Struggling With Low Sex Drive? These 12 Things Could Be To Blame

Most people don't openly address low libido with their doctors until they're asked personal questions and the naked truth is revealed. There are millions of women who dread having sex with their partner and would rather sleep, men who go months or years without having a healthy intimate relationship with their spouse.

It amazes me how many people settle for health problems like a low libido because they think it's normal or a side effect of aging. Just because something is common doesn't make it normal. My job as a functional medicine practitioner is to get to the root cause of health problems like a low sex drive. So instead of just taking another pill, why don't we actually find out why you have the problem in the first place?

Iron is needed to get oxygen to your cells, and if your levels are low, I find that one of the symptoms can be low sex drive. In fact, a study published in PLoS One found sexual function and satisfaction were significantly lower in women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA.)1 I suggest having your iron and ferritin levels tested to see where you add up.

Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands are not properly producing the stress hormone cortisol. It causes cortisol levels to be either too high or too low, and this can leave you feeling exhausted and burnt out. Higher cortisol levels can interfere with sexual arousal2, research shows, and experiencing chronic stress can have the same effect. 3

Underactive thyroids4 don't produce enough hormones, which can lead to lethargy, exhaustion, and fatigue. Studies have also shown hypothyroidism can impair female sexual function5, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.

Your gastrointestinal system is known as the "second brain" because of the gut-brain axis. This connection leads to mood disorders, like stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies have linked mental health disorders to sexual dysfunction. 6

Hormones, like anything else in the body, are subject to the "Goldilocks principle:" not too high, not too low, but just right. When your estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone levels are unbalanced it can leave you feeling completely uninterested in sex.7

High insulin levels can lead to conditions like metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), both of which can also result in low sex drive and fertility issues7.

One issue that is often overlooked when it comes to a low libido is medication. Common medications like antidepressants, blood pressure medications, painkillers, and antihistamines can cause low sex drive and erectile dysfunction in some people8.

Regardless of how healthy your diet and exercise regime may seem, if you're constantly stressed it could be interfering with your overall health, energy levels, and yes, your sex life.

This lesser known hormonal problem occurs when your hypothalamic brain cells aren't communicating with leptin, a hormone released from fat cells. Leptin resistance has been shown to lower testosterone levels9, which decreases libido in both men and women.

Studies show that high insulin reduces your body's ability to make growth hormone10, which can lower the sexual response in male, and potentially female, genitalia. 11

Studies have shown vitamin D deficiencies can lead to depression and sexual dysfunction in healthy males12 and females. 13

Healthy fats like coconut oil, avocados, ghee, and olive oil are needed to make healthy hormones and brain function. One study found people who ate a low-fat diet had significantly lower testosterone levels14 than those who did not.