Sexual Health and Libido

“Sexual desire or sex drive is your level of interest
in sexual activity. It’s normal for your sexual desire
to go up and down at different times and for…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Sexual Health and Libido Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Decreased Libido
  • Decreased Sex/Sexual Desire/Drive/Interest
  • Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD)
  • Female Sexual Interest-Arousal Disorder (FSIAD) [HSDD + Female Sexual Arousal Disorders]
  • Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder/Dysfunction (HSDD)
  • Lack of Sexual Desire/Drive/Interest
  • Libido
  • Low Libido
  • Low Sex/Sexual Desire/Drive/Interest
  • Sex/Sexual Desire/Drive/Interest
  • Sexual Interest-Arousal Disorder

Libido

What is libido?

DotS the definition of libido may vary. In What Can Affect Your Sex Life? Sexual Desire (Libido) the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health’s (JH) definition is:

“Sexual desire or sex drive is your level of interest in sexual activity. It’s normal for your sexual desire to go up and down at different times and for different reasons”.2

Cause

What may cause low libido in women?

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Causes the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

“Desire for sex is based on a complex mix of many things that affect intimacy. These factors include:

  • Physical and emotional well-being
  • Experiences
  • Beliefs
  • Lifestyle
  • Your current relationship

If you have challenges in any of these areas, it can affect your desire for sex”.3

In Sexual Difficulties In the Menopause the Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) explain:

“Hormones are rarely the only factor involved in desire-arousal problems and other factors need to be identified and addressed. These might include relationship issues, psychological factors, side effects of common medications, such as antidepressants, or health issues such as diabetes. Women often say that the physical changes that occur with ageing and/or menopause make them feel more self-conscious about their body, particularly in relation to sex. Other changes in a woman’s life, such as a partner’s midlife issues (including erectile dysfunction), teenagers in the house or leaving home, and parents dying or requiring care will affect sexual function”.4

Common or Not

How common is low libido?

The AMS note:

“Low libido is the most common sexual concern reported by women and is often inseparable from diminished capacity to become aroused”.5

Fluctuations

Can libido fluctuate?

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“Women’s levels of sexual desire change over the years. It’s common for highs and lows to happen along with the start or end of a relationship. Or they can happen with major life changes such as pregnancy, menopause or illness. Some medicines used for conditions that affect mood also can cause low sex drive in women”.6

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and libido?

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Causes: Hormone Changes the Mayo Clinic explain:

Libido“Changes in your hormone levels may alter your desire for sex. This can occur during:

  • Menopause. Estrogen levels drop during menopause. This can make you less interested in sex and cause vaginal dryness, leading to painful or uncomfortable sex. Many women still have satisfying sex during menopause and beyond. But some have a lagging libido during this hormone change”.7

Treatment

How may low libido be treated?

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“Most women benefit from a treatment approach aimed at the many causes behind this condition. Recommendations may include sex education, counseling, and sometimes medicine and hormone therapy”.8

Menopausal Hormone Therapy

Is menopausal hormone therapy used to treat low libido?

In Looking After Yourself: Sex and Relationships – Managing Low Libido the JH note:

“If you are concerned about having low libido, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor. They might suggest different options to improve the way you feel about sex. For example, a trial of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), or vaginal moisturisers, lubricants or oestrogen to improve vaginal dryness”.9

Testosterone

Is testosterone used to treat low libido?

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

  • “Testosterone. This hormone plays a key role in female sexual function, even though testosterone level is much lower in women than in men. In the United States, testosterone isn’t approved by the FDA to treat sexual conditions in women. Still, sometimes it’s prescribed to help lift a lagging libido. Testosterone that is delivered to the blood through the skin may be helpful in women after menopause. At first, this treatment can be tried for up to six months. If it helps, it can be continued with close monitoring by a healthcare professional. The use of testosterone in women can cause acne, extra body hair, and mood or personality changes”.10

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)

What is Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)?

DotS the definition of HSDD may vary. In Looking After Yourself: Sex and Relationships – What Can Affect Your Sex Life? Testosterone Therapy the JH’s definition is:

Sexual Health and Libido“The area of wellbeing and libido is very complex, and research tells us these are likely to be influenced by psychological factors more than testosterone. But testosterone therapy may be a suitable treatment for postmenopausal women who feel distressed by their loss of sexual desire. This condition is known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

Testosterone therapy is only recommended for women diagnosed with HSDD. There is no evidence to support using testosterone in premenopausal women for low libido or any other condition such as low mood or depression”.11

BMS Statement on Testosterone, 02 March 2023

What does the BMS Statement on Testosterone, dated 02 March 2023, elaborate on about the use of testosterone to treat low libido?

The BMS Statement on Testosterone elaborates on:

“The current controversy surrounding testosterone treatment is causing confusion amongst women and healthcare professionals alike. British Menopause Society guidance follows NICE NG23 which recommends that testosterone is used for low libido after other options have been exhausted.

Levels of testosterone in women decline between the ages of 20 and 40. By menopause the levels have plateaued out and are stable. Testosterone is produced by the adrenal glands and the ovaries in peri and post-menopausal women. Testosterone is not the third component of HRT and promoting misinformation is creating unrealistic expectations for women, some of whom have challenging social circumstances. Managing women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, necessitates a biopsychosocial approach. It is important to consider contributory factors which include vulvovaginal atrophy and relationship issues”.12

Testosterone Links

Where may I find Links related to testosterone?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Testosterone Links

Health Care Provider

What if I have low libido?

If you have low libido, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Diagnosis the Mayo Clinic explain:

“If low sex desire concerns you, talk with your gynecologist or another member of your healthcare team. For some women, low sex drive is part of an ongoing condition called sexual interest-arousal disorder. It involves having at least three of the following symptoms, which cause sadness or anxiety:

  • No desire to have any type of sexual activity or to masturbate
  • Few or no sexual thoughts or fantasies
  • Not wanting to make the first move in a sexual encounter with a partner
  • Less or no pleasure during sexual activity
  • Less or no interest in any sexual or erotic cues from a partner
  • Few or no physical sensations during sexual activity in most sexual encounters

You don’t have to fit this definition to reach out for help. Your healthcare professional can look for reasons that your sex drive isn’t as high as you’d like”.13

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Sexual Health and Libido?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Sexual Health and Libido?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. Advancing Menopause Care In Australia: Barriers and Opportunities – The Role of Testosterone Treatment
  2. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  3. BMS Statement on Testosterone [26 July 2024]
  4. BMS TV: Menopause Explained
  5. BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
  6. Balance Between Excitement, Inhibition Key To Treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
  7. Coalition Issues International Consensus on Testosterone Treatment for Women
  8. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  9. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit [13 January 2024]
  11. Don’t Believe the Hype. Menopausal Women Don’t All Need To Check – or Increase – Their Testosterone Levels
  12. Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences
  13. Expert Tips To Boost Your Libido
  14. FAQs: When Sex Is Painful
  15. Global Consensus Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women
  16. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  17. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen: About Vaginal Oestrogen
  18. How Vaginal Hormones Can Transform Lives | The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
  19. International Society for Sexual Medicine: Public
  20. International Society for Sexual Medicine: Sexual Health Topics
  21. International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health
  22. International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health: Find A Provider
  23. Intimate Partner Violence
  24. Is There An Equivalent of Viagra for Women?
  25. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Sexual Wellbeing, Intimacy and Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Is the End of Your Sex Life]
  26. Let’s Talk Low Libido
  27. Libido and Testosterone Therapy – Podcast
  28. Looking After Yourself
  29. Looking After Yourself: Managing & Treating Low Libido – Testosterone Therapy [+ Video: Professor Susan Davis]
  30. Low Libido? Ways for Women To Increase Their Sex Drive
  31. Low Sex Drive (Loss of Libido)
  32. Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment
  33. Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes
  34. Lubricant Alternatives: What To Use and What To Avoid
  35. Many Older Women Have Active Sex Lives, But Menopause Can Interfere
  36. Menopause
  37. Menopause
  38. Menopause & Herbs: Low Libido (Sex Drive)
  39. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  40. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  41. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
  42. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  43. Menopause Ruining Your Sex Life?
  44. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  45. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  46. Menopause What Are the Symptoms?
  47. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  48. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  49. Natural Therapies & Supplements
  50. Navigating Menopause Together: How Partners Can Help
  51. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  52. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
  53. Prosayla Supported By ISSWSH [International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health]
  54. Relationships
  55. Relationships: Relationships & Libido
  56. Relationships: Relationships & Painful Sex
  57. Sex and Sexual Health
  58. Sex and Menopause: Treatment for Symptoms
  59. Sexual Difficulties In the Menopause: Testosterone
  60. Sexual Functioning In 4,418 Postmenopausal Women Participating In UKCTOCS: A Qualitative Free-Text Analysis [United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening]
  61. Sexual Health
  62. Sexual Health Conditions
  63. Sexuality: Management & Treatment of Sexual Problems
  64. Steps Your Partner Can Take
  65. Supporting A Loved One Through Menopause
  66. Symptoms of Low Testosterone In Women (and Reasons Why It Might Be Low)
  67. Testosterone Replacement In Menopause: 2. What Is Its Role In Women?
  68. Testosterone Therapy In Women: Does It Boost Sex Drive?
  69. Testosterone Therapy for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
  70. Testosterone Use for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder In Postmenopausal Women
  71. Testosterone for Women: Why Use Testosterone?
  72. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  73. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  74. Top Tips for Talking To Your Doctor
  75. Urogenital Problems
  76. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  77. Vaginal & Vulval Pain: Know the Different Causes and When To Seek Help
  78. Vaginal Dryness
  79. Vaginal Dryness
  80. Vaginal Dryness After Menopause: How To Treat It?
  81. Vaginal Dryness: What To Do About It
  82. Vaginal Oestrogen Is A Treatment on the Rise, But Is It Safe?
  83. Video & Podcast Library: Testosterone and Women
  84. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Is Testosterone the Answer To Low Libido?
  85. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  86. Webinars: Previous – Pay Attention on Your Way In! The Vulva Is An Important Organ Too
  87. “We’re Just Tired”: Influences on Sexual Activity Among Male-Partnered Women In Midlife; A Mixed Method Study
  88. What Can Affect Your Sex Life?
  89. What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
  90. What Happens If A Woman Takes Viagra?
  91. What Is Vulvodynia?
  92. What Is the Difference Between Vagifem and Estring?
  93. Which Vaginal Moisturiser Should You Use?
  94. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
  95. Women’s Sexual Health: Talking About Your Sexual Needs
  96. Yes, You Can Have Better Sex In Midlife and In the Years Beyond

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Can Affect Your Sex Life? Sexual Desire (Libido). Last Updated: 06 August 2024 | Last Reviewed: 12 December 2023. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/sex-sexual-health/what-can-affect-your-sex-life#sexual-desire-libido Accessed: 25 September 2024
  2. What Can Affect Your Sex Life? Sexual Desire (Libido). Last Updated: 06 August 2024 | Last Reviewed: 12 December 2023. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/sex-sexual-health/what-can-affect-your-sex-life#sexual-desire-libido Accessed: 25 September 2024
  3. Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Causes. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/symptoms-causes/syc-20374554 Accessed: 25 September 2024
  4. Sexual Difficulties In the Menopause. Content Created March 2021. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/722-sexual-difficulties-in-the-menopause Accessed: 25 September 2024
  5. Sexual Difficulties In the Menopause. Content Created March 2021. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/722-sexual-difficulties-in-the-menopause Accessed: 25 September 2024
  6. Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/symptoms-causes/syc-20374554 Accessed: 25 September 2024
  7. Low Sex Drive In Women: Symptoms & Causes – Causes: Hormone Changes. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/symptoms-causes/syc-20374554 Accessed: 25 September 2024
  8. Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Hormone Therapy. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374561 Accessed: 25 September 2024
  9. Looking After Yourself: Sex and Relationships – Managing Low Libido. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#sex-and-relationships Accessed: 25 September 2024
  10. Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374561 Accessed: 25 September 2024
  11. Looking After Yourself: Sex and Relationships – What Can Affect Your Sex Life? Testosterone Therapy. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#sex-and-relationships Accessed: 25 September 2024
  12. BMS Statement on Testosterone. 02 March 2023. British Menopause Society https://thebms.org.uk/2023/03/bms-statement-on-testosterone/ Accessed: 25 September 2024
  13. Low Sex Drive In Women: Diagnosis & Treatment – Diagnosis. 07 March 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-sex-drive-in-women/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374561 Accessed: 25 September 2024
Topic Last Updated: 03 October 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 25 September 2024

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