---
title: Does fluoxetine improve sexual drive and desire in women with PMDD?
description: Fluoxetine showed a trend toward improving sexual drive compared to placebo, though the difference wasn't statistically significant. This suggests SSRIs might
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/assessment-of-sexual-drive-and-desire-in-women-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-2005/
---

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- Does fluoxetine improve sexual drive and desire in women with PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2005

# Does fluoxetine improve sexual drive and desire in women with PMDD?

Fluoxetine showed a trend toward improving sexual drive compared to placebo, though the difference wasn't statistically significant. This suggests SSRIs might help rather than harm sexual drive in women with PMDD.

 Strong study design

184 women with PMDD

## What they did

Randomized, double-blind, controlled trial where women with PMDD took fluoxetine 20 or 60 mg per day or placebo. They rated their sexual drive and desire in the two weeks before their period and in the other part of their cycle during two baseline cycles and two treatment cycles.

## What they found

More women on fluoxetine reported improvement in sexual drive during the two weeks before their period compared to women on placebo, although this trend did not reach statistical significance (P equals 0.057).

## What it means for you

This study hints that fluoxetine might actually help sexual drive in women with PMDD, rather than harming it as some worry. The evidence is weak because the difference wasn't quite statistically significant, and the study focused on one specific outcome rather than examining sexual function in detail.

184

women with PMDD

P = 0.057

comparison of fluoxetine versus placebo (not statistically significant)

20 or 60 mg/day

fluoxetine doses tested

## About the study

Original title Assessment of sexual drive and desire in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder who have been treated with fluoxetine Authors Steiner M, MacDougall M, Berger C et al. Journal International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice Year 2005 Study design Randomised trial Participants 184 What was tested Fluoxetine 20 or 60 mg per day Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/13651500510029002](https://doi.org/10.1080/13651500510029002)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Libido and sexual function](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sexual-function/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Systematic review, 2024

Do SSRI antidepressants help treat PMS and PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2008

Does the antidepressant escitalopram taken only during the luteal phase reduce PMDD symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2003

Do SSRIs (antidepressants) help PMDD?

Survey study, 2024

How are PMDD and sexual dysfunction connected?

Randomised trial, 2001

Do buspirone and nefazodone help premenstrual dysphoria?

Non-randomised trial, 1994

Does fluoxetine (an antidepressant) help premenstrual mood symptoms when taken for a long time?

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