A low libido has a dramatic effect on your life. It is your sexual drive and desire. Many factors may negatively impact your libido, including brain function, hormonal health, mental state, medications you take, and stress. A low libido can interfere with your relationship with your loved one and cause many personal resentments. Fortunately, there are some natural support strategies to help keep your libido healthy.
Let’s take a look at what your libido is and its neurochemistry, symptoms of low libido, and the root causes of a low libido as well as ways to return to a healthy level.
What is your libido?
Libido is your sex drive. It is behind your desire for sex, and it is impacted by a variety of both external and internal factors. It can be affected by brain function and health, hormones, stress, medications, even changes in your mental state.
According to a 2019 study published in Brain and Behavior, men and women have similar neuropathways of libido, which are the spinal, cerebral, and other systems of the body. Libido is both an emotional drive for sex and a physical drive for sex. It helps a body, both men and women, become prepared for the sexual act.
Natural fluctuations are normal. However, low libido that continues for lengthy periods is not typically normal. This can strain your intimate relationship as well as your emotional, mental, and physical health. Conversely, an overly active libido can be problematic as well. Both conditions can indicate neurological or hormonal issues.
Neurochemistry of a healthy libido
Both dopamine and oxytocin play a key role in a healthy libido. The hypothalamus of your brain makes dopamine, and it plays a role in your brain’s reward pathways. Dopamine can make you feel happy, energetic, and euphoric. It can decrease your appetite and improve your sleep. It supports your libido and the feeling of sexual connection.
In addition to oxytocin and dopamine, two sex hormones are important to a healthy libido. Estrogen and testosterone both play key roles in maintaining a healthy libido. And prolactin, which is produced in the pituitary gland in men and women, can impact the levels and action of estrogen and testosterone. Too much prolactin can decrease testosterone and estrogen levels, which may decrease libido and result in sexual dysfunction.
The cell danger response and low libido
More studies are looking at the cell danger response (CDR), which is an evolutionary conserved metabolic response in your body’s defense system. It protects individual cells from cellular harm, danger, and threats. The threat may be physical, chemical, or biological. If it goes beyond your cell’s natural capacity to ensure homeostasis, it triggers a CDR.
Your body is a complex system of individual cells that work together forming organs, tissues, and every system in your body. Each cell has a component called the mitochondria, which is responsible for deriving energy from the food you consume. This energy is delivered to your cells, organs, and tissues.
Your mitochondria are critical for energy, function, and health. The mitochondria also act as energy sensors and protectors of homeostasis or cellular balance. If there isn’t enough energy to meet the minimum requirement for homeostasis, your mitochondria see this as a threat to your health and balance. Stress, past trauma, infections, and other health issues are common sources of threat or perceived threat that threatens homeostasis.
A threat forces the mitochondria to shift their function from energy production and cell metabolism to cellular defense. CDR is this response of switching functions to cellular defense. When your body goes on defense at the cellular level, it puts your sexual functioning as a low priority. Infections, stress, past trauma, and more can result in CDR, which lowers your cellular metabolic state and lowers your libido.
Symptoms of low libido
Symptoms of low libido may include:
- Low or a loss of sexual desire for a partner
- Low or no interest in sexual activities, including masturbation
- Having few or no sexual thoughts or fantasies
- Feeling concerned or stressed about your lack of interest in sex or lack of sexual activity or thoughts
Risk factors for low libido
There are various factors that can increase your risk for low libido, including:
- Stress
- Restless leg syndrome
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Chronic pain or chronic illness
- Certain medications, especially certain antidepressants, chemotherapy, radiation, opioids, hormone therapy, blood pressure medications, and corticosteroids
- Smoking
- Fatigue
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pregnancy
- Relationship problems
- Low testosterone
- Depression
- Sleep problems
- Aging
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Drug use
- Overexercising
- Being sedentary
Root causes of low libido
Let’s look at the primary root causes behind low libido.
Low testosterone levels
Low testosterone levels can not only impact men, but also women, and lead to low libido. A 2000 study published in Reviews in Urology found that lower testosterone levels associated with aging can increase the risk of erectile dysfunction. Another study in 2017 found that testosterone therapy can improve erectile dysfunction and libido in older men.
While women have naturally lower testosterone levels, not enough testosterone can affect their libido as well. A 2010 study showed that testosterone therapy may improve libido in women as well.
Endometriosis, PCOS, and low thyroid
Endometriosis is a painful condition that impacts many women. Tissue that’s normally grown inside your uterus grows outside of it, impacting the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining of the pelvis. It can alter the menstrual cycle and cause a lot of pain. This typically leads to a lower libido and poor sexual function.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition caused by hormonal imbalance and metabolic issues. It can cause menstrual irregularity, pain, acne, excess hair growth, obesity, and low libido.
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland found at the bottom of your neck that produces your thyroid hormones. Problems with thyroid hormone production can impact your energy levels, digestion, weight, skin, hair, and sexual function.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance means that your body cannot respond to insulin as it should, and it’s unable to use blood glucose properly for energy. Your pancreas starts making more and more insulin to keep up. Over time, this will make your blood glucose levels go up, leading to all kinds of problems. Insulin resistance can lead to blood sugar imbalances, prediabetes, diabetes, and low libido. In addition, insulin resistance and eating too much sugar can lead to decreased testosterone levels. Low testosterone levels can cause low libido and erectile dysfunction in men.
Insulin resistance can also increase the risk of leptin resistance. Leptin controls your appetite and hunger as well as sexual functions. Leptin resistance can lead to low testosterone levels, which may be linked to low libido as well.
Sexual trauma, chronic stress & poor sleep
It’s not just your physical health, but your emotional and mental well-being can also affect your libido. Sexual trauma, chronic stress, and poor sleep can all lower your libido. Sexual trauma, including harassment, assault, and rape, can have serious consequences on your libido.
One study in 2015 looked at 150 participants with a history of sexual violence experience. Only 46 were sexually active. Out of the 46, 33 experienced low libidos, difficulty having an orgasm, and other sexual dysfunction.
Experiencing chronic stress and poor sleep can also decrease your libido, although it is more likely to affect women than men. Still, stress and anxiety may cause concern about sexual performance, erectile dysfunction, or other sexual dysfunction in men. Furthermore, according to a 2019 study published in the World Journal of Men’s Health, poor sleep, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, and work shift disorder can increase the risk of low libido, erectile dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction
Menopause
Menopause marks the end of the menstrual cycle of women. Menopause is diagnosed once a woman has gone without a period for 12 months. The average age of menopause is 51. The transitional period before menopause is called perimenopause which can last for a few years or a decade is usually in one’s 40s.
A 2008 study looked at 2207 women between 30 and 70. Out of these women, 755 were in perimenopause, 552 were naturally menopausal, and 637 were surgically menopausal. They found that 26.7 percent of perimenopausal, 52.4 percent of naturally menopausal, and 12.5 percent of surgically menopausal women had low libido.
A 2000 study published in The Permanente Journal has found that low libido, difficulty with orgasms, and lower frequency of sex are connected to a variety of factors. These factors included biological, mental, emotional, and societal factors.
Vitamin D deficiency
Not getting enough vitamin D can also result in a lowered libido. You can get vitamin D from sunshine, some foods, and supplements.
Did you know that even sunshine can affect your libido? Sunshine, or rather ultraviolet rays hitting your skin, triggers vitamin D synthesis. You can also get vitamin D from a few foods and supplements. Vitamin D is not only critical for your bone, immune, mental, and cardiovascular health, but also your sexual health. Vitamin D deficiency can cause low libido.
Several studies have confirmed that vitamin D deficiency can lead to depression, low libido, lower chance of orgasm, and lower sexual satisfaction in young women. Another study found that vitamin D supplementation can help with sexual function and symptoms of depression in young women.
Chronic infections
Any infection can stifle your libido. Another way it can hamper your sexual desire is that it is a major cause of CDR. This is your body’s natural defense mechanism against threats. Under normal circumstances, however, this is short-term. Within a few days or weeks, your body should recover from an infection.
However, when an infection is chronic, it can become a serious problem leading to a chronic CDR, chronic inflammation, chronic symptoms, and chronic illnesses. Several studies have found a connection between chronic illness and problems with inflammation, low libido, and sexual arousal in women. In addition, vaginal infections like Gardnerella and Candida can result in low sexual function.
High toxic load
A high toxic load can also trigger CDR and a hormonal imbalance. A high toxic load includes exposure to chemical pollutants and toxins. One study found that environmental toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals can negatively impact female reproductive health. Another study on animals found that exposure to methylmercury can cause sexual dysfunction.
Exposure to high levels of phthalates, a chemical found in plastic and some personal care products, can lead to lower levels of testosterone. Low testosterone can cause low libido. One study found that endocrine-disruptor chemicals and xenoestrogens can lead to low libido and lower sperm count.
Natural support strategies for healthy libido
A healthy libido is important for your physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Below are several strategies to help maintain a healthy libido and improve your overall well-being.
Reduce stress & improve sleep
Chronic stress and poor sleep can cause low libido and poor sexual function. Reducing stress and improving the quality of your sleep are crucial for your sexual health.
Practice mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, visualization, and gratitude. Try journaling to release negative feelings and spot thought processes that don’t serve you well. Practice positive mindset shifts, positive affirmations, and positive self-talk. Spend time in nature. Surround yourself with uplifting and supportive people. Have some designated time for yourself and for self-care. Avoid stressful situations and people that bring you down when possible.
Develop a relaxing evening routine that calms you down and gets you ready for sleep. Create a safe and relaxing sanctuary in your bedroom with a supportive mattress, comfortable bedding and pillows, relaxing essential oils, dim lights, and blackout curtains.
Regular movement & exercise
Leading a sedentary lifestyle can affect your libido. One study in 2018 found that physical fitness can improve sexual functioning. Exercise can also reduce stress and improve your mood, which can benefit your libido as well.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great way to combine strength and resistance training and cardio in one short workout. Pilates, yoga, and barre workouts are low-impact workouts that strengthen and lengthen your muscles.
Move your body daily and exercise regularly. Strength and resistance training is particularly important for testosterone optimization for both men and women. Bodyweight exercise, free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, kettlebell training, TRX suspension trainers, and CrossFit are all good options.
Be careful not to overdo the exercise. Too much exercise can also cause low libido. A 2017 study found that intense endurance training can reduce libido in men.
Anti-inflammatory nutrition plan
An anti-inflammatory diet can help to improve sexual desire and arousal. Eliminate inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oils, artificial ingredients, additives, junk food, and highly processed foods. This will help your overall well-being.
Choose organic whenever possible. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in greens, vegetables, sprouts, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, low-glycemic index fruits, grass-fed beef and butter, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, wild-caught fish and seafood, and wild game.
Eating a higher protein diet to improve testosterone. Eat lots of healthy fats, including avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, MCT oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, berries, cherries, cacao, and some organic, and extra-dark chocolate.
For increased dopamine, try cacao and dark chocolate, almonds, walnuts, fish, eggs. Consume wild-caught salmon for anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and oysters for zinc, grass-fed beef for protein, iron, carnitine, and vitamin B12, and celery and cucumbers for electrolytes and hydration.
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a way of eating that alternates between a period when you are fasting and a period of feasting within one day. Intermittent fasting offers many benefits from better insulin sensitivity, lower inflammation, and improved cellular repair and function. It may also help libido and sexual health. One study showed that it improved erectile dysfunction.
If you are new to intermittent fasting, start slowly. Try 12 hours of fasting, including your overnight sleep. Gradually increase your fasting window until you reach a 16-hour window.
Improve oxytocin levels
As noted above, oxytocin can improve your libido. But increased oxytocin is not only good for your libido but your partner’s libido too. A 2017 study found that giving females intranasal oxytocin has benefited their male partner’s sexual desire and response, too, including their erectile function.
Great ways to improve your oxytocin include meditation, yoga, getting a massage, random acts of kindness, playing with dogs or pets, connecting with friends and loved ones. Eating fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocadoes, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes can also help to boost oxytocin, so can vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin C.
Optimize vitamin D levels
Vitamin D levels can help improve libido. One study in 2017 found that vitamin D can help sexual hormonal health and erectile function. Other studies show that vitamin D supplementation can help with sexual function and symptoms of depression in young women.
To optimize your vitamin D levels, spend time out in the sun and eat vitamin D-rich fatty fish, egg yolks, and beef liver. A daily supplement with vitamin D3 is also a good idea.
In general, take 1,000 IU per 25 lbs. of body weight to get your levels into a healthy range. You may opt to test your vitamin D levels several times each year to achieve levels between 50-100 ng/ml.
Optimize zinc levels
Your zinc levels are important to maintain a healthy libido. A 2011 study found that poor zinc levels and poor zinc/copper ratio can be linked to lower testosterone levels. Another study in 2021 found that zinc can improve testosterone levels and sexual function in postmenopausal women.
Zinc-rich foods include meat, poultry, and seafood. You may also want to take a zinc supplement.
Herbs that support libido
There are several herbs I recommend to support your hormonal health and libido, including:
- Maca
- Tribulus
- Horny goat weed
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Chrysin
- Tongkat ali
Final thoughts
Your libido is your sexual drive and desire. It can be negatively impacted by a variety of factors including your hormonal health, brain function, and stress levels. Low libido can cause disruptions in your intimate relationship and interfere with your quality of life. Try the natural support strategies above to maintain a healthy libido.