For some doctors, sexual desire can only increase in pill. Indeed, women, free from unwanted pregnancies, not more s'angoissent the idea of love and therefore feel released carrying much weight, gave way to boost their sex develop. If this is not necessarily wrong, the reality is quite different.
Indeed, 20% to 40% of women reported pill observe a decrease in sexual desire (1). While some women say they feel a positive effect on their desire, they are two times less numerous than those who see a negative effect.
On the other hand, these women often feel they are hampered by the disappearance of fluctuations in sexual desire during their cycle.
Why this negative effect of the pill on sexual desire?
Desire is largely linked to the active level of testosterone circulating in the blood. Testosterone, which is considered a male hormone is in fact also in women, although at a lower rate. And it is very important for female sexuality.
Indeed, 20% to 40% of women reported pill observe a decrease in sexual desire (1). While some women say they feel a positive effect on their desire, they are two times less numerous than those who see a negative effect.
On the other hand, these women often feel they are hampered by the disappearance of fluctuations in sexual desire during their cycle.
Why this negative effect of the pill on sexual desire?
Desire is largely linked to the active level of testosterone circulating in the blood. Testosterone, which is considered a male hormone is in fact also in women, although at a lower rate. And it is very important for female sexuality.
However, the pill tends to reduce the rate of active testosterone in the blood.
And this by several mechanisms:
The contraceptive pill reduces the production of testosterone by the ovaries, and this decrease reached 50%.
Some pills have a 'anti-testosterone' voluntarily sought to combat acne or hair.
And the testosterone that circulates in your blood can be inactivated by a protein that, in capturing, makes it inactive. This is the SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin). The pill increases the rate of SHBG.
Following this decline in testosterone active women have decreased sexual desire. This translates into a loss of sexual receptivity (less interest to the desire of the other), a decrease of sexual fantasies and erotic imagination, a decrease of nocturnal sexual reactions (equivalent to the erection in the night man, namely lubrication night), but also by a loss of vitality, fatigue, and decreased muscle mass and fitness.
This set of signs up to look like a depression.
In the same vein, in a group of women on pill with a disorder of desire, we see that their testosterone levels active is much lower and their rate of SHBG is much higher than in women without sexual difficulties (2 ).
However, all pills are not exactly the same effect on testosterone. If all have the effect of increasing the SHBG, reducing the effectiveness of sexual testosterone circulating, this increase is not as important for all the pills. Thus, the pills based on desogestrel or Cyproterone acetate are much more up the SHBG and therefore are more harmful to the desire that those formulated based Levonorgestrel.
The anti-testosterone pills based on their advertising that they are a beautiful skin without acne, which is true. But the flipside is a decrease in desire, sometimes total, which is very annoying and rarely reported.
So what if you feel a decrease in sexual desire pill?
Start by talking to your doctor to evaluate and possibly change of contraception. You then have the choice between a pill less' anti-testosterone 'or some other method of contraception.
And this by several mechanisms:
The contraceptive pill reduces the production of testosterone by the ovaries, and this decrease reached 50%.
Some pills have a 'anti-testosterone' voluntarily sought to combat acne or hair.
And the testosterone that circulates in your blood can be inactivated by a protein that, in capturing, makes it inactive. This is the SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin). The pill increases the rate of SHBG.
Following this decline in testosterone active women have decreased sexual desire. This translates into a loss of sexual receptivity (less interest to the desire of the other), a decrease of sexual fantasies and erotic imagination, a decrease of nocturnal sexual reactions (equivalent to the erection in the night man, namely lubrication night), but also by a loss of vitality, fatigue, and decreased muscle mass and fitness.
This set of signs up to look like a depression.
In the same vein, in a group of women on pill with a disorder of desire, we see that their testosterone levels active is much lower and their rate of SHBG is much higher than in women without sexual difficulties (2 ).
However, all pills are not exactly the same effect on testosterone. If all have the effect of increasing the SHBG, reducing the effectiveness of sexual testosterone circulating, this increase is not as important for all the pills. Thus, the pills based on desogestrel or Cyproterone acetate are much more up the SHBG and therefore are more harmful to the desire that those formulated based Levonorgestrel.
The anti-testosterone pills based on their advertising that they are a beautiful skin without acne, which is true. But the flipside is a decrease in desire, sometimes total, which is very annoying and rarely reported.
So what if you feel a decrease in sexual desire pill?
Start by talking to your doctor to evaluate and possibly change of contraception. You then have the choice between a pill less' anti-testosterone 'or some other method of contraception.
