Although a common symptom of decreasing hormones is low libido for both men and women, this is not an inevitable consequence. Over 70% of women with low libido have a hormonal imbalance that can often be corrected. The three major hormones that have the greatest effect on libido are: testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. Our hormones need to be in a proper balance to make us function, look and feel our best.
How Can Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Lift Your Libido?
In the symptomatic population of surgically or naturally menopausal women, a low level of free testosterone often accompanies a complaint of reduced sexual desire. Testosterone is often referred to as the "the hormone of libido," because it plays a significant role in your sex drive, whether you're a man or a woman. Proper levels of testosterone have many benefits for your libido, including sexual desire, energy, mood, improved erection and increased genitalia sensitivity.
A study done by researchers in the Netherlands on healthy, premenstrual women showed that sublingual testosterone triggered a significant increase in genital arousal, along with an increase in sexual desire. They also noted that there is a lag period of 4.5 hours after taking the testosterone before sexual sensations soar. This may be because steroid hormones cause neurophysiological alterations in the sensory centers of the brain - a process that can take several hours to several days. They also noted that measurable vaginal arousal increased steadily over the 4.5 hour period.
Although testosterone is the key hormone when addressing a decreased libido, estrogen and progesterone are equally important, since they can affect testosterone levels. Inadequate estrogen levels in women can reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of testosterone, and too much estrogen in men can have the same effect. Estrogen and progesterone also have an effect on libido, especially in women; physical changes like vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy and painful uterine contractions are all related to abnormal levels of these two hormones.
Taking therapeuthic doses of a single hormone like testosterone without consulting your expert in bioidentical hormone therapy can have unexpected and even dangerous results, all due to the fact that hormone balancing is a complex, delicate matter, and all hormones and their functions are interrelated.
Hormones can be safely and effectively replaced when they are bioidentical hormones that are exact copies of the hormones used by the body and when they are in the correct dose for your unique metabolism.
Resources:
The Hormones Behind Your Libido
