What is Low Libido?
Low libido is known as a reduced interest in any sex-related activity.it is very natural for men to lose interest in sex as time goes on. The level of libido in a man varies throughout his life.
It is also entirely reasonable for your interest not to match that of your partner at a particular time. However, it is a cause for concern when low libido occurs for an extended period. It could be a signal for a chronic health issue.
Here are some causes of low libido in men:
Low Testosterone
Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in men responsible for sexual activities. It is usually produced in the testicles of a man.
Testosterone is the hormone that builds muscles, produces sperm, and produces red blood cells and bone mass in men. It is also responsible for the sex drive in men.
As men begin to age, the level of testosterone in their body begins to decrease. It is natural for their level of testosterone to reduce.
When the level of testosterone in your body decreases, your level of sex drive or libido would also reduce. Decreasing testosterone level is perfectly normal; however, if it drops too sudden, it can lead to low libido.
Your desire or interest in sex automatically decreases once your testosterone levels drop drastically.
Medications
There are certain types of drugs which are dangerous for your testosterone levels and libido levels.
Taking such medications would negatively affect your testosterone levels and make them reduce drastically, which would, in turn, lead to a lowered libido or sex drive.
Medication such as blood pressure drugs is known to cause a reduction in your level of testosterone.
Other types of medicines which can reduce your testosterone levels include:
Radiation or chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer- Treatment of prostate cancer using hormones
- Corticosteroids
- Specific opioid pain relievers such as morphine (MorphaBond, MS Contin) and oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet).
- Specific antidepressants
- Treatments used by athletes to increase muscle mass like anabolic steroids
If you are going through some of the effects of low testosterone levels, you can talk with your doctor, and you might be advised to change your medications.
Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome is known as the uncontrollable urge to move your legs frequently. Studies have shown that men who have restless leg syndrome are likely to have erectile dysfunction more than those who do not have restless leg syndrome.
Erectile dysfunction is referred to as the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection. Also, men with restless leg syndrome are more likely to be impotent than men without restless legs syndrome.
Restless leg syndrome is also a significant cause of low libido in men.
Depression
Depression leads to an all-round change in a person’s body. He becomes less attracted to things or activities he once took pleasure in, things like sex.
Low libido in men is as a result of some antidepressant such as:
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as duloxetine (Cymbalta)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline(Zoloft)
Chronic illnesses
Sex is likely to be low on your list of priorities when you are not feeling well, or you have a severe health condition. There are some specific chronic health issues like cancer that negatively affects the amount of sperm you can produce.
Other critical conditions that can adversely affect your level of libido include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity or excess weight
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol level
- Severe heart, lung, kidney and liver failure
Sleep problems
Studies have shown that men who experience sleep disturbances or sleep apnea experience lower testosterone levels than those with sleep disturbances. This, in turn, leads to a decreased interest in sexual activities or a lowered libido.
Ageing
Testosterone levels which are strictly related to libido are very high and at its peak when men are in their late and ending teen years.
As you get older, it takes longer for you to be sexually aroused. It also becomes difficult for you to ejaculate and orgasm.
Your erections tend to last longer when your testosterone levels are high, but when reduced, your erections are no longer firm or hard as it used to be. So, as you get older, your level of libido or sex drive begins to decrease.
Stress
If you are frequently disturbed by periods or situations of high pressure, you would likely start to experience low libido. This is because stress negatively disrupts the normal functioning of your hormone levels.
You could begin to experience erectile dysfunction because your arteries are narrowed due to pressure, and this narrowing can prevent the movement of blood.
Stress negatively affects your level of libido because it also causes you to have low testosterone levels. The pressure is hard to tackle because you face activities and events that can cause you to be stressed out every day.
Things like relationship problems, divorce, dealing with the death of a loved one, financial issues, arrival of a new baby or a very tedious work environment.
All these activities can lead to stress, so you should engage in meditations, breathing exercises and taking visits to the therapy to reduce your level of stress.
Low self-esteem
Self-esteem is referred to as the way a person sees him or herself. Low self-esteem, low confidence and bad body image can take a negative effect on your well-being and emotional health.
If you often degrade yourself because of your looks, you might likely not be in the mood to have sex at most times. If you are feeling unattractive, it is likely to affect your sexual desire.
Having low self-esteem can cause anxiety and worry about your sexual performance. This can lead to erectile dysfunction and low libido in men.
As time goes on, low self-esteem can cause more significant mental issues like depression, alcohol or drug abuse and anxiety. All these can lead to low libido in men.
Too much or too little exercises
Exercise is known to be an excellent way to improve your testosterone levels which would, in turn, increase your level of libido. However, exercises would be done moderately because too much exercise and overworking yourself can cause a reduction in your testosterone level.
Too little testosterone can cause multiple health problems that can lead to a reduction in your sexual desire or arousal.
However, getting a moderate amount of exercise can reduce your risks of having severe health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and all these conditions are closely related to low libido.
Having adequate exercise is known to reduce your cortisol levels at night and also reduce stress which would, in turn, increase your libido.
Over-exercising is also known to affect your sex life negatively. Lengthy and intense exercises are closely associated with low testosterone levels and low libido levels in men.
Alcohol
Excess intake of alcohol can lead to low testosterone levels which would, in turn, reduce your level of libido. Over an extended period, frequent consumption of alcohol can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Studies have shown that the amount of alcohol an average man should have is two or fewer alcoholic beverages daily. If he consumes more than this, it can cause a long-lasting chronic health condition.
Drug use
The use of marijuana, tobacco and other illegal drugs like opiates have been known to cause a reduction in your testosterone levels which would, in turn, lead to low libido in men.
Smoking is also known to be dangerous for the production of sperm and the movement of sperm in men.
Physical and Emotional Side Effects of Low Libido in Men
Low sex drive in men can cause grave effects in men; it can result in a vicious cycle of both emotional and physical side effects with erectile dysfunction inclusive.
Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection. Erectile dysfunction in men causes them to develop anxiety around sex.
Performance anxieties have been closely linked to causing erectile dysfunction in men. Erectile dysfunction can be triggered by low testosterone level, nerve damage because of diabetes, depression, traumatic injury and even anxiety.
Anxiety around sex can result in tension and conflict between you and your partner, which would lead to less sexual encounters and more relationship problems.
The failure to perform well in bed because of erectile dysfunction can cause depression, low self- esteem, low confidence and poor body image.
Conclusion
Libido, also known as sex drive is the interest of having sexual activities. As men begin to age, they might start to experience a lower level of testosterone, and this can lead to low libido. However, there are methods in which men can boost their testosterone levels, such as the use of testosterone boosters.
Taking testosterone boosters from trusted sources is sure to increase your testosterone levels which would, in turn, increase your libido level.
There are other causes of low libido in men like excess intake of alcohol, obesity, little or excess exercise and even ageing. But most of these issues can be tackled by visiting your therapist or doctor who would give you preferred solutions on actions to take.uced your erections are no longer firm or hard
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