Many external and internal factors can affect your sexual health and libido. However, hormonal imbalance in both men and women can be one of the most important factors determining your sex drive and reproductive health. Chronic stress means increased cortisol levels. And that can seriously affect your sex hormones. To learn more about cortisol's impact on your sexual wellness and what you can do about it, check out our new article.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is notoriously known as a stress hormone, but we need to remember its primary function as a vital survival mechanism to protect us from danger. In response to an encountered threat, your brain releases cortisol into your body to trigger a "fight or flight" response, prompting you to either face the danger or escape. Without cortisol, you wouldn't get a sense of "danger" that triggers you to do everything you can to stay alive. Back in the days (actually thousands of years ago), when we still lived in caves and life was much more dangerous, cortisol protected us from being attacked by a bear as we hunted for food. If it weren't for those necessary cortisol spikes, we wouldn't have survived as species.
Unfortunately, a modern human lifestyle hasn't become more relaxing, and our cortisol levels have only worsened. Today, we are surrounded by routine stressors like traffic jams, troubles at work, the high cost of living, bad news from the media and arguments at home. Chronic stress means your body constantly runs on high cortisol, which can compromise your health in several ways. Normal cortisol spikes help you manage your energy levels in the morning, regulate your attention and keep you alert. But when it gets out of control, it can alter the immune response, suppress the digestive system and lower your libido.
High cortisol: how chronic stress impacts your libido
It seems logical that when you are chronically stressed, you don't think about physical intimacy – because you are just too overwhelmed! However, science explains everything. When you are aware of how your body works, it's easier to think of an action plan to optimise your health effectively!
Different hormones drive men's and women's libido. For men, it's essentially testosterone. This hormone is responsible for problem-solving, a sense of competition, muscle growth and sex drive. Men don't have the same hormonal cycle as women, but their testosterone levels follow a daily cycle, increasing in the morning and falling by the end of the day. Simply speaking, that's why a man usually is in the "run and conquer" mode during the day and then feels like relaxing and winding down after work. That sacred "me time" after work is important because it allows a male to restore his testosterone levels and energy and prepare for the new day. The problems may start when there is no opportunity for a break. When your cortisol is too high, your brain is too busy running a "fight or flight" response, slowing down functions that are not needed for survival mode (like digestion and sex drive). If a man is chronically stressed, increased cortisol can suppress his testosterone levels – which in mild cases can result in lower libido and, in more severe cases – erectile dysfunction.
Women's sexual health depends on various hormones, and it's normal for a woman to experience natural fluctuations in libido throughout her monthly hormonal cycle. Normally, during the first half of the menstrual cycle (before and after ovulation), a woman's libido is at its peak, gradually falling closer to her period. In addition, such factors as menopause and pregnancy can influence female libido in a great way as well. Even though it's impossible to "generalise" the question of female libido due to a woman's complex hormonal system, cortisol affects a woman in the same way it does a man – by suppressing the reproductive hormones in her body. Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone (yes, women have it too!) all play a major role in female libido. Increased cortisol levels interfere with a woman's hormonal system, which affects her sex drive as well.
In addition, not only cortisol impacts sex hormones but the thyroid function too. Increased cortisol can dramatically affect both male and female thyroid hormones, which may cause health problems, from autoimmune diseases to issues in reproductive health.
What should you do about it?
First and foremost, it's important to rethink your lifestyle and prioritise your needs! That includes finding a work-life balance, taking enough rest after work and connecting with your partner. Identifying external factors and how you can lower your stress levels can help you start normalising your well-being. For example, exercise, meditation, and breathing techniques are going to impact you in a very positive way.
It is really important, however, to get a blood analysis and the full picture of your hormonal status and cortisol levels in your blood, especially if you already experience symptoms like brain fog, low sex drive and fatigue.
At bioniq, we offer a blood test to determine cortisol levels in your body. In addition, we offer Male and Female Hormone Panels that will help you look into your reproductive hormones and Thyroid Function blood test to check your thyroid health.
Remember – prevention is better than treatment! Prioritise your mental and physical health above all, and always be aware of how your body works.
Dietary tips from bioniq clinical dietitian Lama Dalloul to reduce cortisol levels
- Include probiotic-rich foods to your diet: kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, bone broth
- Include omega-3-rich foods: chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, olive oil, sardines, and salmon.
- Get your daily intake of amino acids from protein-rich food, like eggs, turkey, chicken, lentils, chickpeas, and nut butter. These foods contain tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin (one of the happiness hormones).
- Include magnesium-rich food: avocado, banana, dark chocolate, and pumpkin seeds.
- Consume hormone-free foods
- Eat a variety of vegetables, especially tomatoes and green leafy vegetables.
- Include fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pomegranates and raspberry in your diet.
- Avoid processed, fried food, red meat, sodas, and excessive caffeine intake.
