The “pink pill” is Addyi (flibanserin), an FDA-approved medication designed to treat low sexual desire in women. Sometimes called “female Viagra,” it works in a completely different way from Viagra and targets the brain rather than blood flow. The manufacturer even uses the phrase directly, with a hotline number spelling out 1-844-PINK-PILL. It’s the first drug ever approved specifically for low libido in women.
What the Pink Pill Treats
Addyi is approved for a condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD. This isn’t about occasional dips in desire from stress or fatigue. HSDD is a persistent, distressing loss of sexual interest that develops in someone who previously had no problems with desire. It occurs regardless of partner, situation, or type of stimulation, and it causes real emotional strain or relationship difficulty.
The diagnosis specifically rules out other explanations first. If low desire stems from a medical condition, a psychiatric issue, relationship problems, or a side effect of another medication, HSDD isn’t the diagnosis, and Addyi isn’t the appropriate treatment. It’s intended for women under 65 who’ve developed this change over time, not for boosting an already normal level of desire.
How It Works in the Brain
Unlike Viagra, which increases blood flow to the genitals and works within an hour, Addyi changes brain chemistry over weeks. It adjusts the balance between chemical messengers that either encourage or suppress sexual desire.
In the brain, dopamine and norepinephrine act as “go” signals for sexual interest, while serotonin tends to act as a brake. Addyi shifts that balance by temporarily boosting dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the prefrontal cortex (the decision-making area of the brain) while briefly reducing serotonin in several key regions. These chemical shifts don’t persist around the clock. They happen for a few hours after each dose and then return to baseline, which is why the medication needs to be taken daily to maintain its effect.
This mechanism is why Addyi was originally developed as an antidepressant. During early trials, researchers noticed it wasn’t helping depression much, but women in the studies reported increased sexual desire.
How Well It Actually Works
The results are real but modest. In clinical trials, women taking Addyi reported an average increase of about 1.0 satisfying sexual events per month compared to 0.6 for women taking a placebo. That means the drug itself accounted for roughly one additional satisfying sexual experience every two to three months beyond what the placebo effect provided.
For some women, the difference is meaningful, especially if desire had dropped to near zero. For others, the improvement may not feel worth the commitment of a daily pill and the restrictions that come with it. Most prescribers recommend trying Addyi for eight weeks. If you don’t notice a difference by then, it’s generally not going to work for you.
Dosage and Timing
Addyi is taken as a 100 mg tablet once daily at bedtime. The bedtime requirement isn’t optional. Taking it during waking hours significantly increases the risk of fainting, dangerously low blood pressure, and excessive drowsiness. By taking it at night, you sleep through the window when those effects are strongest.
Side Effects and the Alcohol Warning
The most common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, and nausea. These tend to be worst in the first few weeks and may ease as your body adjusts.
The most important safety concern involves alcohol. Addyi carries an FDA boxed warning (the most serious type) about combining it with alcohol, which can cause severe drops in blood pressure and fainting. This interaction was significant enough that, when the drug was first approved, prescribers had to be specially certified to write the prescription. Women considering Addyi need to have a direct conversation with their provider about their drinking habits, because even moderate alcohol use while on the medication carries real risk.
Who Can and Can’t Take It
Addyi is approved for premenopausal women under 65 with acquired, generalized HSDD. In 2024, the FDA also expanded its approval to include postmenopausal women. It is not approved for men, and it has no effect on sexual performance issues like arousal or orgasm difficulties. It targets desire specifically.
Women who take certain medications that affect how the body processes drugs (particularly some antifungals, HIV medications, and certain antibiotics) cannot safely take Addyi, because those drugs increase its concentration in the body and amplify the risk of dangerous side effects. People with liver problems are also excluded.
How Addyi Compares to Vyleesi
There is one other FDA-approved option for HSDD in premenopausal women: Vyleesi (bremelanotide). The two work very differently in practice. Addyi is a daily pill you take every night, building its effect over weeks. Vyleesi is a self-administered injection in the thigh or abdomen, taken about 45 minutes before a sexual encounter. It works on demand rather than continuously.
The choice between them often comes down to lifestyle. Some women prefer not to take a daily medication with alcohol restrictions. Others prefer a pill over giving themselves injections. Both have modest effectiveness, and neither is a dramatic game-changer for most users.
Could It Be a Different Pink Pill?
Worth noting: many medications come in pink tablets. If you’ve found a physical pink pill and are trying to identify it, it may not be Addyi at all. Several birth control pills are pink, including certain brands containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol (such as Yaz), used for contraception, acne, and premenstrual symptoms. Pill identifier tools on sites like Drugs.com can help you match the specific imprint, shape, and size to the correct medication.