Vyleesi? Addyi? How women can get help for low sexual desire

Trauma and nervous system protection: “Previous trauma can impact how safe we feel. If our nervous system is on high alert, desire often hides.” If this resonates, gentle, trauma-informed support can be life-changing.

• Engage in weight training to increase testosterone levels, boosting libido.
• Reduce screen time before bed to improve sleep quality and hormonal response.
• Use guided imagery or fantasies to mentally prepare for intimacy.
• Incorporate new activities or positions to keep sex exciting.
• Avoid medications known to reduce libido unless prescribed by a doctor.
• Maintain healthy relationships, as emotional intimacy directly influences desire.
• Focus on self-care and self-love to improve body confidence and libido.

April’s advice starts with removing performance pressure and getting curious about what’s in the way. “Instead of trying to ‘increase’ your libido, I’d encourage you to try to understand what feels in the way right now,” April says, “alongside making natural changes to things like diet, movement, speaking with your healthcare provider about current medication, and even exploring your relationship with yourself or your partner with a professional.” In other words, “natural” isn’t about chasing a quick fix, it’s about supporting the root cause so desire has the space to come back on its own. Pressure is the thing that quietly kills desire, even when everything else seems fine.

Practical and Natural Ways to Boost Libido in Women

Sexual desire, sex drive, and libido are often used interchangeably, and many women experience periods of low sexual desire at different points in life. If sex drive feels lower than usual, many women worry that something is “wrong.” In reality, libido often shifts when the body or mind is carrying more: whether that is stress, fatigue, discomfort, or a change in hormones. Many women notice changes in sex drive during specific life stages, such as postpartum recovery, prolonged periods of stress, perimenopause, or menopause. These changes are common and expected because libido responds to sleep, energy levels, emotional load, physical comfort, and hormonal balance. “Trying to increase your libido without addressing what's going on for you mentally or physically might create pressure to perform and when life inevitably gets busy or stressful, it can feel like the goalposts keep moving,” says April.

Product	Dosage	Quantity + Bonus	Price
Viagra Soft Tabs	100mg	180 + 10 Pills	314.95€ 299.95€	Buy
Cialis Generic	40mg	360 + 10 Pills	477.87€ 455.11€	Buy
Viagra Generic	200mg	120 + 8 Pills	204.80€ 195.05€	Buy
Levitra Original	20mg	48 + 4 Pills	235.14€ 223.94€	Buy
Cialis Generic	40mg	10 Pills	37.79€ 35.99€	Buy
Viagra Generic	50mg	60 + 4 Pills	83.93€ 79.93€	Buy
Levitra Generic	10mg	30 + 4 Pills	62.39€ 59.42€	Buy
Viagra Generic	50mg	180 + 8 Pills	158.82€ 151.26€	Buy
Levitra Professional	20mg	360 + 6 Pills	914.63€ 871.08€	Buy
Kamagra Polo	100mg	60 + 4 Pills	189.39€ 180.37€	Buy

That’s why she recommends a softer, more sustainable approach. “Curiosity and compassion tend to be far more supportive than trying to achieve more when it comes to sex.” Libido doesn’t respond well to being treated like a KPI. And if you’ve been stuck in the cultural noise of needing to have more sex, more often, more enthusiastically, April offers a better goal that focuses on exploring having sex that feels good. Start by supporting the fundamentals that make desire possible. These are things like sleep, stress regulation, blood sugar stability, hormone support where needed and physical comfort (including addressing dryness or pain). These aren’t “unsexy” basics, they’re the biological groundwork for pleasure. April also reminds us that libido isn’t just about the body. “While what we eat, how we care for our bodies in terms of sleep, stress and pain management, and even our hormones levels, are all vital for better health and wellbeing even when it comes to sex, it's also important to explore how you feel mentally about sex, how your body is responding to it and even how you think about it within your relationship.” If you ignore the emotional and relational parts, you’re ignoring a big piece of the puzzle. For some women, what helps most is reducing the “always on” lifestyle that keeps their nervous system wired. For others, it’s rebuilding emotional safety with their partner, addressing resentment or disconnection, or redefining intimacy so it isn’t always a fast track to intercourse. For others, it’s checking thyroid function, iron levels, sex hormones or perimenopausal shifts. The goal is the same though… create the conditions where desire can return, instead of demanding it. Search best supplements for female libido and, like with most things, you’ll find a lot of confident claims. April says to start with what your body actually needs. “I would focus more on stress management, checking your hormone levels with your doctor and exploring your nutrition to better support your overall health and wellbeing,” she says. Supplements can help, but the best results come when they’re supporting a clear need, not a vague hope. If libido changes are paired with fatigue, cycle changes, sleep disruption, anxiety, low mood, or perimenopausal symptoms, she recommends starting with proper support. “Speaking with a healthcare provider about checking your overall health can be a reassuring place to start, especially if stress, a hormonal imbalance, thyroid, perimenopause or menopause are contributing to a lower interest in sex,” she says. That’s how you make supplements evidence-led rather than marketing-led… you don’t guess, you investigate. One of the fastest ways to tank libido is comparing your sex life to what you think it should look like. “I wish more women knew that if your sex life doesn’t look like what we see on TV and in films, that’s completely normal,” says April. “What we’re shown is entertainment, not a realistic reflection of how desire actually works in real life.” Real desire is shaped by real life, not a scriptwriter’s fantasy. “There is no normal amount of sex you should be having, and your libido will look different to everyone else.” That matters, because so many women label themselves broken when their libido fluctuates. “I speak with women all the time who constantly refer to their bodies as ‘broken’ if they don’t want sex as much as their partner or if their libido fluctuates from month to month or even feels like it's non-existent,” April says.

What Nutrients Have Been Proven to Boost Libido?

But libido is context-dependent, not character-defining. “Desire is far more complex and context-dependent than most of us were ever taught; it’s shaped by stress, hormones, relationships, and how safe and connected we feel in our bodies.” If your libido has gone quiet, you don’t need to panic or perform. Low libido in women is often a sign that your body is under strain. The goal isn’t to make yourself want sex, it’s to create the conditions where desire can return naturally. Here are some practical and tangible places to start: Protect your sleep like it’s part of your libido plan.

7. Discuss Contraception and Sexual Life with a Healthcare Professional

Aim for consistent bed and wake times, and prioritise wind-down time so your nervous system actually gets the message it’s safe to rest. Protect your sleep like it’s part of your libido plan. Lower your stress load in small, real ways. Think short walks, breathwork, a phone-free ten minutes, or anything that brings you out of “on” mode. Stabilise blood sugar to support energy and mood.

Low libido in women

Build meals around protein, fibre and healthy fats, and avoid running libido gummies female uk on caffeine and chaos (tempting, but not libido-friendly). Check in on hormones if things feel noticeably different. If you’re experiencing symptoms alongside low desire (like fatigue, cycle changes, mood shifts, vaginal dryness) speak to a healthcare provider about hormone and thyroid support. Don’t ignore pain or discomfort during sex. Pain isn’t something to push through. But libido is context-dependent, not character-defining. “Desire is far more complex and context-dependent than most of us were ever taught; it’s shaped by stress, hormones, relationships, and how safe and connected we feel in our bodies.” If your libido has gone quiet, you don’t need to panic or perform.

Aphrodisiac Herbs

Hormonal shifts, stress, medications, medical conditions, and emotional or relationship concerns are common reasons libido may drop. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, stress management, and emotional connection can naturally support a healthy libido. Persistent low libido that causes personal distress, painful sex, vaginal dryness, or fatigue may signal an underlying health issue worth evaluating. Primary care can help by looking at the full picture, including physical health, mental health, medications, and lifestyle, and supporting personalized next steps. Sexual desire in women reflects physical health, emotional well-being, hormones, relationships, and daily stressors and not just willpower or motivation alone. Low libido in women is often a sign that your body is under strain. The goal isn’t to make yourself want sex, it’s to create the conditions where desire can return naturally.

Nervous System

For others, it’s rebuilding emotional safety with their partner, addressing resentment or disconnection, or redefining intimacy so it isn’t always a fast track to intercourse. For others, it’s checking thyroid function, iron levels, sex hormones or perimenopausal shifts. The goal is the same though… create the conditions where desire can return, instead of demanding it. Search best supplements for female libido and, like with most things, you’ll find a lot of confident claims. April says to start with what your body actually needs.

Sea Moss

“I would focus more on stress management, checking your hormone levels with your doctor and exploring your nutrition to better support your overall health and wellbeing,” she says. Supplements can help, but the best results come when they’re supporting a clear need, not a vague hope. If libido changes are paired with fatigue, cycle changes, sleep disruption, anxiety, low mood, or perimenopausal symptoms, she recommends starting with proper support. “Speaking with a healthcare provider about checking your overall health can be a reassuring place to start, especially if stress, a hormonal imbalance, thyroid, perimenopause or menopause are contributing to a lower interest in sex,” she says. That’s how you make supplements evidence-led rather than marketing-led… you don’t guess, you investigate.

3: Don't skip foreplay

One of the fastest ways to tank libido is comparing your sex life to what you think it should look like. “I wish more women knew that if your sex life doesn’t look like what we see on TV and in films, that’s completely normal,” says April. “What we’re shown is entertainment, not a realistic reflection of how desire actually works in real life.” Real desire is shaped by real life, not a scriptwriter’s fantasy. “There is no normal amount of sex you should be having, and your libido will look different to everyone else.” That matters, because so many women label themselves broken when their libido fluctuates. “I speak with women all the time who constantly refer to their bodies as ‘broken’ if they don’t want sex as much as their partner or if their libido fluctuates from month to month or even feels like it's non-existent,” April says. Here are some practical and tangible places to start: Protect your sleep like it’s part of your libido plan. Aim for consistent bed and wake times, and prioritise wind-down time so your nervous system actually gets the message it’s safe to rest. Protect your sleep like it’s part of your libido plan. Lower your stress load in small, real ways. Think short walks, breathwork, a phone-free ten minutes, or anything that brings you out of “on” mode. Stabilise blood sugar to support energy and mood. Build meals around protein, fibre and healthy fats, and avoid running libido gummies female uk on caffeine and chaos (tempting, but not libido-friendly). Check in on hormones if things feel noticeably different.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Trauma and nervous system protection: “Previous trauma can impact how safe we feel. If our nervous system is on high alert, desire often hides.” If this resonates, gentle, trauma-informed support can be life-changing. April’s advice starts with removing performance pressure and getting curious about what’s in the way. “Instead of trying to ‘increase’ your libido, I’d encourage you to try to understand what feels in the way right now,” April says, “alongside making natural changes to things like diet, movement, speaking with your healthcare provider about current medication, and even exploring your relationship with yourself or your partner with a professional.” In other words, “natural” isn’t about chasing a quick fix, it’s about supporting the root cause so desire has the space to come back on its own. Pressure is the thing that quietly kills desire, even when everything else seems fine.

5. Environmental Factors

“Trying to increase your libido without addressing what's going on for you mentally or physically might create pressure to perform and when life inevitably gets busy or stressful, it can feel like the goalposts keep moving,” says April. That’s why she recommends a softer, more sustainable approach. “Curiosity and compassion tend to be far more supportive than trying to achieve more when it comes to sex.” Libido doesn’t respond well to being treated like a KPI. And if you’ve been stuck in the cultural noise of needing to have more sex, more often, more enthusiastically, April offers a better goal that focuses on exploring having sex that feels good. Start by supporting the fundamentals that make desire possible.

Hormone therapy

These are things like sleep, stress regulation, blood sugar stability, hormone support where needed and physical comfort (including addressing dryness or pain). These aren’t “unsexy” basics, they’re the biological groundwork for pleasure. April also reminds us that libido isn’t just about the body. “While what we eat, how we care for our bodies in terms of sleep, stress and pain management, and even our hormones levels, are all vital for better health and wellbeing even when it comes to sex, it's also important to explore how you feel mentally about sex, how your body is responding to it and even how you think about it within your relationship.” If you ignore the emotional and relational parts, you’re ignoring a big piece of the puzzle. For some women, what helps most is reducing the “always on” lifestyle that keeps their nervous system wired. If you’re experiencing symptoms alongside low desire (like fatigue, cycle changes, mood shifts, vaginal dryness) speak to a healthcare provider about hormone and thyroid support. Don’t ignore pain or discomfort during sex. Pain isn’t something to push through. If sex feels uncomfortable, address the cause first (it’s one of the fastest ways to rebuild safety in the body). Take “sex” off the table sometimes and focus on connection, touch and closeness without a goal. Desire often returns when it’s not being demanded.

Medication	Class	Common Indications	Possible Side Effects
Flibanserin	Serotonin receptor modulator	Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder	Dizziness, nausea
Bremelanotide (Vyleesi)	Melanocortin receptor agonist	Low libido	Nausea, flushing
Testosterone therapy	Hormone replacement	Low libido, postmenopausal women	Acne, mood changes

Have an honest conversation about what you actually want. If you’re partnered, talk about needs, boundaries, timing and what feels good now… not what used to work. A coach or therapist can help unpack emotional blocks, relationship dynamics, or past experiences that may be quietly switching desire off. This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf Samantha Nice is a seasoned wellness writer with over a decade of experience crafting content for a diverse range of global brands. A passionate advocate for holistic wellbeing, she brings a particular focus to supplements, women’s health, strength training, and running.

Take a quiz

If sex feels uncomfortable, address the cause first (it’s one of the fastest ways to rebuild safety in the body). Take “sex” off the table sometimes and focus on connection, touch and closeness without a goal. Desire often returns when it’s not being demanded. Have an honest conversation about what you actually want. If you’re partnered, talk about needs, boundaries, timing and what feels good now… not what used to work.

Exercise improves libido through blood flow and mood

A coach or therapist can help unpack emotional blocks, relationship dynamics, or past experiences that may be quietly switching desire off. This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf Samantha Nice is a seasoned wellness writer with over a decade of experience crafting content for a diverse range of global brands. A passionate advocate for holistic wellbeing, she brings a particular focus to supplements, women’s health, strength training, and running.

Ingredient focus for sensory and nervous system: Saffron

Samantha is a proud member of the Healf editorial team, where she merges her love for storytelling with industry insights and science-backed evidence. An avid WHOOP wearer, keen runner (with a sub 1:30 half marathon) hot yoga enthusiast and regular gym goer, Samantha lives and breathes the wellness lifestyle she writes about. With a solid black book of trusted contacts (including some of the industry’s leading experts) she’s committed to creating accessible, well-informed content that empowers and inspires Healf readers. What drives libido in women and why sex drive isn’t always the right phrase Desire vs arousal: Why low libido can feel confusing but totally normal The biology of libido in women: hormones, brain chemistry and stress What actually helps increase sex drive in women Supplements for female libido: what’s worth it and what’s mostly marketing How to actually increase libido in women: Expert top tips Low sex drive in women is common and often reflects physical health, emotional well-being, hormones, stress, and relationship factors, not willpower or failure. Sexual desire involves arousal, emotional connection, comfort, and overall sexual satisfaction, all of which can change across life stages. Samantha is a proud member of the Healf editorial team, where she merges her love for storytelling with industry insights and science-backed evidence. An avid WHOOP wearer, keen runner (with a sub 1:30 half marathon) hot yoga enthusiast and regular gym goer, Samantha lives and breathes the wellness lifestyle she writes about. With a solid black book of trusted contacts (including some of the industry’s leading experts) she’s committed to creating accessible, well-informed content that empowers and inspires Healf readers.

Supplement Name	Active Ingredient	Typical Dosage	Notes
Maca Root	Maca polysaccharides	1-3 grams daily	May improve energy and desire
Tribulus Terrestris	Saponins	250-750 mg/day	Linked to increased libido
Fenugreek	Furostanolic saponins	500-600 mg/day	May enhance sexual arousal
Ginseng	Ginsenosides	200-400 mg/day	Can boost libido and mood

What drives libido in women and why sex drive isn’t always the right phrase Desire vs arousal: Why low libido can feel confusing but totally normal The biology of libido in women: hormones, brain chemistry and stress What actually helps increase sex drive in women Supplements for female libido: what’s worth it and what’s mostly marketing How to actually increase libido in women: Expert top tips Low sex drive in women is common and often reflects physical health, emotional well-being, hormones, stress, and relationship factors, not willpower or failure. Sexual desire involves arousal, emotional connection, comfort, and overall sexual satisfaction, all of which can change across life stages. Hormonal shifts, stress, medications, medical conditions, and emotional or relationship concerns are common reasons libido may drop. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, stress management, and emotional connection can naturally support a healthy libido. Persistent low libido that causes personal distress, painful sex, vaginal dryness, or fatigue may signal an underlying health issue worth evaluating. Primary care can help by looking at the full picture, including physical health, mental health, medications, and lifestyle, and supporting personalized next steps. Sexual desire in women reflects physical health, emotional well-being, hormones, relationships, and daily stressors and not just willpower or motivation alone.

• Engage in regular cardiovascular activity to improve blood flow to reproductive organs.
• Avoid high-stress environments that can negatively impact libido.
• Use sensual touch and massage to increase comfort and arousal.
• Explore new forms of intimacy beyond intercourse to rekindle interest.
• Stay consistent with healthy habits, including diet, exercise, and sleep.
• Be patient; increasing libido often takes time with lifestyle adjustments.
• Educate yourself about female sexual health to better understand your body.

Sexual desire, sex drive, and libido are often used interchangeably, and many women experience periods of low sexual desire at different points in life. If sex drive feels lower than usual, many women worry that something is “wrong.” In reality, libido often shifts when the body or mind is carrying more: whether that is stress, fatigue, discomfort, or a change in hormones. Many women notice changes in sex drive during specific life stages, such as postpartum recovery, prolonged periods of stress, perimenopause, or menopause. These changes are common and expected because libido responds to sleep, energy levels, emotional load, physical comfort, and hormonal balance.