Understanding the Female Libido and Its Fluctuations

But now, rekindling that spark seems elusive, or frankly unappealing if you have symptoms that make it hard to get in the mood (ugh, vaginal dryness). Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers. If low libido has become part of your reality, you’re not alone. A staggering 38% of women in the U.S.

Guessing. Knowing.

You have to try to know what you like, talk about it with your partner, communicate to feel comfortable when changing settings or objects. Sometimes, just talking about them, letting your imagination wander can bring back desire. Embrace new experiences for a fulfilled sexuality! It is also possible to boost your desire and increase female libido with natural ingredients. The most well-known aphrodisiac is ginger, it has vasodilatory properties and helps boost libido.

Are libido supplements safe? +

But other foods and spices can bring sexual energy: Cloves and Chili are vasodilators that improve blood circulation; Cinnamon is rich in vitamins and has stimulating properties; Hops (in tea, not in beer!) will relax you and soothe your anxieties Other plants also exist to help you regain your desire and naturally boost your libido, it’s up to you to find yours! It's February — time to think about roses, chocolates, sweethearts, and romance. And if those sentiments bring you to a certain drugstore aisle stocked with pills and potions promising to boost your sex life, you may want to think twice before buying any. "Most are a phenomenal waste of money, in my opinion," says Dr. Michael O'Leary, a urologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. report struggling with low sexual desire, according to a comprehensive study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. What's more, as you age, so does the likelihood of diminished libido—by the time women reach 65, three out of four report little to no desire.

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But here’s some good news: You can turn things around. Many things can make sex less exciting for women throughout life, and especially during menopause, including problems in the areas of desire, arousal, orgasm, and pleasure, says Midi’s chief clinical officer Mindy Goldman, M.D. Unfortunately there are still many societal taboos around discussing sex, says Goldman, making women less likely to bring it up with their doctor. “Women should know that sexual concerns are normal and can be addressed,” says Dr. Goldman.

6. Make an appointment with your health care provider

This amino acid provides the raw material from which the body makes nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and open blood vessels, a necessary step to achieve an erection of the penis. "But putting that into a pill isn't proven to produce an erection," Dr. O'Leary says. Moreover, people with heart disease should avoid it. A study of L-arginine's effect on heart attack survivors had to be stopped early after six people taking the supplement died.

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This comes from bark of a tree native to Africa. "It does promote penile blood flow, but you have no idea whether the supplement you're taking has too much or too little," warns Dr. O'Leary. Another warning: yohimbine may damage heart function and may cause high blood pressure (hypertension), headaches, agitation, insomnia, and sweating. Lifestyle changes can help boost sexual activity without medication. “That’s why it’s especially important to find a provider who is knowledgeable and comfortable and open in discussing these concerns.” So, how can you get your libido back? We’ll break down everything you need to know about low libido, natural ways to increase it, plus medical treatments, relationship fixes, and more.

3. Maca Root: Natural Support Option

Many things factor into your sexual desire—fluctuating hormone levels, lifestyle habits, mood, underlying health conditions, relationship factors, and more—but there are many ways to improve the situation, especially if menopause-related issues are the root cause. While libido is complex, there are many things you can do to amp things back up. Learn how to increase sex drive, plus libido-boosting supplements for women, relationship help, and more. If you're reading this, you're likely wondering how to reignite your libido—or perhaps you’re simply curious about what might be getting in the way. Maybe you can remember a time when you craved intimacy, when the desire to connect physically felt natural and effortless. At Midi, our clinicians have heard—and treated it all—so they can help you regain your spark and interest in sex.

5. Get plenty of sleep

With a few exceptions, most supplements for sexual function haven't been studied scientifically. At best, says Dr. O'Leary, they have a placebo effect (a beneficial result from an inactive treatment). "That's not trivial in itself," he notes. "For example, when researchers did clinical trials for the prescription medication sildenafil [Viagra], the placebo response was about 30%.

2. Maca

Which tells you that the most important sex organ you have is your brain. In men, the brain controls the stimulus to get blood flow to the penis, and furthermore, it controls orgasm and ejaculation. That's why a lot of people with normal vascular function still have sexual dysfunction." But what about the claims that over-the-counter supplements can increase your libido or sexual endurance? They are simply marketing promises designed to sell you a bottle of pills, and nobody's checking in advance to make sure they're accurate. For example, a 2015 review of top-selling supplements for men's sexual health, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, found little or no evidence to support claims they could improve aspects of sexual performance. Libido is simply a word to describe sexual desire, or how much you want to engage in sexual activity.

• Adaptogenic herbs help combat fatigue and boost desire.
• Staying physically active improves blood flow.
• Maintaining a healthy gut supports hormone synthesis.
• Daily self-care routines promote overall health.
• Open communication with partners increases intimacy.
• Avoiding stress triggers preserves hormonal balance.
• Practicing gratitude enhances emotional closeness.
• Regular massage can relax and stimulate desire.

You can have a high libido, meaning you have a high sex drive.

• Use of natural aphrodisiacs like oysters is common.
• Ensuring skin health influences sexual confidence.
• Managing anxiety can directly impact desire.
• Herbal capsules may improve sexual energy.
• Maintaining a positive body image boosts libido.
• Supportive friendships encourage emotional openness.
• Avoiding excessive sugar intake benefits hormonal health.
• Listening to sensual music enhances arousal.

You can also have a low libido, which means a low sex drive. During perimenopause and menopause, declining levels of estrogen can take your typical level of desire and tank it. Not to mention that a decrease in estrogen can also cause vaginal dryness and thinning that make sex uncomfortable and painful. Of course, it’s important to remember that levels of desire are so individual, varies from person-to-person, and can shift throughout life. And then there’s how your low libido can affect your relationship—especially if there’s a mismatch in sex drive with your partner that's putting a real dent in both of your lives.

• Incorporate herbs like Tribulus in daily routines.
• Maintain hormonal health through regular checkups.
• Support adrenal health with adaptogens.
• Use visual and auditory stimuli to arouse.
• Focus on emotional intimacy as much as physical.
• Consider consulting a sex therapist if needed.
• Avoid negative body talk to boost confidence.
• Educate yourself about female sexual health.

If low libido lingers for a long time, you may be diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD. HSDD is defined as “a persistent or recurrent absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity, causing personal distress or interpersonal difficulties.” That last part—personal distress/interpersonal difficulties—is really important. When your low libido is making you feel unhappy or causing issues in your relationship, then it’s something to take steps to treat. (You’re in the right place, keep reading!) The symptoms of low libido can include: Reduced or lack of desire for fantasies and sexual stimulation Inability to maintain desire during sexual activity Loss of desire to initiate or participate in sexual activity Avoidance of situations that can lead to sexual activity Making things more 100 sex tablet complex are all of the factors that influence your sexual desire, including: Physical causes: Hormonal changes like menopause, which can affect vaginal tissues in particular, leading to discomfort; stage of life, such as postpartum; medications; and underlying medical conditions like thyroid disease.

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"Very good data have shown that in men, weight loss alone improves sexual function. It's probably because fat makes estrogen, which fights testosterone needed for sexual function," Dr. O'Leary says. Other things that can help for both sexes: exercising and smoking cessation, which improve blood flow to the sexual organs; limiting alcohol intake, since large amounts can dampen sexual reflexes and the ability of men to maintain an erection; and eating a healthy diet, which helps maintain a healthy weight. If these approaches aren't helping, your doctor may be able to find a solution — that could involve treating an underlying condition or prescribing medication (for men) or lubricants and low-dose vaginal estrogen products for vaginal dryness and painful sex in women.

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As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. What can you do to increase libido? Low sex drive affects about 4 in 10 women, increasing in midlife and peaking after menopause. Psychological causes: Stress, anxiety, depression, past trauma, and more.

4. Spice up your love life

While the FDA has the responsibility to approve the use of any conventional pharmaceutical and to monitor how it is manufactured, the FDA has no such responsibility with regard to supplements. That means unscrupulous companies can sell any products they like, and the supplements won't be pulled from the shelves until and unless the FDA proves they're unsafe. So when it comes to supplements, buyer beware! Some sexual function supplements may contain potentially dangerous impurities or small amounts of hidden pharmaceutical drugs — like traces of PDE5 inhibitors, medications in the same class that includes prescription erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra. This can produce dangerous, even life-threatening, reactions.

A note about sex and gender

Popular sexual performance supplements often contain a blend of ingredients (sometimes dozens of them). Some of the best-selling include DHEA (short for dehydroepiandrosterone, an adrenal hormone), ginkgo biloba, fenugreek, ginseng, horny goat weed, L-arginine, maca, tribulus, yohimbine, and zinc. Dr. O'Leary says most of those won't help your love life. But there may be a few exceptions. Lifestyle factors: Poor diet, lack of exercise, sleep problems, and more. Understanding how you're faring in all these categories will help you identify the root cause(s) of your low sex drive—and what you can do to start to bring the heat back up.

Therapy Type	Approach	Expected Outcomes	Duration
Cognitive-Behavioral	Changing thought patterns	Improved communication, desire	6-12 sessions
Sensate Focus	Gradual sensual exercises	Increased intimacy, arousal	Varies (weeks to months)
Couple’s Counseling	Addressing relationship issues	Improved emotional connection	Ongoing