Exactly What To Eat To Boost Your Sex Drive

The more stressful our society gets, the more concerns I have from patients regarding this private matter. There are many reasons people are experiencing low sex drive, including medical problems, medications, stress, lifestyle, and normal aging.

For women, it’s lack of interest, diminished libido, or inability to experience the magic O. For men, it’s premature ejaculation or even erectile dysfunction.

The first question I ask my patients is: Could you be deficient in minerals like iron, zinc, or selenium? All of these affect how testosterone is metabolized, which can majorly affect your sex drive. I check testosterone in both my male and female patients because these levels can tell me a lot, and having too high or too low testosterone can be problematic for both genders.

After 30, there's a natural decline in testosterone for both men and women, which can cause decreased energy, muscle mass, and libido. While there are many supplements on the market for boosting testosterone, I encourage talking to an integrative and functional medicine doctor about these first, as these can pose serious health risks if not monitored properly.

Cholesterol is a derivative of testosterone so it’s important to keep your cholesterol levels in check. Getting healthy fats in your diet keep testosterone production functioning properly. I highly encourage using olive oil or coconut oil for cooking and snacking on walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds to provide omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc.

Maca is a root that I found out about when I was visiting Peru four years ago. It's not only the newest "superfood" with great antioxidant and energy-enhancing properties, it also increases testosterone when taken orally. It's full of essential vitamins like vitamin B, C, and E and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

Stress has to be one of the biggest problems in our society today. Many people aren't managing their stress levels, which will inevitably affect desire, mood, and hormones. Easier said than done, but try to keep your "stressors" out of the bedroom.

One of my favorite go-to supplements for patients dealing with stressful lives and jobs is the Indian adaptogenic herb ashwagandha. It’s great for balancing your stress levels, but it also increases testosterone production in both men and women.