Skip to content
  • About
    • Our story
    • Our science
    • Hormona App
  • Hormones
    • About hormones
    • Hair Loss
    • Irregular cycles
    • PCOS
    • Infertility
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
    • Employers
    • Partnerships
    • Hormona Ambassadors
Menu
  • About
    • Our story
    • Our science
    • Hormona App
  • Hormones
    • About hormones
    • Hair Loss
    • Irregular cycles
    • PCOS
    • Infertility
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
    • Employers
    • Partnerships
    • Hormona Ambassadors
  • En
  • Sv
Menu
  • En
  • Sv
Get the app
  • Hormones, Lifestyle, Our hormones, Sex

How do my hormones affect my sex drive?

Katherine Maslowski, MBChB, PGDipOMG and MSc

Have you ever noticed that your interest in sex changes at different times of the month? Today we are going to talk about how our hormones can change our sex drive and how we feel about sex.

A quick note on the phrase “sex drive”, before we talk about the hormones

I personally really don’t like this term. It implies that sex is something we need as humans, like food, water or sleep. It’s not. Don’t get me wrong, sex is great, but framing it as a “need” and a “drive” has dangerous consequences, especially when we use it to defend men’s behaviour towards women. It makes it sound like sex is something we are entitled to because we need it to survive. It’s not. We might not survive as a species without sex, but as individuals, we will be just fine. I know everyone uses this term (which is why it’s in the title) but I’m going to use other words to describe this idea.

It was the book Come as you are by Emily Nagoski that taught me this and I would 10/10 recommend the book – just as a side note.

Our hormones and sex

Our hormones control pretty much everything in our bodies. So of course, our hormones are also involved in sex and how we feel about sex/sexual desire/sex drive/whatever you prefer to call it.

Today we are going to talk specifically about the hormones of the menstrual cycle and how they relate to sex. There are a lot of other hormones in our body too though, and they can all interact to cause changes.

Estrogen and progesterone are the main female hormones that control our menstrual cycle. Testosterone is usually thought of as a male hormone, but women also have testosterone. Just in lower amounts than men. In women, testosterone has an effect on sexual desire as well. All three of these hormones can affect how much we feel like having sex, however, the effect that testosterone has is less clear than estrogen and progesterone.

Everyone is different

If you have read any of my other articles, then I am probably starting to sound like a broken record. But it is true. Everyone is different. There is no such thing as “normal”. I genuinely can’t recommend Emily Nagoski’s book enough if you are feeling like there is something “wrong” with your sex life.

However, if you feel that things have changed from your normal, then it might be to do with your hormones.

The menstrual cycle and our desire for sex

Generally, low levels of estrogen are associated with lower interest in sex. This means that the times in your cycle when estrogen is low you might feel less like having sex. This happens in the second half of your cycle and during your period.

Around ovulation, your estrogen levels are the highest. This is likely to be the time when you are most interested in sex which makes perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective. Around ovulation is when you are fertile and able to get pregnant, but this is not useful if you don’t also feel like having sex.

Increasing progesterone usually decreases sexual desire. Progesterone is high in the second half of your menstrual cycle (luteal phase) and during pregnancy. While some women find they don’t feel like having sex during their period (low estrogen), some find that they do. This might be due to decreasing levels of progesterone around this time. Hormones do not work in isolation, and it is the balance of these hormones that can affect how we feel.

Menopause and our desire for sex

The low levels of estrogen around and after menopause can also lead to a lower interest in sex. Some people find this distressing and there are treatments that can help with this (such as hormone replacement therapy). If you are going through menopause, or have been through menopause, and are finding your lack of interest in sex is interfering with your life then talk to your GP about things that could help.

Contraception and sex

The whole point of contraception (birth control) is to allow us to have sex without having a baby. However, some people find that hormonal contraception can mess with their interest in sex and reducing it. This doesn’t happen for everyone, and some people find that they are more interested in sex while on contraception.

If you think that your contraception might be negatively affecting your sex life then talk to your doctor about other options. This website might also be helpful if you want more information. And remember your fertile window is actually only 6-7 days so fully understanding what happens to your hormones when you are on contraception may make you look at other non hormonal options.

People using hormonal contraception don’t usually experience the cyclical changes in sexual desire that people with “natural” cycles do. This might mean you have a consistently lower interest in sex, or you might feel like having sex all the time. Everyone is different, remember? And depending on contraceptive method your hormones do not fluctuate like they do in people with a “natural” cycle.

Other things to remember

It is important to remember that lots of things can affect whether or not you feel like having sex. Stress, anxiety, relationship issues, depression, fatigue or even poor communication can affect your sex life. It is not just a matter of hormonal balance, but also balance in all aspects of your life.

There are also medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disorders or cancers that might affect your interest in sex.

Speaking to a psychologist, therapist or doctor might be helpful if you have concerns about your life or health that are interfering with your sex life.


Disclaimer: This website does not provide medical advice
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

  • June 15, 2022
  • Hormones, Lifestyle, Our hormones, Sex
Katherine Maslowski, MBChB, PGDipOMG and MSc

Katherine Maslowski, MBChB, PGDipOMG and MSc

Katherine is a junior doctor from New Zealand who has experience working in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and is currently studying an MSc in Women’s Health. She is passionate about women’s health and empowering women to learn about their bodies and understand how they work. She is particularly interested in sexual and reproductive health and helping women to make educated, informed choices about their health and wellbeing.

More stories

open pill capsule

Magnesium and Medication

woman putting on a face mask

DIM for acne: Does it actually work?

clear substance on beige background

Tracking your cycle through cervical mucus

RELATED POSTS

woman holding her tummy

Period bloating remedies: Beat the bloats

Bloat. The word sounds just like it feels, doesn’t it? You feel extra fluffy and full. Your clothes

Read More »
woman facing away in mirror

ADHD and hormones: What you need to know

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2019, six million children in the

Read More »
jug of water being poured in glasses

Bloating before period? Yes, it’s a real thing.

It must be that time of the month again…or is it? Wait, didn’t I just get my period

Read More »
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us
Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

© Wlness Science Ltd 2023

Language
  • En
  • Sv
  • En
  • Sv
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can always opt-out if you wish. Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT