Libido

Many factors can cause a drop in sex drive and these can include tiredness, stress, depression, too much alcohol, post-natal depression, low thyroid function and certain medications e.g. antidepressants can be a problem as well as ironically the contraceptive pill.

Also think about your relationship; is it fundamentally good and it is just that your sex drive seems to have diminished or do you feel that there are underlying issues that need to be resolved?

You may not feel so sexy and attractive if you have gained weight but remember that for most partners this is not an issue and will often be something that you think about and they don’t.

One other important issue for a good sex life is your general health. Women who are in good health are more likely to be sexually active compared to those of the same age in poor health. Those in good health are nearly twice as likely to report an interest in sex than those in poorer health, so it pays to look after yourself not only for your general health but your sexual health.

Supplements

A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a ‘little bit of everything’. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for Libido.

Zinc

This mineral will be in your multivitamin and mineral and is essential for hormone balance and sex drive, hence the old wives’ tale of using oysters (which contain high amounts of zinc) as an aphrodisiac.

L-arginine

L-arginine is an amino acid that has numerous functions in your body. It is needed by your body to make nitric oxide, a compound that helps to relax blood vessels and allow blood to flow through arteries and for normal blood circulation in those areas which are important to a healthy sex life

Vitamin B3

This vitamin is important as it helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue which may be affecting your sex drive.

L-histidine

L-histidine is an essential amino acid meaning that your body cannot make it itself. Histidine is the main precursor for histamine and sexual arousal is influenced by histamine.

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)

NAC increases nitric oxide availability which helps with blood flow in general and to the genital area too.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fats are classed as essential because you cannot manufacture them in your body they have to come in through your diet or in supplements. Fats are important for overcoming low libido because sex hormones (such as testosterone) are manufactured from the fats contained within those foods. Also fats will also help to keep tissues like the vagina lubricated and soft.

Many of the women I see in the clinic have been taking evening primrose oil supplements – an omega 6 fatty acid – for years and have not been eating enough omega 3 oils, or taking them in supplement form, to counterbalance this. Some women are also taking combinations such as omega 3, 6, and 9 in supplement form because they have heard that we need a good balance of all the Omega fatty acids.

This is true, but you have to take into account what your own levels may be in the first place. It is no good adding in more omega 6 if you have already got enough or in fact too much in your body. (You can now have a blood test to tell you if you have the correct levels of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in your body see below). To check whether you have sufficient levels of Omega 3 please click Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood).

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is helpful as it can reduce stress which may be affecting your libido. This vitamin is also important for your body to product the correct balance of sex hormones.

Tests

There are a number of tests available that are extremely useful and are well worth considering. These tests can give you invaluable insights into understanding what is going on in your body at the moment.

The analysis of these results lets you know what supplements you need to take in order to bring your body back into balance and into optimum health. You would then be re-tested after three months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly.

Adrenal Stress Test (saliva)
How stressed are you?

The test measures the level of the stress hormone cortisol which is released when you feel physical or psychological stress. Symptoms can occur if you are producing too much or little cortisol. The test also measures DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which is the hormone that works to balance many of the negative effects of cortisol and helps you cope with stress. Four saliva samples are collected in a kit, supplied by the lab, at home over the course of one day and the samples are then sent back to the lab for analysis. Find out more – Adrenal Stress Test (saliva)

Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme
Discover what vitamins and minerals you need and should be taking The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will give you a three monthly supplement programme to help balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may have. Find out more – Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme

Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)
This test is helpful if you want to find out if you are getting enough omega 3 fatty acids from your diet and whether you have the correct balance of essential fatty acids.

Signs of an omega 3 fatty acid are dry skin, lifeless hair, cracked nails, fatigue, depression, dry eyes, lack of motivation, aching joints, difficulty in losing weight, forgetfulness, cystitis. If you have also tried to lose weight by going on a low-fat or no-fat diet, you are likely to be deficient in these essential fats. It is now estimated that we are getting twenty five times more omega 6 fats from our diet than omega 3 and over the last century there has been an 80% decrease in the consumption of these omega 3 fatty acids. When you eat omega 3 fats they are converted to substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Find out more – Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

Many of the women I see in the clinic have been taking evening primrose oil supplements – an omega 6 fatty acid – for many years as it can be helpful with PMS. But you can end up with too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3 in your body. Some women are also taking combinations such as omega 3, 6, and 9 in supplement form because they have heard that we need a good balance of all the omega fatty acids. This is true, but you have to take into account what your own levels may be in the first place. It is no good adding in more omega 6 if you have already got enough or in fact too much in your body. (You can now have a simple blood test to tell you if you have the correct levels of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in your body see below). To check whether you have sufficient levels of Omega 3 please click Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood).

Herbs

A good supplement programme should also contain:

• Maca 110mg
• Damiana 75mg
• Siberian ginseng 65mg
• Rhodiola 20mg
• Ginger 20mg

To avoid having to purchase numerous supplements for the above and to make the process easier, I have put together a supplement programme which contains all the nutrients mentioned above and in the correct amounts. For more information about these click Libido Supplement Programme for over 45’s or Libido Supplement Programme for under 45’s.

• If you would like to order these special supplements now, you can do so through the Natural Health Practice by clicking Libido Supplements for over 45’s at The Natural Health Practice or Libido Supplements for under 45’s at The Natural Health Practice.

Tests

The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about Libido.

Adrenal Stress Test

Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme

Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.

If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements or tests mentioned above, click Libido at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.