Sexual desire is personal, and it can change throughout different stages of life. If you have noticed a decrease in your interest in sexual activity, you may wonder what is causing it, whether hormones are involved or whether it is something you should discuss with your healthcare provider.
There is no single level of sexual desire that is considered “normal” for every woman. Low libido in women can be influenced by many factors, including hormonal changes, physical health, medications, emotional well-being, relationships, sleep and stress.
Hormones can be part of the picture, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, but a change in sexual desire does not automatically mean your hormone levels are low.
Understanding the possible causes can help you have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider and determine whether further evaluation may be appropriate. You can also explore Pharmacy Solutions’ women’s health resources for additional information about hormone health, sexual wellness and other concerns that may change throughout a woman’s life.
What Is Low Libido in Women?
Libido refers to sexual desire or interest. Low libido, also called low sex drive or low sexual desire, generally means having less interest in sexual activity than usual or less than you would prefer.
There is no universal standard for how often someone “should” experience sexual desire.
Instead of comparing your experience with someone else’s, it may be more useful to consider whether your desire has changed from what is typical for you, whether the change persists and whether it is affecting your well-being or quality of life.
What Can Cause Low Libido in Women?
Low libido in women rarely has one universal cause. Sexual desire can be influenced by a combination of hormonal, physical, emotional, medication-related and lifestyle factors.
Common factors a healthcare provider may consider include:
- Perimenopause, menopause and other hormonal changes
- Pregnancy and the postpartum period
- Physical health conditions or symptoms
- Pain or discomfort during sexual activity
- Prescription medications
- Stress and emotional well-being
- Relationship factors
- Sleep disruption and fatigue
- Significant changes in daily life or overall wellness
Because several factors may overlap, identifying the potential cause often requires looking at your overall health rather than focusing on a single symptom.
For a broader look at concerns involving desire, arousal and comfort, visit Pharmacy Solutions’ guide to women’s sexual health.
Hormones, Perimenopause and Menopause
Hormonal changes can influence sexual health for some women.
During perimenopause and menopause, changes in hormones may occur alongside changes in sleep, mood, vaginal comfort, energy and sexual desire. Pregnancy and the postpartum period can also involve significant hormonal, physical and emotional changes.
However, hormones are only one part of the picture.
Experiencing low libido does not by itself establish that you have a hormonal deficiency or that hormone therapy is appropriate. Your healthcare provider can consider your symptoms, medical history and other relevant factors when deciding whether hormone evaluation may be useful.
If you are experiencing several changes associated with perimenopause or menopause, Pharmacy Solutions offers additional education about hormone replacement therapy for women and the role individualized medical evaluation plays in determining whether hormone therapy should be considered.
Physical and Medical Factors
Overall physical health can influence sexual well-being.
Certain health conditions, changes in energy levels or other physical symptoms may affect sexual interest. Pain or discomfort during sexual activity is also important to discuss with a healthcare provider.
You do not need to identify the cause yourself before seeking care. Sharing when the change began and whether you have noticed other symptoms can help your provider understand the bigger picture.
Can Medications Affect Libido?
Yes. Some medications may affect sexual desire or sexual function.
If you notice a change after starting a new medication or changing a dose, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Do not stop, reduce or otherwise change a prescription medication on your own because you suspect it may be affecting your libido. Your prescriber can review your medications and determine whether they may be contributing and whether any changes should be considered.
Stress, Emotional Health and Relationships
Sexual desire is not purely physical.
Stress, emotional well-being, mental health, relationship dynamics and significant life changes may all influence sexual interest.
These factors deserve the same consideration as physical or hormonal changes. An emotional or relationship-related contributor does not make a change in sexual desire any less meaningful.
Sleep and Overall Wellness
Sleep disruption and demanding schedules can affect many aspects of physical and emotional health.
Rather than assuming one lifestyle change will “fix” low libido, it can be more useful to consider sleep, nutrition, physical activity, stress and overall wellness as pieces of a much larger picture.
If your change in desire persists or concerns you, talk with your healthcare provider instead of relying solely on lifestyle changes or supplements to determine the cause.
Is Low Libido Always Caused by Hormones?
No.
Hormonal changes may contribute to low libido for some women, particularly during stages such as perimenopause and menopause, but low sexual desire alone does not establish that hormone levels are low.
Physical health, medications, stress, emotional well-being, relationships, sleep and other life circumstances can also play a role.
More than one factor may be involved at the same time.
If hormones are a concern, your healthcare provider can determine whether additional evaluation is appropriate based on your symptoms, medical history and individual circumstances.
When Should You Talk With Your Healthcare Provider?
Consider starting a conversation with your healthcare provider when a change in sexual desire:
- Persists over time
- Causes concern or distress
- Affects your quality of life
- Occurs alongside pain or discomfort during sexual activity
- Begins after a medication change
- Occurs with other new or changing symptoms
You do not have to know why the change is happening before making an appointment.
It can be helpful to note when you first noticed the change, whether it happened gradually or suddenly and whether anything else changed around the same time.
Your provider may review your health history, medications, symptoms and other relevant factors before deciding whether additional testing or evaluation is appropriate.
Questions to Ask Your Provider About Low Libido
Preparing a few questions before your appointment can help you get more from the conversation.
Consider asking:
- Could any of my medications be affecting my sexual desire?
- Could another medical condition or health factor be contributing?
- Could perimenopause or menopause be relevant?
- Are hormonal changes worth evaluating?
- Would any testing be appropriate based on my symptoms?
- What options might be considered based on the underlying cause?
- What are the potential benefits, limitations and risks of those options?
- How should we monitor symptoms or changes over time?
The goal is not to identify one universal solution. It is to better understand which factors may be relevant to your individual health.
Where Does Hormone Therapy Fit?
Hormone therapy may be discussed as part of some women’s care plans, but low libido alone does not mean hormone therapy is necessary or appropriate.
Whether hormone therapy should be considered depends on an individualized medical evaluation that may include symptoms, health history, potential risks and other clinical factors.
A licensed healthcare provider can determine whether hormone-related evaluation or treatment may be appropriate for you.
For additional patient education, read Compounded Hormone Therapy for Women: What to Know Before Treatment.
What About Compounded Hormone Therapy?
When a commercially available medication does not meet an individual patient’s medical needs, a healthcare provider may determine that a patient-specific compounded medication is clinically appropriate.
Pharmacy Solutions is a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy. When prescribed for an individually identified patient, our pharmacists can work with licensed healthcare providers to prepare patient-specific medications according to the prescriber’s instructions.
Compounding is not appropriate for every patient, and the decision to prescribe a compounded medication remains within the patient-provider relationship.
Can a compounding pharmacy help with women’s sexual health?
A compounding pharmacy may become part of a patient’s care when a licensed healthcare provider determines that a patient-specific compounded prescription is medically appropriate. The provider determines the treatment, and the compounding pharmacy prepares the medication according to the prescription.
Start With a Conversation About Your Health
Changes in sexual desire can have many possible causes, and you do not have to determine the answer on your own.
A conversation with your healthcare provider can help identify which factors deserve attention and whether additional evaluation may be appropriate.
Explore more women’s health information from Pharmacy Solutions to learn about sexual health, hormonal changes, menopause and other topics that may help you prepare for a conversation with your provider.
If your provider determines that a patient-specific compounded prescription is appropriate, Pharmacy Solutions can work directly with your prescriber to prepare your medication according to their prescription.
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