What Causes Low Libido in Men
Originally posted 2023-05-16 06:44:39.
Medical issues and the way people live their lives can both contribute to low sex drive.
Low libido, or sex drive, in males can make a relationship tense, leading both the man and his partner to feel doubt and shame. Low sex desire, on the other hand, may often be successfully treated if the cause is found.
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What is Low Libido?
Low libido is a lack of sexual desire that can make it hard to be sexual. Low sexual drive in males is not the same as erectile dysfunction (ED), but the two can happen at the same time.
It’s important for couples to talk to each other honestly while looking for possible explanations. Different treatments may be used, such as psychotherapy, hormone replacement, changes in lifestyle, and/or adjusting drugs.
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Causes of Low Libido in Men
Low libido may be the result of just one thing, but it frequently involves several. Some of these might be:
- Low testosterone level
- Medications
- Depression
- Chronic illness
- Stress
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What is Libido?
Libido is a person’s desire for sex. Hormones, learned behaviours, and how the brain functions are just a few of the factors that have an impact on it. Age, drugs, fluctuating hormone levels, and illness can all have an impact on a person’s libido.
Low Testosterone
Testosterone is a sex hormone that is very significant. It’s what makes men look like men, like having hair on their faces and muscles all over their bodies. This hormone also keeps the desire to have sex and the creation of sperm going.
Testosterone levels are at their highest during adolescence and early adulthood. After age 30, they start to go down by roughly 1% to 2% a year. If your testosterone levels fall below a specific threshold, you may have low testosterone. (hypogonadism).
Low testosterone is defined by the American Urology Association (AUA) as fewer than 300 nanograms of the hormone per deciliter (dl) of blood.
Low testosterone is frequent in older men, but younger men can also have it. For younger men, chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease can cause testosterone levels to decline.
In spite of what most people think, low testosterone levels don’t usually cause erectile dysfunction. But there are additional ways that low testosterone can make it hard to have sex. Some men with low testosterone have less libido, while others lose all desire for sex. These are some other signs of this condition:
- Body and facial hair loss
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Reduced muscle tone
Most of the time, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is used to address low testosterone. Even if TRT works, it can have certain hazards. Some of them are acne, blood clots, enlargement of the prostate, and a worsening of sleep apnea. Also, TRT may make certain elderly men more likely to have heart problems.
If you think your testosterone levels are low, talk to a doctor or nurse about your worries. Hypogonadism will only be diagnosed once your testosterone levels have been measured twice.
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Medication Side Effects
Men may have less sexual drive if they take certain medicines. These may include whole groups of medications that can have different effects on a man’s sexual desire. Some common offenders are:
- Anticonvulsants
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Beta-blockers
- Benzodiazepines
- Statins
Even drugs you may buy over the counter, like Tagamet (cimetidine), might create issues if you take them for a long time.
If you stop using or switch the suspected medicine, the symptoms may go away, although this isn’t always achievable with long-term prescriptions. A change in the dose could also assist. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your prescription or dosage.
Recap
Men’s sex desire can occasionally go down when they take certain medicines. Talking to your doctor can help you find out what you can do to fix this problem.
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Depression
Low libido and depression may go together. Depression can cause a decrease in sex desire, but it can also be the result of a decrease in sex drive, which makes a difficult situation even more difficult. Also, antidepressants can treat depression well, but they can make difficulties with sexual desire worse.
If you are on an antidepressant and have less desire to have sexual relations, you might want to talk to your doctor about reducing your dose. Switching to a different drug, like Wellbutrin (bupropion) or Remeron (mirtazapine), may also help. Just keep in mind that this adverse effect can last for a while.
If you’re sad, it’s crucial to talk to your doctor about your libido and how the medicines you’re taking can affect your sex desire.
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Chronic Illness
When you have a long-term disease, you may feel a lot of pain and be tired all the time. This can be especially true for the following long-term disorders and diseases:
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Heart disease
- Kidney failure
When it comes to long-term sickness and the loss of sexual function, there isn’t always a clear path from cause to treatment. On the one hand, having a long-term illness makes you more likely to get depressed. On the other hand, it can directly affect hormones, nerves, or blood vessels that are important to male sexual desire.
Also, some of the medicines used to treat the long-term disease, including chemotherapy or treatments for heart problems, may have a direct effect on the male libido. Because of this, it might be hard to figure out why a person has lost their sexual drive and discover a way to fix it. In some circumstances, you may need more than one doctor.
Recap
Men with long-term health problems can have low sexual drive for a number of reasons. Some health problems might have a direct effect on libido. Some medicines used to treat health problems can make people less interested in having sex. Because the disease lasts for a long time, it can also cause stress and despair, which can make a person less interested in having sex.
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Stress and Sleep Disorders
Stress can make it hard to focus on sex, but it also has a more subtle effect on sexual drive. Cortisol, a hormone that acts like an alarm system, is made when you are stressed. Cortisol not only causes blood vessels to narrow, which can lead to ED, but it can also cause a sudden decline in testosterone.
Stress is also linked to not getting enough sleep and other sleep problems, which can make you tired and less interested in sex.
There is some evidence that high cortisol levels may raise the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder that causes testosterone levels to drop by 10% to 15% during the day.
Treatments for sleep problems vary based on the specific problem. For example, for insomnia, stress management strategies and better sleep hygiene may be used. For OSA, positive airway pressure may be used.
If the stress is linked to an anxiety problem, you may need to take medicine. However, this can be difficult because some anxiety medications can reduce libido even further.
Lifestyle Factors
A number of lifestyle factors may contribute significantly to men’s low libido. Most of the time, modifying or ceasing the behaviour is enough to fix it.
- Use of alcohol and drugs: If you drink too much or too often, your testosterone levels can go down.
- Too much (or too little) exercise: Exercising often and hard has been related to a reduced libido. Less libido might also be caused by not getting enough exercise.
- Obesity: Extra weight directly affects the way your metabolism and hormones work, which leads to a big drop in both total and free testosterone. Exercise and weight loss can boost your attitude, vitality, sexual function, and sense of self.
- A 2012 study from the University of Texas at Austin found that smoking directly raises the risk of ED and indirectly makes it harder to get sexually aroused.
Even though it’s evident that these things are bad for you, it’s never a good idea to blame low libido on a single lifestyle choice before talking to a doctor to rule out any other possibilities.
Recap
Things like drug use, laziness, excessive high-intensity exercise, being overweight, or smoking can all contribute to low sex drive in men.
How to Improve a Low Libido
Usually, the first step in improving sexual drive is to figure out what’s causing it. Finding ways to unwind and relax, for instance, can increase your desire for sex if stress is the primary cause.
In some circumstances, making some modifications to your life may help you get more sexy. You can take the following steps on your own:
- Getting regular physical activity
- Eating a healthy, nutritious diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Getting sufficient sleep
If issues in your relationship or mental health conditions like anxiety or depression are the root of your low sexual drive, speak to a mental health professional. There are treatments that work and can help improve your mental health. Counselling for relationships could also be helpful.
Summary
There are several factors that can contribute to low libido in men. Some of the most common things that might cause a low libido are low testosterone, adverse effects from medications, depression, long-term sickness, stress, trouble sleeping, and lifestyle issues.
Even though libido problems can make relationships more stressful, there are ways to treat them. If you are worried about your sexual drive, talk to your doctor.
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A Word from Khokar
There are a number of physical, emotional, and mental factors that can contribute to low libido. If your relationship is suffering because of your low libido, don’t blame yourself or your partner directly. Instead, talk to someone about how you feel in an open and honest way.
If your low libido worries you, go to your doctor. Changes to your way of life may help you feel better more often. The answer can be as easy as switching a medicine you are taking.
In the meantime, try to keep in mind that losing the urge to be intimate is different than losing the desire to be sexual. Even if you are having trouble with your sexual function, try as hard as you can to connect emotionally and physically. You can become closer and maybe even make your relationship stronger if you do this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes low sexual drive in men?
Stress, low testosterone, drug usage, and long-term conditions like diabetes and arthritis can all cause men to have problems with their libido. Additionally, using certain antidepressants or suffering from depression can result in low libido.
At what age does a man’s sexual drive start to slow down?
Between the ages of 30 and 40, testosterone levels start to drop by about 1% per year. 2 Some men may start to experience a loss in libido in their 30s, but most men detect a drop in libido when they turn 40.
Can men increase their sexual drive?
When low libido is caused by a lack of testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy can help increase sex drive. Other techniques to increase sexual drive are to deal with stress, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet. Getting to know your spouse better and talking to them might also help.
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