Libido Issues
Your desire for sex – your libido – is influenced by many things. Psychological as well as physical factors contribute to your sex drive, as does your age, health, and lifestyle factors like the amount of sleep you’ve had, exercise you’ve done, and how much alcohol you’ve consumed.
Hormones & the Female Libido
For women, hormone fluctuations and certain OB-GYN conditions can dramatically impact libido.
The following hormones, all of which are produced in both men and women, play an important role in female sexual desire:
- Estrogen – involved in reproductive and sexual development and function; higher levels are associated with vaginal lubrication and increased libido
- Progesterone – fluctuates in relation to estrogen levels; acts to suppresses estrogen production after ovulation
- Testosterone – women produce this hormone, although in lower quantities than men do; believed to improve sexual desire and function
Hormone-related events and conditions that can affect a woman’s libido include:
Menopause
One of the biggest causes of low libido in women is menopause. This is when you stop ovulating, and your body gradually produces less estrogen and progesterone. This results in symptoms such as vaginal dryness, painful sex, and a reduced sex drive. Women who take hormone replacement therapy as part of a menopause symptom management regimen may experience a noticeable increase in their sex drive.
Menstruation
Most women of childbearing age experience the highest level of sexual desire just before and during ovulation (days 6-14 of the menstrual cycle), when their estrogen levels are the highest.
Pregnancy
Many bodily changes occur during pregnancy. The increases in estrogen and progesterone levels, plus increased blood flow, tend to result in a higher sex drive toward the end of the first trimester and into the second trimester.
Age & Lifestyle Factors
Libido is comprised of a complex network of triggers that result in the desire to engage in sexual activity. It’s part psychological, part physical, and includes a range of factors and activities that can either increase or decrease your sex drive. Among the most impactful are:
- Age. Studies have shown that women between about 30 and 45 years of age reported higher libido than younger women.
- More Exercise. Physical activity, especially cardiovascular exercise, is associated with a higher sex drive in women.
- Less Stress. When stress levels are lowered – meaning there is less cortisol (the fight or flight hormone) coursing through your veins – you’re more likely to experience improved libido.
Women, Boost Your Libido Levels Now!
The hormone fluctuations women experience play an important role when it comes to sex drive, or libido. One of the most common causes of low libido among women is menopause. If you’re experiencing a lowered sex drive due to menopause, you have treatment options.
At Ladies First Obstetrics & Gynecology and Ladies First MedSpa in Dothan and Enterprise, Alabama, we offer customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) that can help restore your libido and dramatically improve your quality of life.
Call Ladies First at (334) 671-9445 or toll-free at (877) 671-9445 to get started. You can also request an appointment using our secure online form.
