Sexual Health

“Whatever is normal for you is your normal sex drive.” If you’re unhappy with your sex drive and it’s causing you distress, it’s a valid health issue worth discussing with your doctor, Twogood said. Some women may want sex daily, and others might seek sex once every few months. “A diagnosis, such as hypoactive sexual desire disorder, is based on whether it is a problem for the person experiencing it,” she said.

Sign	Description	Possible Causes
Decreased Sexual Desire	Reduced interest in sex	Hormonal, psychological, medical factors
Lack of Arousal	Less physical or emotional response to stimulation	Stress, medications, health issues
Avoidance of Intimacy	Steering clear of sexual activity	Anxiety, relationship issues
Fatigue or low energy	Reduced energy levels affect libido	Sleep problems, health issues

Is it affecting your life in any way?” It can be useful to consult with more than one type of healthcare provider—such as a doctor and a therapist—because some problems might be physical while others might be related to your emotional or mental health status, or relationship issues. Mismatched libido—where one partner might have a much higher sex drive than the other—can be a complicated issue to navigate. “It becomes a question of, ‘Do I want a higher sex drive, or am I just trying to please someone else?’” Twogood said.

• Testosterone, though lower in women, affects sexual desire.
• Sexual activity releases endorphins, boosting mood and desire.
• Postpartum hormonal changes may decrease libido temporarily.
• Mind-body therapies can support healthy libido.
• Certain birth control methods influence libido differently.
• Sleep disorders can lead to reduced sexual interest.
• Libido often correlates with overall mental well-being.
• Sensuality and body confidence enhance desire.
• Regular intimacy boosts female libido over time.
• Pelvic floor exercises can increase sexual arousal.

If you receive a new health diagnosis or start a new medication that could affect your sex drive, it may be a good time to consult your doctor.

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A person may wish to consult a doctor for low libido when: additional symptoms appear, such as high blood pressure or pain it occurs after starting a new medication or having surgery it causes serious relationship problems or psychological distress There is no proven way to increase libido quickly. Getting a good night’s sleep, exercising, and intimacy with a partner, such as kissing and touching, may increase a person’s desire for sex. A person with a low libido may lack interest in or desire for sex, including masturbation, regardless of whether they are sexually active or not. Many factors can cause low libido, including relationship problems, depression, stress, anxiety, exhaustion, hormonal changes, side effects of medication or contraceptives, and drug and alcohol use. There is a wide natural variation in people’s sexual desires and libido.

1. Hormonal Changes

It is important to note that having a lower libido than other people is not necessarily a problem. However, if a person wants to increase their libido, many methods are available to try. These include eating a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise, reducing anxiety, and focusing on improving intimate relationships. Low libido is a complex issue with relationship, psychological, and physical components. Understanding the cause can help a person find the best treatment.

What you can do

While low libido, or a sudden shift in libido, can be a sign of a health condition, it is safest to talk with a doctor before trying libido boosters. Low libido (sex drive) is a decrease in sexual desire. This could mean you have little to no interest in sexual activity. It could also mean you have a hard time getting sexually aroused or having an orgasm. Many women grow up believing they “should” want sex spontaneously. “Ask specifically if a medication is going to affect your sexual health or libido,” Twogood said.

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“Develop a plan for what you will do if you have problems with your libido on the medication.” Be wary of supplements that claim to treat sex drive, Twogood warned. "Some supplements can work to increase libido, and research supports their use,” she said. “However, supplements in general are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements may be worth trying, but they’re not the answer for everyone—and claims that seem too good to be true probably are.” Also, be transparent with your healthcare providers about what supplements and prescription medications you take so they can advise you safely and accurately. Libido can increase or wane for many different reasons. General health habits—such as nutrition, exercise and getting enough sleep—can affect sex drive.

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However, they’re still important questions to ask, said Sara Twogood, MD, a gynecologist at Cedars-Sinai’s Los Feliz location. “Our sexual health affects so many different facets of our life, including playing into anxiety and depression,” Twogood said. “These are health issues that are taken very seriously. Just like you wouldn’t hesitate to ask your doctor about high blood pressure, don’t be afraid to ask about a low libido if it’s bothering you.” “It becomes a question of, ‘Do I want a higher sex drive, or am I just trying to please someone else?’” Twogood’s first piece of advice is to understand that everyone’s sex drive is different and affected by many factors. “Comparing your sex drive to a friend’s or someone that you talk with isn’t going to be helpful,” Twogood said. Stress and mental health can cause libido to fluctuate.

• Women may experience increased libido during ovulation.
• Libido varies widely among women and over time.
• Meditation and mindfulness can improve sexual desire.
• Safe sex practices contribute to a positive libido.
• Libido can be affected by relationship quality.
• Some women experience libido enhancement from acupuncture.
• Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to low libido.
• Obesity can impact hormone levels and desire.
• Libido is influenced by both physical and emotional health.
• Women’s libido can be improved through counseling.

Chronic health conditions—including chronic pain, autoimmune disorders or diabetes—have been shown to affect sexual desire. How you feel about your relationship and your attraction to your partner can play a role.

• Regular sexual activity can maintain healthy libido.
• Libido may decrease due to aging or menopause.
• Certain neurological conditions affect desire.
• Creative and novel experiences can boost libido.
• Healthy relationships nurture sexual desire.
• Darkness or low lighting often enhance arousal.
• Supplements like maca root are believed to improve libido.
• Hormonal fluctuations are a common cause of desire changes.
• Some medications can increase libido as a side effect.
• Listening to music may increase sexual arousal.

High blood pressure and vascular conditions can affect the flow of blood to the genitals, affecting arousal. Medications can affect sex drive and arousal. For example, allergy medications that dry out nasal passages can also cause vaginal dryness.

How Is Low Libido Diagnosed?

We also prescribe a microdose of testosterone cream for women who don't have low testosterone. You will apply the cream to your clitoris and genitalia twice a week to help improve your arousal and ability to achieve an orgasm. Our women’s health providers and other primary care providers treat women of all ages who experience low libido. We stay current on the latest research to offer you advanced, evidence-based treatments. We’re committed to helping you achieve your best health, both now and in the years to come.

Prioritize Physical Activity

Call 801-213-2995 to schedule an appointment with your gynecologist, women’s health provider, or other primary care provider. We don’t require referrals, but some insurance plans do. We recommend checking with your insurance provider before making an appointment. Dry spells are common in many relationships, but if this is becoming a problem, you can get your groove back. Here are some tips to increase libido in women help keep that flame alive.

Your mental health could use some attention

Nearly every woman experiences pain during sex at least once. While the first time is usually painful, some women continue to experience a little bit of pain every now and then. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks about the different types of pain during intercourse and what they mean for you. Questions about sex drive—also known as libido—in women don’t have simple, one-size-fits-all answers. “Part of understanding low libido is looking inward,” Twogood said.

Why do Older Women Have a Reduced Libido?

But many women don’t experience this. Instead, they may enjoy sex when they have it, but they don’t often feel like having sex at random times. It’s normal for your sex drive to change over time. However, you should see your health care provider if your symptoms bother you or negatively affect your sex life. Many complex factors can cause low libido in women: Hormonal changes such as perimenopause or menopause Mental health conditions like depression or anxiety Social causes such as religious beliefs, cultural influences, or relationship problems Birth control such as the pill, patch, vaginal ring, and some IUDs stabilize your hormones, which can affect your sex drive.

Symptoms of Low Libido

For example, women typically experience estrogen increases just before they ovulate. However, you may not experience that surge of estrogen when you’re on birth control because birth control stabilizes your hormone levels. You experience significant hormonal changes leading up to and during menopause. You typically produce inconsistent levels of estrogen. Often, these varying estrogen levels lead to vaginal dryness.

1. Stress and fatigue

This dryness can make intercourse painful, which decreases your interest in sex. Many people also experience weight changes during menopause. These changes can affect your self-confidence and libido. It’s also common for long-term relationships to evolve in midlife. Relationship changes can impact your sexual desire. “It can be frustrating for patients to hear that from their doctor or therapist, but it’s not a cop-out.” Doing some of the detective work of noticing how dietary changes, mood or life events have caused a change in your libido can be useful to consider ahead of a doctor’s appointment. Most patients ask questions about sex drive or other sexual health matters at the very end of their doctor’s appointment. “It’s such a disservice to the patient and the problem,” Twogood said. “It’s worth a visit by itself.” Problems with low libido are treatable with medications and other interventions—so help is available.

Drop some weight

Your symptoms and medical history may mean specialized menopause treatment can help. If so, your provider will recommend an appointment with our Midlife Women’s Health and Menopause program. Your provider asks about your symptoms and health history to determine your diagnosis. They also get a full medication list. They may order blood tests to check for thyroid function and low testosterone levels.

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We will tailor your treatment based on the cause of your low libido. Adopting healthy habits, such as a well-balanced diet and regular exercise Managing underlying health conditions with the help of your primary care provider or other specialist Using a lubricant to treat vaginal dryness Working with a sex therapist or couples counselor The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two medications to treat low libido in women before menopause: Bremelanotide—You give yourself a medication injection about an hour before sexual activity. Flibanserin—You take a pill daily to increase your sexual desire. We recommend you take the medicine for three months to decide if it’s right for you. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help treat menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness.

Stimulating the clitoris for pleasure to naturally boost libido

You may take estrogen in a pill, patch, spray, or gel. You may also take it in a vaginal insert (suppository). We may also prescribe testosterone as off-label treatment. We will check your testosterone levels first to ensure you have low testosterone. We will prescribe you a daily testosterone cream to bring your blood levels back into the normal range.