In this article:
- What determines your level of libido?
- Vitamin supplements
- Natural supplements
- Medications and prescription drugs
- How to see the big picture with your sexual health
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Having a sex drive that’s missing in action might not be a medical emergency, but it can have very real health consequences down the line. There are plenty of ways to coax your libido back, though, and if you aren’t sure what’s causing the problem, you can use science-backed lab tests to get to the root of the matter.
Takeaways:
- There are plenty of ways to address a low libido; some of the most common would be through supplements, medications, or prescription drugs.
- Many people are able to increase their sex drives by either balancing their hormones, or correcting a nutrient deficiency.
- Since there are so many potential causes of a decreased sex drive, a good place to start is by testing key biomarkers like sex hormones or nutrient levels.
What determines your level of libido?
When it comes to sex drive, everyone has a different baseline. What’s high for one person can be totally normal for another, and most people will even experience natural fluctuations over time. What isn’t normal, though, is when your libido decreases (or even disappears) and simply doesn’t come back. If this happens, it could be an indication of imbalanced hormones, low nutrient levels, or possibly another underlying problem. How can you tell what the deal is? The only sure way is to get your levels tested - and you might be surprised at how easy that can actually be.
For some, there could be more than one reason why their sex drive is lower than it should be. Cortisol, or the “stress hormone”, is known to dampen the libido for men, women, and everyone in between. Then you have factors like excessive alcohol consumption, which can increase cortisol and wreak havoc on your sex hormones.
If hormones and nutrient levels are so important for a healthy libido, the next question is: which ones? Technically that’ll depend on your unique biology, but science has discovered quite a few solutions for a low sex drive, including vitamins, natural supplements, and medications.
This isn’t just a round-up of quick-and-dirty solutions that can help aspects of your libido; those can be great too, but to really fix the problem you have to target the cause. It’s true that things like using CBD for slightly increased blood flow (we all know how important that is) or eating fortified chocolate and cookies to enhance your nutrient intake may make a difference for people who aren’t already dealing with any serious issues. You may even notice a boost in your libido after a tough workout. However, if your sex drive needs an intervention, it’s time to go beyond casual supplementation or temporary fixes.
Vitamin supplements
Not all vitamins are created equal, especially where your sex drive is concerned; there are specific vitamins that play a crucial role in helping your body create sex hormones. If your lack of libido is due to a nutrient deficiency, this means that your body doesn’t have the resources it needs to keep hormone production on track. Lucky for you, there are plenty of libido-boosting supplements that can get your sex drive up and running again.
- Vitamin E - Experts say that if your vitamin E levels are low, your sex drive probably will be too. It’s associated with better semen quality and sexual performance for men, and increased sexual desire in women.
- Zinc - This is one of the vitamins that’s directly involved in hormone production. So much so, in fact, that one of the signs of zinc deficiency is a poor libido.
- L-citrulline - Technically it isn’t a vitamin, but rather an amino acid. It affects your sexual wellness in two steps: first by dilating the blood vessels, and second by producing L-arginine, another amino acid that relaxes the arteries.
Natural supplements
The world of natural supplementation is wild and wonderful - and full of fantastic claims about what these herbal remedies are capable of. While you can’t simply take any herbs that promise to revolutionize your sexual health, there are still some options that offer tried-and-true results.
- Maca - Native to Peru, this plant is thought to benefit anyone whose sex drive is in need of a boost. Observed effects include an increase in lubrication for women, and improved sperm quality for men.
- Ginseng - This root has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, and is currently one of the most popular herbal supplements for male sexual wellness. It’s said to improve libido and sexual performance for both men and women.
- Fenugreek - Initial studies have shown that fenugreek can have a pretty impressive effect on both libido and orgasm intensity, regardless of your gender.
Medications and prescription drugs
In addition to natural supplements, you also have the option to use medication therapies to restore your sex drive. It’s important to note, though, that they aren’t meant to correct whatever’s causing your poor libido. That being said, their effects are much more powerful than any supplement you could take, which is why they’re the go-to option for so many. Unfortunately, these medications can also cause some nasty side effects, but it’s worth the risk for most.
A couple of notes on the differences between sexual dysfunction medications for men vs. women:
Drugs developed for men who suffer from erectile dysfunction focus on blood flow and relaxation of arteries. Similar medications for women are believed to address imbalanced neurotransmitters, which are responsible for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (or HSDD, a condition characterized by lack of sexual desire that isn’t caused by illness, medications, or relationship troubles). One similarity between these drugs, though, is that you’ll need a prescription to get any of them.
Viagra, the first of over 20 ED drugs, was approved by the FDA in 1998, while comparable medication therapies for women are still playing catch-up. Addyi, the first drug meant to counteract sexual dysfunction in women, was approved by the FDA in 2015; Vyleesi, the second, was approved in 2019. These new drugs seem to be opening up a conversation for women that men had a long time ago. Having pleasurable intercourse is about more than just knowing the best sex tips; sometimes there are physical factors at play too.
Medications for sexual dysfunction in men
- Viagra (active ingredient: Sildenafil) - This medication is a household name at this point, so you probably already get the general idea. If a man can’t get or sustain an erection, he can pop the little blue pill and be good to go for the next 4 to 6 hours. The active ingredient, like with most other ED pills, is a PDE5 inhibitor. Without getting into way too much scientific detail, PDE5 inhibitors basically prevent an entire cascade of chemical reactions that result in the inability to maintain an erection.
- Cialis (active ingredient: Tadalafil) - Here’s another common ED pill, which also uses a PDE5 inhibitor. There aren’t too many differences between Viagra and Cialis, except for the duration - Cialis can last up to 18 hours.
- Off-brand options - Generic Sildenfafil, Tadalafil, and others are following in name-brand drugs’ footsteps by offering to restore sexual function simply by taking a pill. Men can get prescriptions for these generic medications from their doctor, or they could get them online with companies like Roman, which offers discreet monthly shipments, or BlueChew, which has chewable tablets instead of pills.
Medications for sexual dysfunction in women
- Addyi (active ingredient: Flibanserin) - This once-daily pill is for premenopausal women who suffer from HSDD. It isn’t known how this medication could affect a fetus, but doctors recommend against taking it while pregnant.
- Vyleesi (active ingredient: Bremelanotide) - Rather than being another pill, this is an as-needed injection that’s administered 45 minutes before a woman’s planning on getting the good times rolling. Just like Addyi, it’s only meant for use by premenopausal women.
How to see the big picture with your sexual health
Whether you want to uncover a potential hormonal imbalance, or you just want to enjoy having sex again, you’ll need a certain amount of information before you can decide which option is best for you. That’s why lab testing can jump-start your journey; you don’t have to guess or experiment before settling on the right approach. If you use Base’s at-home lab tests, it’ll be even easier - plus you’ll get to see your biomarkers change month by month!
You might feel like you’ve opened a can of worms after deciding to boost your libido, but you don’t have to go through the process on your own. You’re the person who knows your body best, but Base can help you know it even better.
