Does Vyvanse decrease libido?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Does Vyvanse decrease libido?
Vyvanse may or may not decrease your libido as this medication is also associated with hypersexuality in both men and women. The sexual side effects of Amphetamines are different in different individuals and how your body reacts to the medication also plays a huge role as we all have different genetics (1,2).
In men, Vyvanse can cause both hypersexuality and loss of libido. In fact, it can also cause erectile dysfunction. Both loss and gain of sexual desire are also common in women and it is extremely impossible to predict who will suffer from which kind of sexual side effect.
What does research suggest?
Research suggests that a decrease in libido can be a possible side effect of Vyvanse, although the exact incidence is not clearly established. However, a decrease or increase in libido is listed as a side effect in FDA-provided drug information (3).
People taking standard therapeutic doses of Vyvanse or any Amphetamine-like medication may not affect libido. However, illicit use can affect the entire reproductive system majorly.
In a study involving 1,159 Amphetamine illicit drug users, it was found that about half of the participants reported no impact on their sexual functions, while the other half experienced various effects (4).
These effects included reduced erectile rigidity and sexual life satisfaction, increased orgasmic intensity, and longer ejaculation latency time. The frequency of Amphetamine dosing was associated with its impact on sexual functions, but the duration of use had minimal influence.
The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was significantly higher in the drug users compared to the controls. The study concluded that the illicit use of amphetamine can have varying effects on male sexual functions.
What to do if you suffer from Vyvanse-induced loss of libido?
If Vyvanse is continuously making you lose interest in sex and you’re concerned about it, talk to your healthcare provider. Only your doctor can determine if it’s safe for you to continue using this medication or not.
If it’s affecting your reproductive organs negatively, your doctor either tries dose reduction or switches you to another medication. Make sure you don’t stop using Vyvanse without your doctor’s approval.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
Goodman DW. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (vyvanse), a prodrug stimulant for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. P T. 2010 May;35(5):273-87. PMID: 20514273; PMCID: PMC2873712. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873712/
2.-
Najib J, Wimer D, Zeng J, Lam KW, Romanyak N, Paige Morgan E, Thadavila A. Review of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate in Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Cent Nerv Syst Dis. 2017 Aug 23;9:1179573517728090. doi: 10.1177/1179573517728090. PMID: 28855799; PMCID: PMC5571766. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571766/
3.-
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VyvanseTM (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate). C- II Rx Only [Internet]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2007/021977lbl.pdf
4.-
Chou NH, Huang YJ, Jiann BP. The Impact of Illicit Use of Amphetamine on Male Sexual Functions. J Sex Med. 2015 Aug;12(8):1694-702. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12926. Epub 2015 Jul 6. PMID: 26147855. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26147855/
