If you’re a woman who’s lost that loving feeling, there’s no easy way to bring it back.

That’s the word from Kristina Ward, director of Drug Information Services at the University of Rhode Island.

“There’s no magic pill. There’s no pink Viagra,” Ward said.

That’s in large part because there’s often no one explanation for a woman’s decreased libido, Ward said. It can result from a combination of physical and psychological factors, ranging from hormonal changes due to menopause or the side effects of medications to depression, anxiety, stress or fatigue –– “for real,” she added.

Women who are experiencing a decreased interest in sex can consult with their physicians to try to determine the cause, and to see whether treatments are available to deal with specific symptoms, Ward said. For example, over-the-counter lubricants and prescription creams can help women deal with dryness or pain, she said.

Some women who’ve gone through menopause or have had hysterectomies during which their ovaries were removed also may benefit from hormone treatments, including estrogen-replacement therapy or the use of testosterone, Ward said. However, they should also discuss with their doctors the possible side effects of such treatments –– including an increased risk of cancer, stroke or heart disease in some women who take estrogen supplements, or an abnormal growth of facial hair, an increase in acne and/or an irreversible deepening of the voice for some women who take testosterone, she said.

That’s why women should not take over-the-counter hormonal supplements –– including so-called “pink Viagra” or “female Viagra” pills sold through via the Internet –– without first checking with their doctors, Ward said. These types of “treatments” are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and could cause more problems than they solve, especially when they involved testosterone and other unregulated derivatives, she said.

“I really wouldn’t recommend taking it,” Ward said, of over-the-counter supplements and treatments. “If you’re a woman and you take this, you could have some side effects that you don’t expect… If all of a sudden, you started talking like a man, that could be really embarrassing.”

Some women have actually been prescribed Viagra, the pill that helps men with erectile dysfunction, because it can increase blood flow to the genitals and it can increase lubrication. “The problem is, in women, just increasing blood flow doesn’t necessarily equate to increasing arousal,” Ward said. “Just because you’re ready, doesn’t mean mentally you’re in the mood.”

With guys, it’s the other way around, she said. They may be in the mood, but are unable to achieve an erection and that’s where Viagra kicks in.

But even their mood won’t last forever, Ward noted. “As men get older, their interest in sexual activity does decline.”

lkirk@projo.com