LOW LIBIDO

Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH

Libido stands for our sexual drive or the desire for sexual activity.

Studies show that over 30% of women and around 15% of men suffer from low libido which means they have little or no desire to have sex on a regular basis.

CAUSES

Possible causes of low libido may include the following: Depression, hormonal imbalance, menopause (low estrogen), andropause (low testosterone in both men and women), PMS, low dopamine (increases sex drive) and high prolactin (decreases sex drive), chronic emotional stress, relationship issues, low iron levels in women, medications, obesity and overweight, lack of exercise and overtraining (prolonged strenuous exercise), drug or alcohol use, caffeine, smoking, diet high in sugar, fibroids, endometriosis, thyroid problems, birth control pills and other forms of hormonal pregnancy prevention, chronic diseases like diabetes, sleep apnoea, nutritional deficiencies, lack of antioxidants, etc.

– It is a well-known fact that low testosterone in men contributes to reduced libido, but women also need some testosterone and insufficient levels of this hormone can make them loose interest in sex too. After menopause, female testosterone levels drop dramatically, and significantly reduce their sex drive.

– Overindulging alcohol is known to gradually decrease sexual desire, arousal and sensitivity over time, although during the time of hangover (the day after alcohol abuse) many women and men report experiencing significant increase of sex drive which disappears after the hangover is gone.

– Sugar and anything that raises blood glucose levels leads to decreased libido. According to a 2013 study, the consumption of glucose significantly decreased blood levels of testosterone and kept it low for hours after glucose consumption.

– Dehydration triggers negative side effects that dull sexual desire.

– Microwave popcorn bags and non-stick pots and pans have been shown to contribute to a lower sex drive in men.

– Medication, for example anti-depressants, can influence sex hormones and libido.

TREATMENT

In order to effectively treat low libido you must address the underlying cause including:

Low testosterone >, menopause >, low dopamine >, depression and anxiety >, alcohol addiction >, fibroids >, underactive thyroid >, endometriosis >, diabetes >, obesity and overweight >, and other mentioned above causes.

SUPPLEMENTS

– One 500-1000 mg capsule of Maca root three times daily or 1 heaped teaspoon of organic ground maca root and the same amount of ground golden flaxseed before breakfast and before lunch. Studies have provided evidence that maca increases sexual desire in both men and women. Maca helps maintain hormonal balance and fertility in women and boosts testosterone in men.

– 500-1000mg of Vitamin C with meals as it helps to increase production of collagen (declines with age). Deficiency of collagen leads to a looser vaginal wall in women and can make it more difficult for men to maintain an erection.

– 500 mg of Ashwaganda two to three times a day as it helps women to treat sexual distress and low libido. At the same time it is one of the best natural remedies to treat various sexual disorders in men.

– Tribulus (250 milligrams three times daily): Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an aphrodisiac.

– 19–30 mg of good quality iron such as iron bisglycinate or take one tablespoon of spirulina and one tablespoon of black molasses before breakfast (both excellent nature sources of iron). It is important as iron deficiency may lead to low libido. Remember to take iron with vitamin C as it increases its absorption and avoid caffeine which reduces absorption of this mineral.

– 500-1,000 mg of L-arginine, Ginkgo biloba and 250-500 mg of Niacin (vitamin B3) two to three times daily to improve blood flow to the genitals.

– A study has demonstrated that 1,000 mg of Panax Ginseng (Asian ginseng) once a day for at least three increased sexual desire in women going through menopause.

– Take Menovital (HealthAid) – an excellent formula which contains all most effective herbs, vitamins and minerals that proved to be very effecting in increase and balancing levels of oestrogen as low levels of this hormone is also responsible for the lack of sex drive in women.

– Tongkat Ali (root of the Eurycoma longifolia tree) has been consumed in Malaysia for hundreds of years as an aphrodisiac and very effective natural testosterone booster. It is even more effective when consumed with spirulina.

– Essential oils such as ylang ylang, jasmine, rose, and especially sandalwood have been used to naturally boost the libido in both men and women. Sandalwood essential oil is excellent at balancing testosterone levels in both men and women. Men with low testosterone, can add a few drops of sandalwood oil into deodorant or homemade lotion.

NUTRITIONAL AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

– Eat figs, bananas, asparagus, strawberries, pomegranates, almonds, walnuts, watermelon, cherries, pumpkin seeds, and avocados as they are known to be natural aphrodisiacs.

– Avoid sugar, glucose, fructose, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and narcotics.

– Avoid or significantly reduce consumption of milk, cheese, dairy, and meat as all these products can have synthetic hormones that have a negative effect on estrogen and testosterone levels.

– Developing loving relationship, spending time with each other is often the best way to increase sex drive in women.

– Regular exercise helps improve blood circulation, hormonal balance, and mood thus increasing libido.

– Learn to control stress.

– In addition, read carefully and do your best to implement all the principles and recommendations included in the HEALTH RECOVERY PLAN >

RELATED ARTICLES

SOURCESS

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22804876

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/prevention-15/vitamins/sex-drive-supplements?page=3