C.JYour sex drive, or libido, fluctuates throughout your lifetime. But when it remains low for a period of time, you may need some help to get it up and running again.
For some men, a low sex drive can point to a deeper medical problem, like low testosterone or a mental health issue like anxiety or depression. For others, a low sex drive can be a wake-up call to clean up their lifestyle.
Below, we’ll share some ideas on how to increase sex drive in men through a combination of lifestyle changes, therapy, medication, and more.
What Regulates Your Sex Drive?
Your sex drive, or sexual desire, refers to your desire to have sex. There’s still a lot we don’t know about how it works, but sexual desire seems to be driven by a complex interplay between hormone levels, mental state, and even your cultural values in response to internal or external stimuli.
Along with hormones like testosterone and oxytocin, certain neurotransmitters also help to regulate your sex drive. One major player known to trigger sexual motivation is dopamine, a feel-good chemical that helps us feel pleasure as part of the brain’s reward center.
Not to be confused with arousal, in which your body becomes physically prepared to have sex, your sex drive is the catalyst of the sexual response cycle. Without it, all other phases of this cycle can come to a standstill, leading to a range of sexual problems.
What Causes a Low Sex Drive?
A lower libido is a sexual dysfunction that can result from certain medical conditions, psychological issues, relationship problems, or unhealthy lifestyle habits.
The most common causes of low libido include:
- Low testosterone
- Mental health issues like depression
- Chronic stress
- Low self-esteem
- Relationship issues
- Side effects of medication like antidepressants
- Poor diet
- Excessive drinking
Chronic health problems like metabolic syndrome, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, underactive thyroid, high cholesterol, and diabetes
How to Increase Sex Drive in Men Naturally
A low sex drive can be frustrating for both you and your partner. The first thing you should do to increase your sex drive is work with a healthcare provider to pinpoint an underlying cause.
As we said above, chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome can all impact sexual function. Addressing these conditions appropriately may give you the boost you need to get your sex life back on track.
There are also several things you can do at home to reignite your sexual urges. They include working on your relationship, going to therapy, and making various healthy lifestyle changes.
Try New Things With Your Partner
A lull in sexual desire isn’t uncommon in many long-term relationships, often due to predictability, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. As it turns out, studies show that infusing novelty into your relationship can help reduce the sexual boredom that precedes low sexual desire.
New things to try with your partner include:
- Trying sexual positions and foreplay techniques
- Using sex toys
- Sexting
- Exploring erogenous zones
- Roleplay
- Indulging kinks and fetishes
- And remember: There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to how often a couple should have sex.
While the average amount is around one time per week, no two couples are the same. Figuring out what satisfies you and your partner is most important.
See a Therapist
You already know that mental health issues like depression, anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem can impact your sexual health. A therapist can help you identify these issues and develop tools and techniques for better handling them.
In addition to solo therapy, you may also want to consider sex therapy with your partner. There may be unresolved conflicts or unvoiced desires affecting your intimacy. Therapy provides a safe space with a trained sex therapist who can help you improve communication and have tough conversations you may avoid at home.
Improve Your Diet
While incorporating classic aphrodisiacs like oysters or chocolate into your diet may boost your libido, don’t overlook the basics.
Following a nutrient-rich diet high in vegetables and lean proteins helps you maintain a healthy weight and supports hormonal function, ultimately supporting your sex drive.
Eating a variety of foods is crucial because it’s the best way to get all the nutrients your body needs. For instance, oysters are considered an aphrodisiac, not because they come in a cool shell, but because they’re rich in zinc. And zinc supports testosterone production and erectile health, which can both influence your libido.
Besides zinc, nutrients that may support a healthy sex drive include:
Vitamin C. Foods that contain high amounts of vitamin C include strawberries, peppers, broccoli, spinach, and citrus fruits. Vitamin C is linked to increased oxytocin release and intercourse frequency.
Vitamin D. Men with vitamin D deficiency have low sexual desire and depressive symptoms. Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish, beef liver, and egg yolks.
L-arginine. Walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts are high in l-arginine and linked to improved sexual function. L-arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels for better blood flow throughout the body (including to the genitals).
Omega-3s fatty acids. Omega-3s, which can be found in fish oil and fatty fish, may help improve sexual desire by supporting healthy testosterone production.
Read more about aphrodisiacs, and check out these three drinks that can increase libido.
Get Adequate Sleep
Poor sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling groggy and grouchy the next day — it can also kill your sex drive. One reason why this may happen is because sleep deprivation lowers your testosterone levels. After all, your body produces the most testosterone while you sleep.
Along with supporting your sex hormones, sleep also protects heart health, strengthens the immune system, and helps you maintain a healthy weight. It also can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases that can interfere with sexual and overall health.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adults should sleep between seven and nine hours per night.
Exercise Regularly
Research has shown that increased physical activity is associated with a higher sex drive and a lower risk of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Exercise may support your libido by supporting testosterone production, enhancing blood flow throughout the body, reducing stress, elevating your mood, improving your sleep quality, and increasing your energy levels.
Read more about how working out increases your sex drive.
Practice Stress Management Techniques
It’s hard to think about sex when you’re stressed all the time. Integrating stress management techniques can turn this around.
In a review of studies on mindfulness and men’s sexual activity, researchers found that mindfulness training helped improve men’s sexual desire by reducing anxiety, helping them be more present during sex, and increasing their sexual satisfaction. Mindfulness may also improve a man’s sense of connection with his partner and lower his sexual insecurities.
How to Increase Sex Drive for Men with Medication
If your low sex drive is caused by an underlying health condition, your healthcare provider will likely recommend specific treatments or prescribe medication to address this condition and hopefully boost your libido at the same time.
If your low libido is the result of certain medications like antidepressants, they may switch you over to another medication or lower your dosage.
The following options may help improve your sex drive.
Hormone Therapy
Since low testosterone is associated with low libido, it makes sense that medication that improves your testosterone may improve your libido. There are numerous treatments for low testosterone, but the most common include:
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Available as a patch, pill, implant, gel, or injection, TRT uses synthetic testosterone to improve symptoms of low testosterone, like low libido. Though highly successful, it’s associated with a number of side effects, including low sperm count.
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). This class of medications, which includes clomiphene (Clomid®) and enclomiphene, blocks estrogen to increase testosterone production and reduce low T symptoms.
In one recent study, men with low testosterone who used TRT saw an improvement in their sexual desire but not their erectile function.
PDE5 Inhibitors for Erectile Dysfunction
Can ED medication like Viagra® or Cialis® improve libido? Not directly, but they can improve your sexual confidence and sexual performance, which may have a positive effect on your sex life.
The most common ED medications are PDE5 inhibitors, which include:
- Sildenafil (generic Viagra)
- Tadalafil (Cialis)
- Vardenafil (Levitra®)
- Avanafil (Stendra®)
Looking for something more discreet? Hims Hard Mints contain the same active ingredients as drugs like Viagra and Cialis and are chewable.
Contact a healthcare professional for medical advice to see if you qualify.
Can Herbal Supplements Boost Libido?
It can be tempting to take one of those male enhancement pills you see at the gas station or liquor store. These herbal supplements contain ingredients like horny goat weed and yohimbine and sometimes hidden sildenafil in unverifiable amounts.
Though these products make big claims, they can also be big trouble. They’re not approved by the FDA, not backed by science, and often contain hidden ingredients that are not listed on their label.
While these herbal supplements may sound convenient because they’re available over the counter, they can also cause side effects and dangerous interactions with other medications — so we recommend skipping them altogether.
A Final Word on Boosting a Low Libido
A loss of libido can affect your sexual health and overall well-being. It can also lead to relationship issues if you are not meeting your partner’s needs. Luckily, there are many steps you can take to have the sex life you deserve.
Here’s a recap on our advice on how to increase sex drive for men:
Find out if there are underlying medical conditions affecting your sex drive. Low testosterone, mental health issues, and chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can all impact your libido. See a healthcare provider to rule out these conditions or get the treatment you need.
Explore natural methods to boost libido. You may improve your libido by working on your relationship, seeing a therapist, cleaning up your diet, getting better sleep, and exercising regularly.
Medication may help improve your sex drive. Testosterone treatments may help boost your libido if it’s caused by low testosterone levels. Erectile dysfunction medication like Viagra or Cialis won’t increase your sex drive directly, but it may improve sexual confidence, which can have a positive effect on your sexual function.
Want more ideas on how to improve your libido and your sex life? Explore the link between garlic and your sex drive, find out if tamarind has sexual benefits, and learn about the connection between weed and your libido.
C.J
