Low libido in women: causes and what helps

Sexual desire shifts across your life, and it responds to everything around you: tiredness, stress, your relationship, sleep, medication, hormones. The NHS lists relationship problems, stress, anxiety or depression, pregnancy and the postnatal period, the drop in hormones with age and especially during the menopause, some medicines such as those used for high blood pressure or antidepressants, hormonal contraception and heavy alcohol consumption among the causes of low libido. If you recognise yourself in that list, you are not alone and there is nothing wrong with you. It is worth looking at what has changed and speaking to a professional if the situation drags on or worries you.

Is it normal to lose your sex drive from time to time?

It can happen, and the NHS lists several possible causes. What usually prompts a consultation is not the variation itself but the distress it causes: you feel guilty, you avoid intimacy, your partner notices and the relationship suffers.

Notice a useful distinction. Having less spontaneous desire is one thing; having pain, marked dryness, difficulty becoming aroused or a sudden change that has never happened before is another. The two deserve different attention. The second warrants a conversation earlier with your doctor or pharmacist.

There is also no correct number of times to have sex each week. The frequency that suits one couple may not suit another. Comparing yourself with what you hear from friends or see on social media is a bad compass: nobody shows you their real sex life.

Why have I lost my sex drive? The most common causes, in order

Several of the causes the NHS lists are everyday ones, and that is where it is worth starting.

Stress, anxiety and tiredness. Poor sleep, intense weeks at work, bills to pay, small children — all of it takes up the mental space that sexual desire needs. The NHS explicitly includes stress, anxiety and depression among the causes of low libido.

Relationship problems. Unresolved hurt, poor communication, built-up resentment. The NHS includes relationship problems among the causes of low libido.

Alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption is on the NHS list.

Medicines and hormonal contraception. Some blood-pressure medicines and antidepressants can affect libido, and hormonal contraception is also mentioned as a possible cause. This does not mean you should stop anything on your own. It means it is a conversation to have with whoever prescribed it.

Hormones and life stages. Pregnancy and the period after birth, and the drop in hormones with age, especially during the menopause, are among the listed causes. The NHS includes reduced libido among the symptoms of the menopause and perimenopause.

Long-term conditions. The NHS indicates that conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism and cancer can affect libido, and that treatment depends on the cause. If you have one of these conditions and have noticed a decline, it is worth mentioning at your next appointment.

What you can change this week

There are no miracles here, but there are concrete measures. Start with the ones that depend only on you.

• Alcohol. Cut down and see what happens. If you drink several times a week, this is the first adjustment to test.
• Stress. It will not be solved by one deep breath. It is solved with fewer commitments, more practical support at home and, if anxiety or depression are present, professional help.
• Relationship. An honest conversation about what has changed, without accusations.
• Rest and touch without a goal. You can try affection that does not have to end in sex.

Give each change a realistic block of time. If nothing has changed by the end of that period, the next step is not another identical week — it is talking to someone.

What probably will not help

There is a lot of popular advice that promises more than it can deliver. Be wary of single solutions: an herb, a tablet, a diet, a new toy. They may be pleasant, but they do not resolve a cause that is not being treated.

The idea that you simply need to "relax" is unfair and not very useful. If the cause is anxiety, depression, a long-term condition or a medicine, willpower is not enough.

There is also no solid evidence that generic "libido" supplements solve the problem. If someone promises you guaranteed results, that in itself is a warning sign.

Where supplements honestly fit

Food supplements are not a treatment for low libido. None of the ingredients we can mention — collagen, biotin, folic acid, selenium, vitamins A, B6 and C — has established evidence that it increases sexual desire. In the sources we consulted, none of these nutrients appears associated with libido.

What makes sense is making sure the basics are not missing. A varied and balanced diet is the foundation, and supplements do not replace it. If you suspect a deficiency, your doctor can assess it. Products such as Collagen Gummies or Glow Up exist on the market, but they are not the answer to low libido and do not replace a varied diet, rest, psychological support or medical treatment when it is needed. If you take them, check the label and follow the directions: for Collagen Gummies, the dose is two gummies a day, and you should not exceed the recommended daily dose. They contain polyols, excessive consumption of which may have a laxative effect, and they should not be used as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.

When to speak to a doctor or pharmacist

The NHS advises seeing a doctor if you are worried about low libido or if you think a medicine or hormonal contraception may be affecting it. Here is the practical test: does it worry you, or do you suspect a specific cause? Then book an appointment.

Some signs call for a quicker conversation, especially because they may point to something else that needs investigating: a sudden and unexplained change, pain during sex, marked dryness, or a decline that coincides with starting a new medicine. A pharmacist can help clarify interactions and prepare you for the conversation with your doctor.

You do not need to bring a perfect list. Bring what you know: when it started, what has changed in your life, what medicines you take. That is enough to begin.

How long before you know whether something is working

Give changes time. Lifestyle changes take weeks to show an effect, and hormonal or medication-related causes may require adjustments that only a doctor can make. If the cause is a long-term condition, treatment follows the pace of that condition.

A final note on the evidence. We know these causes are associated with low libido; we do not know, for any individual woman, which one weighs most. The first step is not to buy anything — it is to look at what has changed and, if you need to, ask for help.