Sexual libido mirrors psychological and physical state of human health

Scientists proved several years ago that people's sexual desires are programmed in human genes. Some inherit a high libido from their ancestors, which makes them burn with desire every day. Some need sex only once a week, whereas others do not feel the need in sex at all and can be happy with Platonic love.

Libido may vary depending on circumstances. A lot of people acknowledge that they want to have sex every day when they go on holidays. In general, however, libido is a consistent phenomenon. If it suddenly changes for the worse, it may be a signal of health alarm, physical health, first and foremost.

Sexual desire, or libido, directly depends on the endocrine profile, or testosterone, to be more precise, the male sex hormone. Testicles produce most of testosterone under the control of the central nervous system. If a man produces a lot of testosterone, his libido will be higher than the average. It is generally believed that such men are well-built and explosive. They also start to lose hair earlier than other males and have excessive face, chest, back and buttocks hairs. This perception is true in most of cases. At least, sexually obsessed males mostly come from southern countries, whereas the situation among men living in northern countries of the world is different.

The level of testosterone in blood gradually decreases with age (one or two percent a year), but the process runs humbly until the age of 60. It is rather difficult to accelerate the process, for a male body is a balanced system in terms of hormones. However, it is possible to do so, if a person puts quite an amount of effort in the endeavour. Testosterone may drop if a man takes too much weight, drinks too much alcohol, gets kicked in the groin on a regular basis, stays near an open source of radiation or takes hormonal medications which reduce the level of testosterone in blood. It is worthy of note that the British authorities intend to use the last method against rapists.

US scientists with Professor Peter Gray at the head determined another factor which affects men's sexual appetite. They examined about 200 cattle farmers in north Kenya and measured their level of testosterone. The research revealed that that the more legal wives a man had, the lower level of testosterone he had. Bachelors proved to have the highest level of the hormone, of course.

The situation does not differ much with women: testosterone is responsible for women's sexual desire as well. Women produce their male sex hormone in ovaries.

The endocrine profile of women is not so stable as that of men. Periods, pregnancy, child labor and climax seriously affect women's hormones and their stability. That is why only gynecologists and endocrinologists can determine the reason of women's low libido. If the level of women's testosterone drops without any particular reason to it, birth control pills should fall under suspicion in the first place.
 
In 2005, scientists from Boston University amazed the world with their discovery. They proved that the prolonged intake of birth control pills results in the production of a substance which neutralizes testosterone in women's blood. Those women, who regularly use oral contraceptives, have their level of testosterone four times lower in comparison with those who prefer other contraception means. Even if a woman stops using birth control pills, her libido will not be resetting.

Libido is a very complicated phenomenon which does not limit itself to hormones only. A certain amount of testosterone in blood is not enough – the brain needs to react to the hormone accordingly. Needless to say that a person staying in a state of depression will not be able to enjoy the required reaction.

Insomnia, poor diet, illnesses, psychological and physical fatigue may easily bring the sexual desire to nothing.

A person may not have any sexual desire at all even if he or she does not have problems with health and testosterone level. The desire of intimacy largely depends on a personal attitude to sex and relations between the partners.

Libido can also diminish because of habituation and comparison.

As a rule, the first heartthrob lasts from six months up to three years. Nature provides this time period to humans to conceive children. Afterwards, the excitement of true love usually reduces to habituation.

Partners may also compare each other with other people and continuously find faults with each other, which eventually leads to loneliness.

SOURCE/RESOURCE:  english.pravda.ru on 8/1/08