Losing interest in sex is common. In Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), 14.9% of sexually active men said they had lacked interest in sex for 3 months or more in the past year. The NHS says there are many possible reasons for a low sex drive, or low libido, and that treating the cause should help increase it.
What is libido?
Libido is another word for sex drive: your desire for sex. The NHS uses the two terms together ("low sex drive (loss of libido)"), and doctors also call it sexual desire. The British Society for Sexual Medicine notes that in the brain, testosterone stimulates libido. In Natsal-3, health, mood and relationships were all linked with it too.
A low libido isn't the same as erectile dysfunction, which is when you can't get or keep an erection long enough for sex, though the two can go together. The NHS lists erectile dysfunction as one of the causes of a low sex drive, and says men with erectile dysfunction sometimes have a low sex drive as well.
How common is a low sex drive in men?
A low sex drive is common in men. Natsal-3 interviewed 15,162 people aged 16 to 74 across Britain in 2010 to 2012. Lack of interest in sex was one of the two problems men reported most, at 14.9% of sexually active men, level with reaching a climax more quickly than they wanted. Women reported it about twice as often (34.2%).
The survey counted mild and occasional problems as well as bothersome ones, and only about 1 in 10 sexually active people said they were distressed about their sex life. Among sexually active people who had been in a relationship for at least a year, the most common issue was a mismatch in how much each partner wanted sex, reported by 23.4% of men.
Why is my sex drive low? The common causes in men
The NHS says the main causes of a low sex drive include:
- relationship problems
- stress, anxiety or depression
- sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction
- some medicines, such as those for high blood pressure and antidepressants
- drinking too much alcohol
Long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, an underactive thyroid or cancer can also affect it.
In Natsal-3, men in poorer health, with a long-standing illness or who screened positive for depression were more likely to report lacking interest in sex. So were men who didn't feel emotionally close to their partner during sex, and men whose partner had had sexual difficulties (Graham and colleagues, BMJ Open, 2017). A survey like this can't show which came first.
Stress, anxiety and depression
The NHS says a low sex drive, erectile dysfunction and mood swings may be the result of stress, depression or anxiety. These are typically brought on by work or relationship issues, money problems or worrying about ageing parents. If stress or anxiety is affecting you, it says medication or a talking therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may help, and that exercise and relaxation can also help. For depression, it lists antidepressants or CBT.
Relationship problems
Relationship problems come first on the NHS list of causes, and relationship counselling is the treatment it suggests. In Natsal-3, men who found it always easy to talk about sex with their partner were less likely to report low interest.
Erection problems
The NHS lists sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction among the causes of a low sex drive, and medicines to help you get an erection among the treatments. If worry about sex is part of it, our guide to sexual performance anxiety in men may help, and erectile dysfunction: causes and what helps covers erection problems in full.
Medicines and alcohol
The NHS names medicines for high blood pressure and antidepressants as possible causes. It lists problems with sex, including low sex drive, among the common side effects of antidepressants, and says that for some people these problems may carry on after stopping. Don't stop an antidepressant suddenly or without talking to your doctor first, the NHS says; see a GP if you think a medicine is affecting your sex drive, as a change of medicine may be possible.
Drinking too much alcohol is on the NHS list too. Its general advice is not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, which is about 6 pints of average-strength beer.
Long-term health conditions
Heart disease, diabetes, an underactive thyroid and cancer can all affect your sex drive, the NHS says. In Natsal-3, men with more long-term health conditions were more likely to report lacking interest in sex. The NHS suggests discussing treatment options for the condition with your doctor.
Is low libido a sign of low testosterone?
Low testosterone is one possible cause, though the NHS says that in many cases the symptoms have nothing to do with hormones. It says testosterone falls steadily by about 1% a year from around the age of 30 to 40, which is unlikely to cause problems in itself. A deficiency that develops later in life (late-onset hypogonadism) is uncommon and not a normal part of ageing, it adds.
When it does happen, a low sex drive is one of the three most common symptoms, the British Society for Sexual Medicine says. In the European Male Ageing Study of 3,369 men aged 40 to 79, low sexual desire, poor morning erections and erectile dysfunction were the three symptoms most closely tied to low testosterone. The more of them a man had, the lower his testosterone tended to be (Wu and colleagues, New England Journal of Medicine, 2010). Fewer morning erections can be another clue.
The British Society for Sexual Medicine advises testosterone screening for men who report reduced sexual desire, erection problems or loss of spontaneous erections. The NHS adds that late-onset hypogonadism is more likely in men who are obese or have type 2 diabetes. It can usually be diagnosed from your symptoms and blood tests. If a blood test suggests a deficiency, you may be referred to an endocrinologist (a hormone specialist), and if they confirm it you may be offered testosterone replacement.
How do you increase your sex drive (libido)?
The NHS says treatment for a low sex drive depends on what's causing it, and that treating the cause should help increase your sex drive. That might mean relationship counselling, help for stress or depression, a change of medicine, cutting down on alcohol, treatment for erection problems or, if tests confirm a deficiency, testosterone replacement.
| What can help | Who can help | |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship problems | Relationship counselling | A relationship counsellor; Relate also offers sex therapy for a fee |
| Stress or anxiety | A talking therapy such as CBT, or medication; exercise and relaxation can also help | A GP |
| Depression | Antidepressants or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) | A GP |
| Erection problems | Medicines to help you get an erection | A GP, a pharmacist or a sexual health clinic |
| A medicine you take | Changing to a different medicine | A GP |
| Drinking too much alcohol | No more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, with several drink-free days if you want to cut down | You |
| A long-term health condition | Discussing treatment options for the condition | A GP |
| Low testosterone, confirmed by blood tests | Testosterone replacement | A hormone specialist (endocrinologist), through a GP |
Based on the NHS table of causes and treatments for a low sex drive, with the NHS advice on stress, alcohol and testosterone. Doses are not given here.
A GP can advise you about the help you can get and any treatments that might increase your sex drive, the NHS says.
Does sex drive fall with age?
For men, British survey data show only a small link with age. In Natsal-3, lacking interest in sex was least common in men aged 16 to 24 (11.5%) and most common in men aged 35 to 44 (17.2%). The researchers found only a marginal relationship with age in men, although some other studies have found a stronger one.
In midlife, the NHS describes some men developing depression, loss of sex drive and erectile dysfunction in their late 40s to early 50s. Often the reasons have nothing to do with hormones: work or relationship worries, for example, or a "midlife crisis". It calls "male menopause" an unhelpful term, because there's no sudden drop in testosterone in middle age like the one in the female menopause.
When should you see a GP about a low sex drive?
See a GP if you're worried about your low sex drive, or if you think a medicine is affecting it, the NHS says. A GP will ask about your work and personal life to see whether something like stress or anxiety is behind it, may arrange a blood test for testosterone, and may refer you to a hormone specialist if the results suggest a deficiency.
For erection problems, you can also go to a sexual health clinic, which can provide the same treatment as your GP surgery. You can find a sexual health clinic near you on the NHS website.
If low mood is part of it and you need urgent help for your mental health, the NHS says to use 111 online, call 111 and select the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment. Call 999 or go to A&E if you don't feel you can keep yourself safe. You can also talk to Samaritans on 116 123.
Common questions
Is it normal to have no sex drive?
Losing interest for a while is common: in Natsal-3, 14.9% of sexually active men in Britain reported lacking interest in sex for 3 months or more in the past year. See a GP if it worries you, or if you think a medicine is behind it.
Does testosterone increase sex drive?
In men with a confirmed deficiency, yes: the British Society for Sexual Medicine's 2023 guidelines report meta-analyses of trials that found testosterone treatment significantly improves sexual desire in men with testosterone deficiency. The NHS says it's offered once a specialist confirms a deficiency, to correct it.
How is low testosterone tested?
With a blood test arranged by a GP. For men with erection problems, NICE's guidance asks for a fasting sample taken between 9 and 11 am, repeated with other hormone tests if the level is low or borderline.
Can antidepressants such as sertraline affect sex drive?
They can. The NHS lists low sex drive among the common side effects of antidepressants, including sertraline, and says these problems may carry on after stopping for some people. Don't stop suddenly or without talking to your doctor first.
Can alcohol lower your sex drive?
Drinking too much alcohol is one of the main causes of a low sex drive on the NHS list. The NHS's general advice is not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, and to spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink that much.
What if my partner wants sex more often than I do?
It's common: in Natsal-3, a mismatch in how much each partner wanted sex was the most common relationship issue, reported by 23.4% of men in relationships of a year or more. The NHS suggests relationship counselling where relationship problems are behind a low sex drive.
Sources
- NHS: Low sex drive (loss of libido)
- NHS: The "male menopause"
- NHS: Antidepressants
- NHS: Sertraline
- NHS: Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
- NHS: Alcohol units
- NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
- NICE CKS: Erectile dysfunction, assessment
- Mitchell KR et al. (2013), The Lancet: Sexual function in Britain, findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3)
- Graham CA et al. (2017), BMJ Open: What factors are associated with reporting lacking interest in sex and how do these vary by gender? Findings from the third British national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles
- Wu FC et al. (2010), New England Journal of Medicine: Identification of late-onset hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly men
- Hackett G et al. (2023), World Journal of Men's Health: The British Society for Sexual Medicine guidelines on male adult testosterone deficiency, with statements for practice
How this page was made. We wrote it from the sources listed above, opening and reading every one, and it says no more than they do. It's general information for adults, not medical advice, and it doesn't replace a GP or pharmacist. If you're worried about a symptom, speak to one of them or call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.