It’s normal for people to have different sex drives. There’s no single benchmark as to what constitutes a healthy sex drive, and you shouldn’t worry if you think your libido is higher or lower than your peers or your partners unless it causes you a great deal of stress.
Libido is part and parcel of optimal overall health. Having an active sex life is beneficial to every facet of your health and overall well-being.
Libido levels fluctuate for a variety of reasons, and each person’s libido levels are unique to themselves. Let’s discuss the reasons why low sex drive varies as follows.
What causes low libido?
If you’ve ever experienced a diminished or complete and total lack of interest in having sex, you might have a low sex drive. Libido levels change throughout a person’s life – however if it’s been low for an extended period of time, or when said lack of sex drive is causing problems in your sexual relationships, it might be high time to examine what’s going on underneath the hood and consulting a healthcare professional as to what you can do to fix the issue.
A variety of causes ranging from underlying health conditions, hormonal fluctuations, and physical changes can all cause a downturn in libido. Let’s examine the most common causes as follows.
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Underlying health conditions
A myriad of medical conditions can cause changes to your libido:
- Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes affect your circulatory system, diminishing the flow of blood to your penis, and resulting in sexual dysfunction.
- Certain cancers, especially those affecting the prostate, negatively influence sex drive. For instance, prostate cancer treatments can cause a decrease in testosterone levels and cause erectile dysfunction (ED) as a result.
- Low testosterone, also known as hypogonadism, is a condition wherein a man is unable to produce sufficient amounts of testosterone. Low testosterone may cause low libido and ED.
- Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect sex drive in men and women, apart from affecting erectile and ejaculatory function.
- Taking certain medicines such as anti-hypertensive drugs, diuretics, and antidepressants, can reduce sex drive and erectile function.
Changes to hormonal levels
Hormone levels affect sex drive in both men and women.
- Men experience a reduction in testosterone levels as they age beginning at age 30 and above. Diminishing testosterone levels affect sex drive and sexual function.
- On the other hand, post-menopausal women experience low libido. They may also experience more frequent pain while having sex and vaginal dryness after menopause due to a drop in estrogen levels.
Mental health factors
The lack of sex drive is closely related to a person’s current mental and emotional state.
- High-stress levels are linked to a diminished interest in having sex, particularly in women.
- Depression and anxiety frequently cause changes in sex drive and sexual function.
Lifestyle factors
A variety of lifestyle choices may affect your sex drive.
- Being overweight, obese, or sedentary not only affects mental health but also lower sex drive.
- Recreational drug and alcohol consumption not only increases the likelihood of developing erectile dysfunction, but it also reduces sexual pleasure and libido.
- Personal satisfaction with your relationships plays an integral role in libido.
How do I treat low sex drive?
It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing your low sex drive. Consulting a healthcare professional makes it infinitely easier to identify what’s causing your low libido and develop an effective treatment plan.
If your doctor determines that an underlying medical condition is causing your low libido, they may recommend changes to your medicines, and lifestyle, or perform some further testing to get the right answers.
On the other hand, if low testosterone is what’s causing your erectile and libido problems, you might be a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy, which has been proven to help with low libido and sexual dysfunction caused by below-average testosterone levels.
If you wish to give your libido a natural boost, you can do so by making simple lifestyle adjustments or by deepening your sexual relationship with your partner.
What is a high libido/high sex drive?
An excessively high libido isn’t as common as a low one, but it does happen. Your libido is considered on the extreme end of the spectrum if it begins to interfere with the other aspects of your life.
Here are the warning signs of an extremely high libido:
- Your sex life is affecting other aspects of your life such as work, health, and personal relationships.
- You’ve tried to control your sex drive by limiting your sexual engagements, but you struggle with trying to control your urges.
- You feel addicted or dependent on sex.
- You have sex to deal with emotional or mental problems.
- You derive little to no pleasure or satisfaction from sex.
- Your sex drive is preventing you from establishing satisfying, stable relationships.
What causes an overly high sex drive?
The reasons behind an extremely high sex drive or a compulsion for sex are not very well understood. Some of the potential causes include:
- Certain conditions that affect the brain, such as dementia arising from Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, may increase libido.
- Certain medicines, such as gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) or dopamine antagonists used to treat Parkinson’s, may boost your sex drive.
- Recreational drug use, particularly methamphetamines or cocaine, can increase your libido.
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How is excessively high libido treated?
If your sex drive begins to affect several aspects of your life, you might want to consider talking to a healthcare professional. Talking to a therapist and taking certain medicines can help you rein in your sexual impulses and establish healthy sexual relationships.
There’s nothing wrong about asking for help
We totally get it – it can be embarrassing when your libido is flagging and your sex drive is failing you. But you’re not alone – millions struggle with low libido levels as well. Whether your sex drive is below average or overactive, consult your doctor for advice as to how to get your libido levels right where you need them to be.
