Low libido affects us all at some stage, or to some degree, but it is a manageable complaint. It can be quite worrying at times, but it’s not at all unnatural to go through periods of having a low sex drive. Certain factors can induce it, but these can all be remedied – in the short-term – using a variety of methods, but it shouldn’t be a long term issue for you.
Maintaining a balanced diet – with plenty of fruit, vegetables and water – is par for the course when it comes to any health condition or sexual complaint. However, there are some foods, which have a reputation for increasing libido.
Whether it’s cliché or not, oysters have the components to stimulate your sexual senses. They are the “go to” aphrodisiac historically when you’re feeling low; they’re loaded with zinc which increases the sperm count and testosterone levels, and the critical hormone dopamine, which is linked to hyper-sexuality.
Celery contains androsterone, which acts as a pheromone for women, i.e. they become sexually aroused by it.
The traditional banana is rich in potassium, but it’s also loaded with vitamin B supplements which increase energy levels, and bromelain enzymes which are linked to sex-drive.
Avocados are weighted with folic acid, which boosts energy levels and gets the mind and the body right for sex.
Eggs – which are laden with vitamins B5 and B6 – and various types of nuts promote the production of hormones.
Grind equal quantities of black gram, rice wheat and long pepper; fry this in pure ghee and cook it with milk. Add some sugar to it before eating.
Create a mixture of triphala powder and water, before adding a spoon if pure honey; take this in the morning.
Place a teaspoon of honey into a glass of milk; it really helps to drive the immune system, giving a feeling of vitality and energy.
Meditation, yoga or listening to soft music.
Avoid alcohol, smoking and soft drugs.
Manage your stress levels; if you are feeling drained and worn out, then a low sex-drive is a natural consequence of this.
Talk to your partner about it, maybe s/he can help.
You could try holistic treatments, which help to stimulate a low sex-drive. Herbs have been used as sexual healers through the ages; two of which are Smilax (Sarsaoarilla) and Eleutherociccus Senticosis (Siberian Ginseng). However, it may be worth speaking to a holistic expert before you try any of these on your own.
One out of every five men has a low sexual desire which makes them willing to do anything but sex. Wondering what makes them not wanting sex? Solutions for low libido in men are closely associated with reason behind low sexual desire. Age is one of the factors that gradually deplete interest in sex, but there are other reasons as well.
Solutions for Low Libido
Sex drive varies from one to another. Some men are sex addicts while there are those who have extremely low interest in sex, referred to as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Treatment of low libido depends on its underlying cause.
Take a look at some of the common causes of low libido along with their solutions:
Assistance of health care provider for medical problems – Medical conditions, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hair-loss solutions and medications such as those prescribed to HIV patients, can hamper sexual drive.
Quick Fix: Seek assistance of health care provider if you are having sexuality sex problems owing to chronic medical conditions and diseases.
Hormone supplements for hormonal disorders – Dip in testosterone hormone level is highly likely to have a negative impact on a man’s sex drive. Hormonal Testosterone level decreases as men age, other causes being chronic medical conditions, medications and other drug use. Moreover, thyroid hormone and high levels of prolactin may also lower sex drive in men.
Quick Fix: Health experts prescribe testosterone supplements, in the form of injection shots, skin patches and gel formulations that are applied to chest, shoulders and abdomen.
Psychological counselling/ sex therapy for psychological issues – Stress and anxiety at work , relationship issues, power struggle, anger, sexual abuse and family problems may also result in low libido.
Quick Fix: The solution for such issues is sex therapy or a counselling to revive sex drive.
Dopamine-stimulating drugs for low dopamine levels – Sexual response begins from brain, as brain’s messaging system is intimately involved with triggering response. One of the messengers is dopamine, which could be the reason for man’s low sexual desire.
Quick Fix: Dopamine-stimulating drugs are advised for men to overcome hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
A diminished sex drive can become serious than it seems. Therefore, one needs to explore the possible cause for it by visiting a health care provider. He will determine the root cause of sexual disinterest and advise you on several aspects to manage your life to increase sex drive.
There can be many reasons for low libido in men but you need to differentiate between lack of sex drive and the inability to have sex. The former is called low or lack of libido while the latter is a disorder we know as erectile dysfunction. There are some rare couples who have sex only twice a year and there is nothing abnormal about them. They are just cerebrally inclined, in other words too engrossed in their work to care for having sex.
Some causes for low libido include boredom, relationship issues, body image, ageing, sexual abuse and side effects of medications.
Low libido treatment for men
For relationship issues
– Communicate with your partner to identify your problem and try to solve them. Do so before your volcano of a problem erupts and makes resolving the issue impossible. You can consult with a counsellor or a sex therapist for the same if communication with each other does not fix the problem.
Body image
– Your negative image of yourself is probably brought about by unusual and unhealthy images of sexiness portrayed in the media. You should be able to call the bluff and be content with what you are. Nonetheless, if you suffer from some health complications such as obesity, try to treat yourself with medical help.
Medication side-effects
– Sex drive can be reduced by some common medicines for high BP, depression or anxiety. First of all learn more about all the medicines you take including their side effects. Your doctor should be able to tell you which of them are causing low sex drive. Ask him to recommend alternatives for these. Some antidotes to these medications may also be taken but never make the mistake of stopping the medicine without consulting your doctor first.
Ageing
– This is the natural problem that leads to low libido. You need to up your testosterone levels, one method of doing that is through supplements but that needs to be verified by your doctor given your health condition. Moreover, you need to ensure that the testosterone dosage is not too high as that can lead to other side effects.
Sexual abuse
– If you have been subjected to sex abuse at any time in your life, it might pose problems in allowing you to start healthy physical relations. You really need to take the help of friends and professional counsellors who can help you tide over this situation in your life. You must get over this mental scar before allowing anyone to have sex with you. No need to put pressure on yourself to have sex too early.