What Are The Causes Of Low Sex Drive And How To Fix Them

The lowdown on low libido in men

Struggling to rise to the occasion in the bedroom? Low libido affects many men. Discover the causes and learn how to boost your sex drive

SIGMUND FREUD, IN his ‘Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality’, describes libido as the sexual equivalent of hunger. We get hungry so that we eat to ensure our personal survival, and we have a libido so that we reproduce for the survival of our species.

That’s why sex feels good. What better way to encourage the deposition of gametes in a partner’s reproductive tract than to tie it to orgasm? Mother Nature wants us to have sex, and our libidos are her way of encouraging us.

So, what does it mean when Mother Nature isn’t encouraging us? Here’s what you need to know about the main causes of low sex drive in men and what you should do about it.

Good health, good libido

If we’re unwell, our bodies prioritise getting better over making babies. Illness decreases testosterone levels, and testosterone is the main driver of libido. That’s why we don’t feel like having sex when we’re acutely unwell, from something like the flu or Covid. Once we recover, our libido kicks back in. Chronic diseases, like obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease cause a reduction in libido because they also cause a decrease in testosterone. Since these are long-term health problems, the effects on libido are more prolonged.

Understanding testosterone and male sex drive

There is a clear relationship between low testosterone levels and low libido but that does not mean that testosterone treatment will be effective for improving low sex drive. Testosterone treatment only works reliably for improving sexual function in males with disease of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, with severe impairment of testosterone production function.  In middle-aged and older men with low testosterone levels caused by chronic disease, testosterone treatment has variable effects and may not improve libido. These men are better off getting effective treatment for their other health problems, which can increase their testosterone levels naturally because the evidence for the benefit of testosterone treatment is questionable.

What are the main causes of low libido in young men?

In young males, testosterone deficiency is probably a less common cause of low libido than other things, like poor mental health, stress, poor sleep, the effects of drugs and alcohol, and relationship problems. Medications, like some antidepressants and antihypertensives (blood pressure-lowering drugs), can also cause a reduction in libido. Combinations of these factors are different for everyone, so individualised approaches to improving libido are necessary.

How to increase your sex drive

If you are concerned about your libido, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor. Some causes are serious medical problems, so it’s important to exclude anything serious or have it properly diagnosed or treated.

There are plenty of ‘natural therapies’ available online or from other sources, which are claimed to improve libido. Some of these seem safe and effective but there is always a risk of adverse interactions with other substances. Again, your doctor is best placed to advise you about treatments that may or may not be suitable.

There’s another good reason for talking to your doctor if you’re concerned about your libido: you mightn’t actually have anything to worry about. The idea that men should always be up for it is unrealistic, despite what the manosphere or pornography might suggest.

A healthy libido is a reflection of your overall wellbeing. If you take care of yourself – both physically and mentally – your libido will follow.

Associate Professor Tim Moss is the Health Content Manager at Healthy Male —  an Australian not-for-profit that provides evidence-based information on men’s health. Tim has a PhD in medicine and uses his experience and expertise from more than 20 years of work in medical research and academia to find and interpret reliable, evidence-based information, to challenge dogma, myths and misinformation. For information on everything from anxiety to fertility, exercise to erections, you can check out Healthy Male here.

Related:

5 Reasons Your Sex Drive Is So Low

6 ways your diet is destroying your sex life

 

More From