In Detail
Libido is multifactorial — hormonal, psychological, relational, and contextual — but hormones are often a meaningful piece of the picture. In women, declining estrogen affects vaginal tissue and comfort during intercourse, while falling testosterone affects desire itself. In men, low testosterone affects both desire and erectile function.
Restoring estradiol can address vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, which removes one common barrier. Low-dose testosterone in women, used carefully, can improve desire when other contributors have been addressed. In men, testosterone therapy often produces a noticeable improvement in desire within weeks.
Hormones do not solve every libido concern. Relationship dynamics, mental health, medications (particularly SSRIs), sleep, and stress all play roles. A complete evaluation considers the full picture.