Testosterone Deficiency and Low Sex Drive
While it is not uncommon for every man or woman to experience a period of low sex drive or libido at some point in their life, it is not usual for it to last for any extended time. When that happens, there is often a medical or psychological reason for the concern. For some people, testosterone deficiency and low sex drive are the explanation.
Women are as much at risk of low testosterone and sex drive as men, perhaps more so due to their much lower levels of testosterone to begin with. Since they have less testosterone, even a slight change can make a significant difference.
Does low sex drive mean low testosterone all the time?
No, there are many causes of low sex drive, just as there are many different symptoms of low testosterone. These issues are not always concurrent, but they are also not mutually exclusive. Many people can have significantly low levels of testosterone yet still have satisfying sex lives. Others may have normal testosterone levels yet have no desire for sexual activity at all. When only one of these factors is present, doctors must look for other answers to the situation.
Why does low testosterone decrease sex drive in some people and not others?
Each person’s body is unique, as is the way they respond physiologically, physically, and emotionally to changes in hormone production. Many people experience changes in their sex drive as they age, partly due to the declining hormone levels. Testosterone, estrogen, and growth hormone all decrease with age, and all play a role in sexual desire. These three hormones are all mutually entwined, as their production and levels influence one another. That is why maintaining hormonal balance is crucial at any age.
Testosterone deficiency and low sex drive can affect your ability to have a satisfying sex life. It can harm your relationship, cause emotional withdrawal, and increase stress and depression.
Some people may experience a link between testosterone deficiency and low sex drive.
Impact of Testosterone Deficiency on Female Sex Drive
Sex drive is complicated – it requires a variety of stimuli and chemical reactions in the body to achieve desire and arousal. Add in the physical responses that stimulate vaginal secretions and sensitivity of the female sex organs, and you have a situation that requires all parts to work in unison. Hormones, peptides, and neurotransmitters all play a role in low sex drive. Testosterone is one of the primary hormones involved in this response in numerous ways.
The connection between female testosterone deficiency and low sex drive in complicated, stemming from numerous changes that occur when testosterone levels decline. Some of these actions are physical in nature, others emotional.
How can low testosterone affect sex drive in women?
Here are some of the ways testosterone influences sexual desire and performance in females:
- Testosterone stimulates the production of red blood cells which improve circulation and blood flow to the pelvis
- Fatigue and depression are often common in women with testosterone deficiency, and they can also turn off feelings of desire
- Weight gain, muscle loss, and thinning hair are signs of low testosterone and can make a woman feel less attractive which can ruin sex drive
- When testosterone levels are low, cortisol, the stress hormone increases, interfering with the signals that can influence sexual desire
- With age and the onset of menopause, the ovaries cease production of androstenedione, DHEA, testosterone, and estrogen, reducing the signals of hormones crucial for libido
- Women taking oral contraceptives or estrogen hormone replacement therapy for menopause naturally have lower testosterone levels due to the supplemental estrogen
- Low testosterone can lead to thinning and drying of the vaginal wall as decreased muscle tone in the vagina
What happens if testosterone levels are fine with low sex drive in women?
If a woman has normal testosterone levels, then her low sex drive is typically stemming from either another medical-related issue or some form of stressor in her life. It could be job-related, trouble in another area of the relationship, or due to any type of emotional loss, such as the death of a loved one. Self-image, especially if there has been significant weight gain, may be to blame. A thorough physical exam is necessary. If no health-related issues are present, a woman may want to speak with a mental healthcare provider to see if that is the problem.
Hormonal imbalance due to pregnancy or childbirth may also be a factor.
For many women, testosterone deficiency and low sex drive are the cause of changes in female sexual responsiveness.
Does Testosterone Deficiency Cause Low Male Sex Drive?
When it comes to low sex drive in men, testosterone deficiency may be the cause. Sexual desire does not begin in the groin; rather, it starts in the head. A man who is stressed or depressed may find that he has no interest in sex. As with women, other signs of testosterone deficiency, such as weight gain, depression, stress, and fatigue, can influence libido.
There is a definite relationship between testosterone deficiency and low sex drive in men. Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, and its levels begin to decline before most males leave their twenties.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an entirely different subject, yet one that often influences feelings of sexual desire. ED may be due to changing testosterone levels, but more often, other factors are involved. In fact, for many males, the inability to achieve or sustain an erection satisfactory for sexual performance is due to problems with circulation. A man needs healthy blood flow to his penis for it to become engorged.
As we delve further into the low testosterone, low sex drive connection, we find that men have the same issue as women – an impaired circulation that can hinder blood flow to the genitals. In this way, testosterone deficiency plays an indirect role in sexual decline. Along with the reduction in red blood cell production previously mentioned, that can reduce circulation, there is also another concurrent issue – cholesterol!
How does cholesterol influence low testosterone and low sex drive?
Cholesterol is the basis for the production of all steroid hormones, including testosterone. Men who do not consume enough healthy dietary cholesterol may have trouble making enough of the precursor hormones that transform into testosterone.
Also, as testosterone levels decline, LDL and total cholesterol levels begin to climb. That excess LDL cholesterol is not removed from the arteries by HDL cholesterol, causing it to build up as plaque at the arterial walls, hindering blood flow. Not only do you have decreased blood flow to the penis, but also to the brain, where androgen receptors await the signal from testosterone that can stimulate sex drive.
Because the brain plays a critical role in this process, it must receive a healthy supply of testosterone.
Testosterone deficiency and low sex drive are increasingly common as men age.
Can Testosterone Therapy Hurt or Help Low Sex Drive?
The connection between testosterone deficiency and low sex drive is strong, yet that is not always the reason why a man or woman does not want to have sex.
Does low testosterone mean low sex drive?
Not always, as we have explained, many variables go into the situation. However, for many people, research has shown testosterone therapy to be a help more often than not.
In the Sexual Function Trial of the Testosterone Trials, testosterone treatment in older men with low levels of testosterone consistently improved the following:
- Sexual desire
- Sexual activity
- Erectile function
- Sexual interests
In a study on Treating Low Sexual Desire – New Findings for Testosterone in Women, transdermal testosterone therapy provided the following results:
- Significant improvements in desire, arousal, and orgasm
- Increased number of pleasurable sexual episodes per month
In cross-sectional studies, men diagnosed with low testosterone have been shown to have a greater prevalence of erectile dysfunction. ED is a problem that can cause a man to shut down his feelings of desire, knowing that he may not be able to carry through. The stress present in this situation may further worsen the overall problem.
Is it possible to experience low sex drive while taking testosterone?
In rare situations, a person could experience reduced sex drive while using testosterone therapy. We see this most often in men who abuse steroids for bodybuilding or athletic purposes.
Most people with testosterone deficiency and low sex drive will find that testosterone therapy will help both areas.
How to Improve Testosterone Levels and Sex Drive
The use of supplemental testosterone for low sex drive is well-documented in both men and women. While testosterone therapy is still an “off-label” prescription for females, there is currently substantial research attesting to its safety and efficacy.
Here at Kingsberg Medical, our doctors prescribe compounded testosterone cream for women. We have found that to provide the best results, and at an affordable price. It is also rare for women to experience any side effects from this cream that is compounded to the strength they require.
For men looking to reverse testosterone deficiency and low sex drive, testosterone cypionate and enanthate injections provide the best results. As with women, our hormone specialists determine a customized treatment protocol for each man.
To learn more about improving testosterone levels and your sex drive, please contact Kingsberg Medical for a confidential consultation by phone at no cost.
