Men are naturally more inclined to have high sexual desires. But as their age progresses, their sexual drive also gets affected. Since men are constantly exposed to stress and other several factors, there are plenty of low libido causes that affect man’s sexual health.
Since a lack of sexual desire is a good cause of concern, it is vital to detect and understand the different causes of the condition in order to regain back your sexual health. Once we know the different low libido causes, we can easily target and come up with a solution for each problem.
We keep on talking about libido and desires, so what do we mean by it? Low libido means having reduced interest in doing sexual activities. But it is often normal to lose interest in sex at times, and the level of your libido fluctuates all throughout life. It is even a normal thing if you do not have the same libido level as your partner.
But if that low libido lasts longer, this may need to be consulted with your physician as it may often indicate an underlying health problem.
This time we breakdown the different low libido causes and determine how we can resolve each concern for better sexual health:
LOW TESTOSTERONE – the testicles produce testosterone which is an essential hormone in men. It is the testosterone’s job to build muscles and bone mass, as well as in facilitating sperm production. For adult men who have low testosterone (below 300 ng/dl), their desire for sex also diminishes. A decrease in testosterone is normal, but a sudden drop can lead to decreased libido. Testosterone replacement therapy is beneficial in regaining the male’s sexual drive.
TAKING IN MEDICATIONS – some medications may cause your testosterone to drop, this leads to a low libido count. ACE inhibitors and be
ta-blockers are blood pressure medication that may halt ejaculation and erections. Other medications that cause low testosterone levels are the following – chemotherapy or cancer radiation treatments, hormones that treat prostate cancer, corticosteroids, opioid pain relievers (morphine), antifungal (ketoconazole), cimetidine for heartburn and GERD, anabolic steroids used in increasing muscle mass, and certain antidepressants. A good way to resolve this is by consulting your doctor and switching to other medications that do not have the same side effects.
RLS or RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME – a condition wherein you have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs. Basing on a study, men with RLS are at higher risk for developing erectile dysfunction or ED than those without RLS. Having erectile dysfunction means being unable to have or maintain an erection. Another concern is that men who have frequent RLS episodes are more likely to become impotent. Treatment for this condition may involve undergoing stress management techniques in order to improve sleep hygiene and decrease cortisol levels that are associated with stress.
HAVING DEPRESSION – a person’s life will never be the same with depression. People with this condition have a diminished or total lack of interest in activities that they once found to be satisfying, this includes sex. Some antidepressants also cause a side effect of having low libido. You must consult your doctor if you are taking antidepressants and have a low libido so that they may adjust the dose or switch to another type of medication. Proper psychotherapy will help treat depression that will in turn resolve low libido.
CHRONIC CONDITIONS ARE DISRUPTIVE – when you don’t feel well due to chronic pain, you are more likely focused on other things aside from sex. For cancer patients, they also have low sperm production. Other chronic diseases that may cause low libido are type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic lung, heart, kidney, or liver failure.
DIFFICULTY SLEEPING – if you have sleep problems such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you are most likely going to have a lower testosterone level which decreases your sexual activity and libido. For men having sleep restrictions of only 5 hours per night, there is a testosterone decrease of 10-15% per week.
EFFECTS OF AGING – for men who are in their late teens, their libido is at the highest. Men in more advanced age may take longer to have orgasms, ejaculate, or even become aroused. As men age, their erections may not be as hard and it may take longer for the penis to become erect. Medications are available to help treat these issues related to aging.
CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO STRESS – constant exposure to stress causes fluctuations to your hormone levels. If you are often faced with high pressure, your sexual desire may decrease. Your arteries may narrow when stressed and this leads to a restriction in blood flow and may often cause erectile dysfunction. For those experiencing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), their risk for sexual dysfunction may become tripled. Stress can be managed through therapy by doing breathing exercises, meditation, and talking to a therapist.
HAVING A LOW SELF-ESTEEM – the general opinion of a person about his or her own self is known as self-esteem. People having low self-esteem have low confidence and poor body image. This perception of one’s self affects your emotional health and well-being. If you feel undesirable or unattractive, sexual encounters will highly be
affected. If you do not like your reflection in the mirror, you are more likely not in the mood for sex, you have anxiety regarding your sexual performance, and eventually, you develop erectile dysfunction or have a reduced sexual desire. Possible conditions such as depression, anxiety, and drug or alcohol abuse are some of the low libido causes related to low self-esteem.
SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE – having too little or no exercise at all may be the cause for low sex drive in men. With a sedentary lifestyle, it may lead to a range of serious health problems affecting sexual desire or arousal. Changing your lifestyle by being more active will reduce your risk for chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity that can cause low libido. Moderate exercises are found to reduce cortisol levels at night and diminish stress that can aid in boosting sex drive.
After we have enumerated the different low libido causes, we come to understand that each cause may be well treated or managed if we seek the help of the experts. What we can do to promote our sexual health is by keeping an active lifestyle and maintaining our well-being with good food and positive thoughts.
