Natural Supplements To Boost Your Sex Drive

Sex drive! Whoop! It’s something most people avoid talking about… and it’s understandable, especially for people who are experiencing issues.  A healthy sex drive is an important topic, for obvious reasons  ; ) but it can also be a good indicator of overall health. 

It is worth looking into the potential causes of having a low sex drive and to find the possible solutions to improve it. There are many possible factors that can impact sex drive including stress, relationship issues, hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, depression, fatigue, chronic health conditions, medications, birth control, alcohol, nicotine, being overweight and the list goes on….

A study of the US population found that sexual dysfunction prevalence rates to be just over 40% for women and a little over 30% for men (keeping in mind that is is based on reported cases only so I would imagine these statistics are even higher). 1

I’m a firm believer in seeking out natural options first, whenever possible. 

At a very basic level, proper sleep, reducing stress and a balanced diet are important factors to support a healthy sex drive.  Cutting out nicotine, reducing sugar intake and eliminating or reducing alcohol intake can also be beneficial.

Diet to Support your Libido

A healthy diet to support sex drive should include an adequate amount of protein, 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day for men and women.  Protein is a key substance to produce testosterone. Protein can include both plant and animal sources just stick to organic foods, grass-fed red meat and free range poultry whenever possible.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are important to support the production and regulation of hormones (including sex hormones). The best sources include hemp oil, flax oil, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, evening primrose oil and cold water fish.

Women should also aim for about 25g of fibre per day and men should aim for 38g of fibre per day as part of a healthy diet. Consuming sufficient amounts of fibre helps with proper elimination as excess estrogen.  Fibre also decreases the amount of globulin that binds to testosterone.2 

Sources should be from fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, ground flax or ground chia seeds.

What affects our sex drive

Essentially, when we are talking about sex drive we are looking at hormones- estrogen, progesterone and testosterone which all affect sexual desire.  An increase in estrogen for women can increase sexual desire whereas an increase in progesterone can decrease it.  Testosterone also increases sexual desire in women. For men however, increased levels of testosterone plays a key role. Estradiol, the predominant form of estrogen, also plays a critical role in male libido and erectile function.3

How stress impacts sexual desire

When you react to stress, your body goes into fight or flight mode. This causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate while non-essential functions, like sex drive, go down. The fight or flight response can also cause the release of hormones, like cortisol and epinephrine, which in high levels can cause decreased sex drive. If stress becomes chronic, changes in cortisol levels can affect sex hormones, and subsequently decrease your sexual desire. 4

So let’s look at some natural supplement options to boost your sex drive.

Here are my top 4 supplements to consider (for both men and women):

1) Maca

This comes from a Peruvian maca root plant (typically purchased in powder form) and studies have linked it to increased libido as it contains arginine.  Research has shown arginine to increase testosterone levels which is a hormone that can increase libido in men and women.  I typically like to add 1 tsp of maca power to my smoothies.5

2) Ginseng

Ginseng is a known aphrodisiac that has been used to treat sexual dysfunction in both men and women and enhance sexual behaviour by increasing sexual energy levels.6

(Note: Siberian ginseng is not ideal for those with hypoglycaemia, high blood pressure or a heart disorder)

3) Fenugreek

This is a natural herb that contains active plant steroids and some studies have shown taking Fenugreek can increase libido and sexual performance. 7 

4) Ashwaghanda

This is an adaptogen and aphrodisiac that supports your body during stress as it provides adrenal support. It also helps to support thyroid function and decrease cortisol levels. 

It’s important to note, whenever you are considering which supplements to take or how much— it’s always best to check with your health practitioner first, as the recommended product and amount can vary for each person. Be mindful there are some contraindications for some of these supplements listed above.  (If you suspect your hormones may be out of whack, it’s not a bad idea to get your hormone levels checked with your doctor, while you’re at it.)

A healthy sex drive is not something that has to diminish with age.  Try to look at what the potential causes might be and be sure to take the necessary steps to improve your diet and lifestyle to support it. Experiencing great sex is just another part of achieving a healthy Inner Glow ; )

So consider maybe adding some maca to your daily smoothie and see how you feel ; ) Drop me a comment below if you notice a difference.