How the Ketogenic Diet Can Affect Your Libido

We’re going to discuss the causes of low libido and how the keto diet can help improve it.

Libido is defined as a person’s overall sexual drive or desire, and it can be influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Lifestyle choices, medical conditions, and certain medications can also affect libido.

Sexual desire disorders are often under-diagnosed in both men and women because not many people are willing to speak about it with their doctor. Loss of libido can have a negative impact on the quality of life, especially in those who are in a sexually active relationship.

Many menopausal women experience loss of libido to some extent before and after menopause 1. This is due to the drop in estrogen levels which can contribute to lower sex drive in many ways. For example, some menopausal women avoid sex because of pain due to vaginal dryness.

Lower levels of estrogen can reduce blood supply to the vagina and cause vaginal dryness. Menopausal women also go through other symptoms such as stress, insomnia, depression, and bladder control problems that can also lower sexual desire.

Men and women who don’t feel happy about their appearance may experience low sexual desire. This is more common in those who are overweight or obese.

Testosterone is an essential male hormone responsible for sperm production in men. Testosterone levels below 240 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) can lower libido 2. Some common causes of low testosterone are aging, certain medical conditions, stress, and alcohol and drug addiction.

A 2017 cross-sectional online survey study found that higher levels of prolonged endurance training regularly was significantly associated with lower libido in men 3.

Some medications can lower testosterone level which can contribute to decreasing libido. Examples of medicines that can reduce testosterone include corticosteroids, morphine, ketoconazole, and cancer treatments.

RLS is the uncontrollable urge to keep moving your legs, especially when you’re sleeping. For instance, a 2013 study found that men with RLS are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction than those without restless leg syndrome 4.

Stress and depression can have a negative impact on all aspects of your health. Some of the most common causes of depression and stress include relationship problems, breakup, divorce, the death of a loved one, and career failure.

Those who develop chronic depression will often stop showing interest in participating in their favorite activities and may also have lower sexual desire. Some antidepressants can also reduce libido.

Those who have chronic sleep problems can have a lower sex drive because of the mood swings, stress, and fatigue associated with poor sleep.

Testosterone levels decrease steadily after the age of 30, and this can contribute to lower sex drive in men.

Drinking excessive alcohol has been linked to reduced testosterone production 5.

There are many ways the ketogenic diet can help increase libido. One such way is by making someone feel great about their physical appearance. A boost in self-confidence can go a long way when it comes to sexual desire. Below are some of the ways the keto diet can help increase libido.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder that affects millions of women worldwide, and it has been associated with low libido in women. A 2016 study found that sexual dysfunction was present in 62.5% of patients with PCOS 6.

The ketogenic diet has been found to have a positive impact on polycystic ovary syndrome.

Researchers have found that women who have PCOS tend to have less diverse microbiome than women who don’t have it. They’ve concluded that improving the diversity of microbiome may help treat PCOS 7. Keto diet has been found to have a positive impact on microbiome 8.

Another way the keto diet can help improve PCOS symptoms is by enhancing insulin resistance.

As stated earlier, a simple boost in self-confidence can go a long way when it comes to libido. Weight loss can help men and women feel good about themselves and increase their confidence.

One of the widespread benefits of the keto diet is weight loss. A lot of overweight and obese people have successfully lost weight on the ketogenic diet. For instance, a 2004 study found that the ketogenic diet significantly reduced weight and BMI in obese patients 9.

Fatigue is one of the most common causes of low libido in men and women. A common health benefit that most ketoers talk about is the improved energy levels and mental clarity while being on the keto diet.

The keto diet can also help improve physical performance which in turn can help increase sexual desire.

Foods that help increase libido are known as aphrodisiacs. Here are some keto friendly foods that can help increase libido:

Other keto friendly foods that can help improve libido are:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Spinach
• Salmon
• Eggs
• Sardines

• Low libido, also known as reduced sexual desire or drive, can have a negative impact on the quality of life in men and women. It often goes underdiagnosed because not many people are willing to discuss it with their doctor.
• Some of the common causes of low libido are low testosterone, low estrogen, lack of self-confidence and self-esteem, excess alcohol, stress, and depression.
• The ketogenic diet can help improve libido in many ways such as improving self-confidence via weight loss, improving energy and physical performance, and by helping with hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).