As many as 43% of women and 31% of men have experienced some form of sexual dysfunction, with low libido and low sex drive being particularly prominent.
The search term ‘Why is my sex drive low?’ consistently scores above a 75 on Google’s trends chart (0 = not enough data, 100 = peak popularity), with only South Africa, Ireland and the USA searching the question more frequently than people in the United Kingdom.
It’s an area of interest and an area people obviously struggle with.
We’ve long been familiar with the alluring world of Aphrodisiacs like dark chocolate and chilli peppers but simply turning to different foods to solve the problem is not the answer. A more holistic approach is required to begin reversing an issue that makes life feel like hell for a lot of people.
Here’s what the research says and how to implement it.
Firstly, it makes sense to look at the body as a unit and where the libido problem is likely to originate from. Yep, you guessed it, stress is going to play a big role.
Stress
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development sums it all up brilliantly, explaining that the body has a natural stress response to things we perceive as being dangerous and harmful i.e. Saber Tooth tigers millions of years ago and perhaps navigating our way through heavily urbanised and traffic-filled streets today. This stress response naturally turns off when danger is averted.
However, modern life makes stress incredibly difficult to get rid of. We’re permanently encountering different stresses on an hourly basis, trying to make ourselves a living, navigating through traffic or dealing with that a***hole at work. It’s tough to shut off and long term activation of stress can have a hazardous effect on the body.
The way that it works is that we have something called the HPA axis (Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal) – a feedback loop where the brain releases hormones in response to stress.
The brain releases Corticotropin Releasing Hormone which acts on the pituitary gland triggering the release of Adrenocorticotropin. This then signals to the adrenal gland to release another wave of hormones, including adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol which increase blood pressure, heart rate and reaction time.
Crucially for those struggling in the bedroom, the HPA also communicates with the limbic system which controls mood and motivation, the amygdala that generates fear, and the glandular systems that produce our reproductive hormones.
This cascade-like stress response then prevents the release of gonadotropin releasing hormone which you can think of as being the ‘master hormone’ when it comes to reproduction and sexual behaviour. Basically, an overly stressed individual is not an individual who has much time for sexual endeavours.
Exercise
So it’s clear that blood flow plays a role, especially for men who struggle to get erections. I read somewhere that there’s a Singaporean scale that rates erections from soft banana to cucumber. If you’re regularly coming up with soft bananas, blood flow may be something you want to consider.
Any exercise routine that promotes blood flow to various regions of the body and allows the heart to pump faster is a good idea, but ensure that your exercise routine is not unnecessarily contributing towards heightened stress levels.
One study found that regular exposure to higher levels of chronic intense and greater durations of endurance training such as long distance running was significantly associated with decreased libido scores in men.
Therefore exercise is encouraged, but don’t run yourself into the ground.
High Blood Pressure
On the topic of circulation which is obviously going to have an advantageous effect on achieving erections and stimulating the muscles surrounding the vagina, it goes without saying that smoking and dietary habits that induce regular weight gain should be avoided.
As per a study conducted by Temple University, smoking and higher levels of cholesterol induced by, well, smoking a fair few fags and hyper-caloric food intake causes plaque to build up in the arterial walls, increase blood pressure and reduce blood flow to the sex organs. Men with a cholesterol level of 240 and above were even shown to have a twofold increase of Erectile Dysfunction.
Food
When it comes to food and blood flow, there is some evidence to suggest compounds in particular foods play a role. But, as I mentioned in the introduction, eating dark chocolate and chilli is likely to do nothing if you don’t look after yourself.
Nevertheless, the high antioxidant profiles in green tea, ginkgo biloba and fruits such as blueberries and raspberries are recommended. Vitamin C, a natural blood thinner and found in many citrus fruits and peppers, can help, while lycopene in watermelon, capsaicin in cayenne pepper and the flavanols in dark chocolate have also been referenced.
If we’re after a study to really consider, however, the one conducted by Massimo Marcone and his colleague John Melnyk at the University of Guelph in 2011 may provide the most extensive review of the effect of foods on sexual performance and libido.
Marcone and Melnyk acknowledge the benefits of particular drugs and viagra, but discourage any use of substances that may cause headaches and muscle pain, as many sexual performance drugs do.
After conducting a thorough investigation, they were able to recommend panax ginseng, saffron and yohimbine for improving sexual function. Unfortunately, despite accepting that they may increase feelings of wellbeing and increasing sexual desire, chocolate and alcohol were shown to have no real effect.
Bright Light
Finally, onto something you may not have considered, researchers in San Diego have found that testosterone production is enhanced after exposure to bright light early in the morning.
Bright light exposure upon waking was also shown to trigger ovulation in women.
This likely has something to do with the role of bright light in normal function of circadian rhythm. The body works largely on a light and dark cycle induced by sunlight. Nowadays, our bodies no longer only receive light from the sun with various artificial appliances shining down on us each day. Nevertheless, any sort of bright light exposure in the morning is received by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain that signals to the body that it’s time to get up and go. Testosterone, conversely, is one of those hormones that allows that to happen.
The San Diego study with 11 men found that when given 1,000 lux of light every morning for five days (equivalent of TV studio lighting or an overcast day), Luteinising Hormone levels increased by 69.5% compared to placebo. Luteinising Hormone is one of the main hormones that controls the reproductive system.
And so now, with this comprehensive overview of evidence based research, you should have something to work with. As with many things when it comes to your health, it’s about a holistic approach rather that centring all of your attention on one little fad.
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