Our sexual health is contingent upon several key factors. As we age, our bodies change, our lifestyles change and daily stressors take their toll on our body and mind. It’s estimated that nearly 50% of women and men over the age of 40 currently suffer from low libido as a result of a hormonal imbalance. Although hormonal imbalance is oftentimes the root cause for a waning libido, age isn’t always the culprit.
The following factors play a large role in our sexual health:
- Hormones – A low sex drive is often the result of an underlying hormonal imbalance such as perimenopause, menopause, andropause (the male menopause), thyroid disease or adrenal fatigue. Hormonal imbalance affects millions of women and men each year. Low libido usually occurs when hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone begin to decline. It’s common for estrogen and progesterone deficiencies in women to cause a variety of symptoms that can oftentimes make sex difficult. Some of these symptoms include vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, mood swings, hot flashes and night sweats. In men, symptoms of low testosterone include erectile dysfunction, gynecomastia (“man boobs”), irritability and depression. BodyLogicMD’s bioidentical hormone doctors help women and men overcome symptoms of hormonal imbalance that often contribute to a decreased libido, using a three-pronged approach, combining bioidentical hormones with customized nutrition and fitness programs.
- Stress – Stress is well-known libido killer. Chronic stress increases the production the ‘stress hormone” known as cortisol. When released in large quantities, cortisol interferes with the binding of testosterone with its receptors, reducing the affects of testosterone and in turn diminishing the libido. Elevated cortisol levels can also cause adrenal fatigue – a condition where the adrenal glands become overworked as a result of chronic stress. When this happens, other hormones are affected as well such the “mother of all hormones,” DHEA. DHEA aids in the production of various other hormones throughout the body – when this hormone falls out of balance, a hormonal chain reaction takes place and the rest of the body’s hormones begin to run amuck as well.
- Lifestyle – Your lifestyle plays a huge role in your sexual health too. We need to disinter ourselves from our sedentary lives and get active! Optimal health and wellness can only be achieved through a proactive lifestyle, consisting of balanced nutrition, regular exercise and the incorporation of stress reduction techniques into your daily routine. We also need unburden ourselves of poor habits that weigh us down, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Work antioxidants into your meals, to rid your body of harmful free radicals that oftentimes lead to oxidative stress. Studies have confirmed that physical fitness and proper nutrition can work wonders for your sex life. An active lifestyle makes for an active (and rewarding) sex life.
Here’s a great video featuring BodyLogicMD’s Medical Director Jennifer Landa, M.D., discussing how hormonal imbalance can cause low libido:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmKt4xRSIjM]