Increase your libido naturally
After we launched a male formula in 2023, we never, truly never, expected that these would be the reactions.
Well I understand if - like me - this kind of post makes you chuckle heartily. Of course I am extremely proud that we get this kind of response, but it also made me think again. Especially when I was asked by women if I would also make such a formula for women. We have since done so and it has become our bestseller: female formula.
There is a lot going on around libido, but what exactly is libido? How does it work? How can we optimize it (even without the sups)?
In this blog, together we will dive into the depths of libido: the desire for sex. For the first time, we will not distinguish between men and women, because we firmly believe that many factors affect both and can therefore be addressed in the same way.
There are some pieces in this blog that can be very sensitive. It is not my intention to touch you personally. I just want to offer you an explanation of various factors affecting libido. As always, this blog is not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or therapist.
Libido
Libido refers to a person's sexual desire or drive. It is a - in my opinion - fundamental aspect of human sexuality. As you may know, the level of libido can vary greatly between different people and even in the same person at different times in their lives. Factors that can affect libido include: psychological aspects, such as stress and emotional state; physiological factors, such as hormone levels and health status; and external influences, such as relationships and life circumstances.
The term libido was popularized by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, who described it as the energy of sexual urges as part of his theory of the human psyche. In Freud's model, libido is one of the main drivers of human behavior.
It is normal for libido to fluctuate throughout life. Different life stages, such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and andropause (male menopause), can cause significant changes in libido. In addition, medical conditions, medications, lifestyle choices, and psychological problems such as depression and anxiety can affect libido. Lack of desire for sex (i.e., libido) is a common problem among men and women today. A New England Research Institute study suggests that 24 percent of men have a decreased libido.[1] In addition, an estimated 22 to 44 percent of women have a decreased libido.[2] What are the causes of decreased libido? Let's take a look at several influencing factors and look for improvement from there.
Psychological aspects
Psychological aspects play a crucial role in influencing libido. These aspects can range from daily stressors to deep-seated emotional or psychological problems. In this I want to give you only a few examples, then I will give you some forms of therapy which - depending on the person - could offer relief. We repeat this more often rather than less often: this newsletter is for your information, but absolutely not a substitute for therapy or the advice of a doctor or therapist.
Stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety can contribute significantly to low libido. When a person is stressed or anxious, the body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol. Excessive levels of cortisol can reduce sexual response and desire by disrupting the balance of other hormones that affect libido, such as testosterone. In addition, chronic stress or anxiety can lead to fatigue and decreased well-being, which can also reduce sexual desire.
When our body experiences prolonged stress or anxiety or is frequently administered hormetic (acute stress) stimuli, our body jumps into a state of survival.
The moment our body enters a state of survival, a number of functions are gigantic. The heart must beat faster, focus must increase, and breathing must also speed up to release a lot of energy briefly. To accomplish this, a lot of cortisol (hormone produced in the adrenal glands) is released. Cortisol suppresses immune functions (because getting sick is not helpful if you need to survive) and increases the release of sugar in the blood to run fast (flight) or fight (fight).
As long as our bodies are in a state of survival (or increase in cortisol production) we see a number of bodily functions being suppressed. In particular, digestion and everything surrounding reproduction are put on hold. The logical explanation for the latter is simple. If you cannot survive yourself, what is the point of reproducing yourself?
In this case, the HPA axis (hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal gland) takes charge and the two other important axes (HPG and HPT) are put on hold. Simply put. The more cortisol, the more likely reproductive organs are not working as they should.
So how do you get that cortisol to go down?
Less stress stimuli and more relaxation. Less time with your phone and more time in nature. Keep in mind that sports, ice baths, breathing sessions, intermittent fasting etc are also stress stimuli. Compensate sufficiently by using nasal breathing, time in nature, sufficient hours of sleep, hours without stimuli and standing barefoot in the grass doing nothing. In addition, take at least the first hours of the day without stimuli (CERTAINLY NO PHONE!) and the last 2-3 hours of the day ditto. Please take this seriously if you suffer from a lower libido. After all, these are steps you can go through on your own. Yes. You too.
Depression
I deliberately added this section because with many supplements for increasing libido, it is advised not to take them when using antidepressants. So too with our male formula.
Now you must be thinking ... hey, where is the rest of this blog now? You'll find it in The Elevate Club. Our free loyalty program. Just create an account on our website, log in, go to the elevate club and lastly to insights. The rest of the blog with important information about depression, nutrition, sports and more can be found there.
To get you started, get a hormonal recipe via this link!
[1] Travison, T. G., Araujo, A. B., Kupelian, V., O'Donnell, A. B., & McKinlay, J. B. (2007). The relative contributions of aging, health, and lifestyle factors to serum [...] in men. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(2), 549-555.
[2] Guay, A., & Davis, S. R. (2002). Testosterone [...] in women: fact or fiction? World journal of urology, 20(2), 106-110.