What foods can lower your sex drive?
There are a few things that can dampen your libido in the same way they can cause you to feel sluggish and not your best in your day-to-day life. Alcohol is the best known libido killer, especially because it disrupts the balance of hormones like oestrogen and testosterone in your body, making it harder to reach an orgasm. But it causes several other issues too, according to Stefanie Daniels, registered nutritionist and founder of Life Begins at Menopause.
“Alcohol can suppress our nervous systems which reduces arousal and responsiveness, plus it decreases blood flow to the genitals and interferes with neurotransmitters like serotonin,” she explains. “All of this plays a role in your mood and sexual function.”
Processed foods that are high in unhealthy fats, refined sugars and sodium can also wreak havoc on your sexual desire thanks to its ability to cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, leaving you sluggish and moody. “It’s these fluctuations that can have a negative impact on insulin sensitivity which over time can lead to metabolic dysfunction and low energy,” Daniels adds.
As for high sodium foods, you need adequate blood flow for sexual arousal and lubrication, and these can increase blood pressure and reduce blood flow throughout the body which causes the opposite.
“Let’s not forget excess sugar, too, which promotes insulin resistance which then disrupts your blood sugar balance and reduces energy levels,” says Daniels. “It also triggers chronic inflammation, which can impair circulation to sexual organs and reduce arousal even further. Not to mention that high sugar intake negatively affects dopamine receptors in the brain, eventually dulling pleasure and reducing motivation for sex.”
What foods should we be eating instead?
Having a nourishing, balanced diet is beneficial to leading a healthy life anyway, but certain foods can really help in regulating your hormones, improve blood flow and increase energy, stamina and mood, which all work towards boosting a lost libido.
Foods for hormonal balance
Certain nutrients are essential for maintaining hormonal balance, including zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Oysters and pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, and are crucial for testosterone production, a key sex hormone for both men and women. Foods like leafy greens and wholegrains contain magnesium which can help reduce stress and regulate hormone production, and B6 is abundant in foods like chicken, fish and bananas – which can all support the production of dopamine and serotonin, aka the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitters.
“It’s good to include healthy fats like avocados, nuts and olive oil too,” adds Daniels. “These foods provide omega-3 fatty acids which are the building blocks for sex hormones.”
Foods for blood flow
Good blood flow and circulation is vital for sexual arousal, for both men and women, and can enhance sensitivity and help with natural lubrication. Certain foods can improve blood flow by supporting heart health, according to Daniels, including dark chocolate and berries that are rich in antioxidants which improve circulation and reduce inflammation, boosting blood flow and mood, which are both critical for sexual desire.
“Leafy greens like spinach and kale are also great as they help dilate blood vessels and improve circulation, enhancing blood flow to sexual organs, supporting arousal and lubrication,” she adds. Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, grapefruits and lemons can all strengthen blood vessels and improve blood circulation, too.
Foods for energy and stamina
When you’re feeling exhausted, the thought of sex is the last thing on your mind, after all a lack of energy is one of the biggest factors for a decrease in sexual desire.
Daniels recommends incorporating lots of lean proteins like salmon and chicken into your diet to help with this. “They provide amino acids that support energy levels, hormone production and neurotransmitter function,” she tells us.
Wholegrains like porridge oats and brown rice are great for energy too, thanks to being packed with complex carbohydrates that break down slowly and provide much longer-lasting energy.
Hydration is also key, and drinking enough water throughout the day can combat fatigue, not to mention that it helps with natural vaginal lubrication during sex.
Foods for mood
Your mental health plays an important role in your sexual desire, as feeling anxious, drained or stressed does nothing for your libido. Serotonin and dopamine (the ‘happy’ hormones mentioned earlier) help regulate your mood, and certain foods boost these neurotransmitters including dark, leafy greens, fatty fish and nuts and seeds.
Having a low libido can feel frustrating, but it’s important to remember that there could be several factors at play here, and that libido naturally ebbs and flows, and that’s totally normal. However, if you’re questioning whether your diet could be partly to blame, paying closer to attention to your diet and how it affects your energy and mood could help. We’re not saying cut out all sugar, alcohol and carbs, but eating a balanced diet, and prioritising whole, unprocessed foods, plenty of water and libido-boosting foods that play a key role in hormone balance and mood regulation are beneficial for your overall health as well.
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