What Is Libido (Sex Drive)?
Medically reviewed by Soma Mandal, MDMedically reviewed by Soma Mandal, MD
"Libido" is the term used to describe sexual appetite or sex drive. Not only does it vary from person to person, but it can also change from day to day. Factors like your emotional state, hormone levels, and physical health can all affect your libido. Age-related changes in sex drive can also occur.
With that said, there is no such thing as a “normal” libido. Some people have a high libido and others have a low libido. A high or low libido is only considered a problem if it interferes with a person’s sexual function or quality of life.
Takeaway
For the purpose of the article, the term "male" refers to people born with penises and other male reproductive organs, while "female" refers to people born with vaginas and other female reproductive organs.
Understanding Libido
In psychology, libido is often described as a component of “life instinct” or the “instinctive biological drive” for sex. In medicine, libido can be used to assess a person’s sexual function, health concerns, or response to medical treatments.
Libido and sexuality often get confused. In many cultures, people who identify as male are expected to have—and often praised for having—a high sex drive. By contrast, people who identify as female can be judged for having the same sexual appetite or drive.
Whether male or female, the same neural and biochemical pathways are involved in a person’s sex drive and appetite. This, in turn, can stimulate sexual arousal, which triggers a physiological response (such as an erect penis or the enlargement of the clitoris and lubrication of the labia).
Symptoms of an Overly High Libido
There’s a discernible difference between a robust libido, which can be a good thing, and one that is too high. A sexual appetite that feels out of control and interferes with daily life is cause for concern. This may be a sign of a hormonal imbalance, neurological disorder, or mood disorder such as hypersexuality.
Your libido is potentially overly high if:
Your sex life begins to impact your life, relationships, health, and work.
Sexual desire takes over your thoughts and behavior.
You use sex to cope with emotional challenges such as depression or anxiety.
Your relationships are at risk due to your high sexual appetite.
You feel empty or unfulfilled after having sex.
When a person’s libido is high, they are more likely to desire sexual intimacy and seek it out with a partner or through masturbation. Compulsively acting on those urges and desires can lead to sex addiction.
What Causes a High Libido?
In some cases, it may be the sign of an underlying medical cause, such as:
Excessive levels of the mood-regulating neurochemical dopamine
Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin
Certain medications, including recreational drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine
A condition such as dementia that affects parts of the brain that influence sexual behavior
How an Overly High Libido Is Treated
Once the cause of overly high libido is determined, the treatment can be targeted to manage the problem.
For example, if a medication is to blame, the dosage may be changed or a different drug prescribed. Likewise, treating an underlying brain disorder can help normalize sexual desire.
Other strategies, including psychotherapy and increased physical activity, may also help.
Symptoms of a Low Libido
There are no clinical criteria for diagnosing low libido. What’s more, there is a high degree of variation in how libido is experienced since “normal” can vary from one person to the next.
However, commonly cited symptoms of low libido include:
Loss of interest in sex
Little to no thoughts or fantasies about sex
Lack of response to partner’s sexual signals or suggestions
Loss of desire for sex during sex
Stress or concern about a lack of interest in sex
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
What Causes a Low Libido?
The causes of low libido can be broadly described as psychological (relating to the mind), physiological (relating to the body), pharmaceutical (drug-related), or pathological (related to disease).
Hormone changes: Hormonal shifts are a common cause of low libido. People of all sexes can experience low libido in response to decreases in the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and, in particular, testosterone. Males are especially influenced by testosterone. Females can be affected by a loss of testosterone as well, but are more likely to be affected by declining estrogen levels.
Low testosterone: Very low testosterone—defined as below 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood—is called hypogonadism. It is a relatively common condition given that testosterone levels start to decline after age 30 years. After this age, testosterone levels can drop by 1% each year.
Drugs: Certain medications (such as opiates) or illegal drugs can also cause hypogonadism or low libido.
Takeaway
Stress can negatively affect libido. Stress, distraction, and fatigue can reduce sexual drive in females. In males, chronic stress releases excess cortisol, the stress hormone. This can lead to lower testosterone, resulting in low libido and possibly erectile dysfunction or impotence.
Other potential causes of low libido include:
Anxiety and depression
Excessive alcohol use
Low self-esteem and body image issues
Smoking
Recreational drug use
Pregnancy
Relationship problems
Persistently low libido may be an indication of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is a mood disorder characterized by the persistent lack of sexual desire or sexual fantasies that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.
Treating a Low Libido
Low libido is more common than overly high libido and has many more potentially treatable causes.
The key to effectively treating low libido is identifying the cause. In many cases, a combination of approaches may be necessary to enhance sexual drive.
Lifestyle Changes
Certain habits can contribute to low libido, such as a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and alcohol abuse. Addressing these issues may improve your sexual energy and interest. This may involve:
Getting more exercise
Following a healthy, nutritious diet
Managing stress
Quitting smoking, drug use, or excessive alcohol consumption
Behavioral Therapy
A therapist who specializes in sexual issues and couples therapy can help you and your partner identify the emotional sources of low libido. Sex therapy is a talk therapy that can help you improve communication, resolve underlying problems, and find new ways to improve intimacy.
Medications
There are only a few medications known to be helpful in enhancing low libido.
For premenopausal females, these include Addyi (flibanserin) and Vyleesi (bremelanotide). These drugs are not used widely due to limited efficacy and safety concerns. Sometimes they are called “female Viagra.”
For males, erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra (sildenafil) may help increase confidence in those with performance anxiety.
Some natural remedies, including maca root (Lepidium meyenii) and horny goat weed (Epimedium grandiflorum), may also help increase libido. However, the scientific evidence to back up the use of these plants is lacking.
Benefits of a Healthy Sex Life
Psychological factors that are associated with having a satisfying sex life may be associated with numerous health benefits, including:
Less stress
Better mental health
Better sleep
Neurotransmitters activated during sexual activity can have these benefits on your brain and other parts of your body as well:
Better immune system
Better heart health
Increased self-esteem
Decreased depression and anxiety
Immediate, natural pain relief
Increased intimacy with sexual partner
Takeaway
You may or may not notice changes in sex after menopause. Changes that do happen can go either way: some notice an increased libido, while others have a reduced libido. Having less interest in sex as you age is not a medical condition. If age-related changes like vaginal dryness bother you, talk to a healthcare provider about your options.
Summary
Libido describes a person’s sex drive and sexual appetite. It can be influenced by a person’s physical health, mood, brain function, and hormonal function.
Libido differs from one person to the next, and there is no set definition as to what a “normal” sex drive is.
With that said, if high libido or low libido is causing you distress or interfering with relationships or sexual function, speak with your healthcare provider. Depending on whether the cause is psychological, physical, pathological, or pharmaceutical, there may be treatments that can help.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
