTORIA HOUSTON, COAUTHOR: And I was only 43.

ZAHN: So how did this guy come into your life?

HOUSTON: Well, the doctor had said to me when I asked about it that it was in my head. Well, a couple of days -- a couple of months later, I found out that another friend was taking a good drug, Estratest, which was make a difference. And I said to the doctor, why didn't you tell me this? She said, I make my patients ask twice, because most are married to older men who are fading. Well, when I found out that that wasn't the case and that is this drug made a difference, I was incensed, because I had a physician making a decision that should be mine.

And through another journalist friend, I was alerted to Dr. Simon's research, called him up and said, we've got to help women learn how to talk to their doctors, and so we starred to partner on this project.

ZAHN: Let's talk about how women are supposed to do this. This has always been a taboo subject. It's always uncomfortable for women to discuss very personal things with their doctor unless they have a superb relationship with that physician.

DR. JAMES SIMON, COAUTHOR: And, Paula, that's part of the problem -- if women are reluctant to let anybody know, whether it's a female physician or a male physician, then no one can intervene. So they have to really speak up, write it down. My suggestion is write it down, even if you have to write it out word for word, send him a letter.

ZAHN: The statistics are pretty overwhelming, particularly women in their 40s. If you look at those statistics, you would think that most women just don't want to have sex anymore.

SIMON: That's true, and beginning in the late 40s, women begin to experience hormonal changes that decrease their interest in sex. When a woman used to be interested in sex, typically right around the middle of her cycle, or right before she started her period, there are hormonal changes that are gone at those two times of the cycle, and she may not have those urges as she did before.

ZAHN: How are you treating these women, or do they even want to be treated? Maybe that's OK with them, depending on the relationship with their partner.

SIMON: It's very important. If they're not interested in changing it, don't fix it if it ain't broke in their head. So if they are having a problem, if it's causing dysfunction or problems in their relationship, then we have medications that can easily be used to improve their sex drive.

ZAHN: Let's talk about the benefits of testosterone treatments. I will put up on the screen a series of full-screens, these little graphics that tell us it increases bone density, body fat, decreases muscle weakness, gives you a positive sense of well being. Boy, with that kind of salesmanship, we should all run out and get it.

SIMON: Well, part of the issue here is that women and many physicians don't realize that testosterone, one of the most potent -- quote -- "male hormones," is actually a very important female hormone, present in a woman's body, four to ten-fold greater amounts than is estrogen, the women's hormone.

HOUSTON: Really?

SIMON: Absolutely, and we've never really gotten that word out.

ZAHN: Are there any side effects to testosterone? Are there any risks that women should be familiar with?

SIMON: You're asking exactly the right question. Women ask me all of the time, am I going to start looking like you, Dr. Simon, with a full beard and a bald head.

HOUSTON: I have to interrupt. After 13 years on Estratest, do I look like my coauthor?

ZAHN: No, but you're both very good-looking people, indeed.

SIMON: But the issue is, too much testosterone does exactly what women are worried about. But, remember, women make lots of testosterone their entire lives, and when it's gone, it needs to be replaced, not in excessive amounts, but in normal physiologic amounts, and that's the key.

ZAHN: You found your answer in Dr. Simon. Does that mean the rest of the world should be jealous of your sex life, Victoria?

HOUSTON: At 43, I thought my enjoyment of sex, which has always been a serious and important part of my life, was over. Today, at 57, I date a delightful man. It's not that sex is always about sex. It's about intimacy, and closeness and someone to snuggle with.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that was -- you know, you should try watching this with a bunch of guys in the room, but that was a very important topic, and that was Victoria Houston and Dr. James Simon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com