Can changing your diet transform your sex life? Definitely yes! In recent years, the low-carb, high-fat keto diet has become very popular. The popularity of this diet has led many people to wonder how it affects various aspects beyond weight loss and the health it improves, including sexual desire.
On this last point, as for how keto diet affects libido, you should know that all people who follow a keto diet experience a decrease in libido from the start, followed by an “explosion” of libido. While the research is inconclusive, high-fat diets are generally associated with an increase in sex hormones, which in turn increases libido for this very reason.
What is Libido?
Libido is defined as a person’s general sexual desire or desire, and it can be influenced by biological, psychological and social factors. Lifestyle choices, medical conditions and certain medications can also affect libido.
Sexual desire disorders are often under-diagnosed in both men and women because not many people are willing to talk to their doctors about the problem. Loss of sexual desire can negatively impact quality of life, especially for those in sexually active relationships.
The Keto Diet and Your Libido
Initially, your libido may decrease due to limited carbohydrates (during the keto-flu phase), and thyroid function may decrease due to carbohydrate restriction. There are also some studies that show that low-carb diets increase cortisol (a stress hormone) and affect the HPA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal). After this phase, once your body gets used to the reduction in carbohydrates, it will have a positive effect on your libido. Much also depends on whether you are elderly or not; for example, menopausal women who suffer from low estrogen or low testosterone or both will be affected by increased fat consumption, and a keto approach will negatively affect libido.
On a keto diet, because you’re cutting out the stressors in food anyway, such as: sugar, refined carbohydrates and all the junk; this will have a positive impact on your libido anyway because it will give you more energy because there’s less sludge in the bloodstream (usually caused by the buildup of these foods).
Personally, if you look at how your brain works, it relies heavily on glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. My own experience is that when I try to turn off carbohydrates, I stop thinking and become very irritable. There are many benefits to eating carbohydrates, the main one being that when you eat carbohydrates, the sustained sugar (good) comes in over an 8 hour period. In addition, they help produce serotonin (the feel-good hormone). Depriving yourself of carbohydrates, therefore, may not actually have a boosting effect on your libido.
How Keto Diet Affects Libido?
1. Initially, your libido might take a dip, only to increase later on
The first thing you may notice after entering a keto diet is that your sex drive has decreased. In fact, there is evidence based on the relationship between ketosis and sex that this happens. However, after adapting to this diet, libido will rise again, even beyond its initial level. Therefore, at least in the long run, the keto diet is good for your libido. The decrease in libido is thought to be caused by the severe restriction of carbohydrates involved in this diet.
2. Healthier weight might boost confidence and sex drive
Having a healthier weight can be quite a confidence booster after a long struggle with being overweight. Confidence can do wonders for your sex drive, especially if a poor body image has prevented you from having a fulfilling sex life in the past.
3. Fats may increase estrogen and testosterone levels
The keto diet will usually require you to consume more fat than you initially did before going on this diet. This fat has been shown to cause increased levels of estrogen and testosterone, which naturally means having a higher sex drive.
4. The diet can make you less fatigued, which can increase sex drive
The keto diet can make you more energetic, especially if you stick to this diet while also having some significant weight loss. When you’re less tired, you’re more likely to be aroused, which is another way of saying that your sex drive will increase due to this diet.
5. You could be eating meals that are better for your libido
After leaving any previous diet to start following a keto diet, chances are you will start eating foods that are better for your diet and reduce your intake of foods that disrupt your libido. In this way, the keto diet can significantly affect your libido.
6. More activity might increase sex drive
More activity has been shown to be better for your sex drive. The keto diet can lead to weight loss, which naturally leads to increased physical activity for many people. Therefore, the more active lifestyle that a keto diet gives you may give your sex drive a boost.
Summary
There are many believers in the keto diet, but few people take the time to look at the weight loss benefits of this diet. But as far as your sex drive is concerned, the keto diet affects a variety of factors directly related to your sexual health, which is why it may affect your sex drive in a variety of ways. Above are some of them. While this diet may initially lower your sex drive, once you get used to it, it will lead to a greater sex drive.
