An often shied-away-from subject that can greatly impact our sense of self as well as our relationships, a loss of libido can be thought to affect over a third of women and twice as many women than men.
Female-founded sexual wellness brand HANX found that 73 per cent of British women experienced desire dips, while a survey by the British Menopause Society revealed that less than a third of those who reported a drop in their sex drive had tried to find a solution.
Just as aspects of daily life such as what we eat, the exercise we get, how we deal with stress and the quality of our sleep affect overall well-being, they are also key factors that impact sexual desire. Then there are physical factors too, from the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause to health issues such as fatigue. Taken together, all of these elements mean that treating concerns around lack of sex drive can require a multi-faceted approach.
If your lack of libido is a chronic, long-term issue, it’s always best to speak to your GP or try counselling. For shorter-term and immediate support, there are carefully curated blends of vitamins, minerals and herbal and plant extracts that can help ease symptoms by aiding mood, hormone balance and energy levels as well as sex drive itself.
What influences women’s libido level?
“Libido and sexual desire in women can fluctuate throughout life, influenced by various different factors,” explains Kirsten Humphreys, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Certified Mindfulness, Health and Wellness Coach for Bare Biology. “These changes can occur during pregnancy, after childbirth, through perimenopause or menopause, or even at different points in the menstrual cycle such as during ovulation when desire may be heightened. Other factors can impact libido including mood, energy levels, hormones and medications.
“One significant contributor is stress. This is something that comes up often in-clinic for many practitioners, myself included. Effectively managing stress is essential for supporting hormonal balance, overall health and energy levels. Simple practices that promote stress reduction also benefit hormone health, such as eating for balanced blood sugar, ensuring proper hydration, getting quality sleep and supplementing as needed.”
What should you look for in a libido-boosting supplement?
“Magnesium - especially magnesium bisglycinate - is an excellent example of a nutrient that supports factors related to libido, helping to calm the nervous system, reduce stress and maintain hormone health,” advises Humphreys. “Additionally, low vitamin D levels have been linked to reduced sex drive, making it an important nutrient to consider supplementing, especially in winter.
“For women with low androgen levels (which can happen in periods of high stress, PCOS or menopause, for example), zinc or ashwagandha may help to regulate testosterone production. Maca root is another popular choice, traditionally used to enhance sexual desire. Depending on the cause of low libido, focusing on nutrients or herbs that boost mood and energy, improve blood flow and alleviate stress can be helpful. Examples include omega-3, ginseng, B vitamins and ginkgo biloba, which may all play a role in boosting vitality and sexual health.”
For our choice of the best supplements to help support and boost female libido, read on…
The Naked Pharmacy Ashwadisiac for Women
When creating this supplement, The Naked Pharmacy researched female sexual function and found that four different systems in the body work in tandem to create biochemical sexual desire. If one of these systems isn’t working at optimum, it results in a low or stalled sex drive.
Using premium-grade, food-sourced ingredients, a team of pharmacists have blended together a potent mix that benefits from pharmaceutical technology to support libido, vitality and hormone balance, helping improve sexual desire, performance, energy and mood. The four hero ingredients include ashwagandha to reduce stress hormones, benefit sleep and rebalance happy hormones including dopamine and serotonin.
There is also fenugreek, which has been shown to help manage levels of oestradiol and testosterone, enhance low libido as well as boost energy and gingko biloba to tackle poor blood flow in the pelvic area which contributes to a lack of arousal. Lastly, the aphrodisiac saffron - believed to quell stress and boost mood too. The brand also offers a free 10-minute health consultation with one of their pharmacists if you want more advice or information.
Buy now £36.00, Amazon
Hanx Libido Lift
Founded by Dr Sarah Welsh who worked in NHS gynae care, HANX is a new sexual health and wellness site created to educate and offer chic, modern, intimate products. The Libido Lift is a peach-flavoured powder, formulated with nutritionist Shona Wilkinson, using natural ingredients and a scientific approach that helps to level out fluctuating hormone levels and sex drive.
In each sachet (there are five in a box), you’ll find vitamin B6 to help balance the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin and maca root powder which is thought to boost low mood and improve sexual function in women taking antidepressants. The plant extract tribulus terrestris, meanwhile, reportedly increases arousal, vaginal lubrication and desire, while maritime pine bark extract can bolster blood flow to the genitals.
Vegan-certified, you can mix one into a drink either two hours before sex or take it as a daily supplement to maintain the overall wellness benefits.
Buy now £19.99, Boots
Novomins Turn Me On Gummies
If you prefer gummies as a way to get your libido-boosting benefits, two of these peach and raspberry-flavoured chewables will provide a brilliant blend of helpful nutrients, specifically chosen by a team of doctors and nutritionists.
The research-backed blend of plants and herbs used for centuries in alternative medicine includes fenugreek, maca root, Tribulus terrestris and damiana, all clinically proven to improve mood and energy levels, which in turn, supports sexual arousal. Stress-lowering ashwagandha has also been added alongside B vitamins 6 and 12 to help general hormone health, plus L-arginine to improve the body’s blood flow and help enhance sexual arousal.
The result is a more balanced nervous system, better hormone health and psychological function, which all benefit female libido levels
Buy now £17.99, Amazon
Health & Her Intimacy Multi-Nutrient Support
Vegan, gluten-free and using ethically-sourced ingredients, these two-a-day capsules are formulated to support women of all ages in three ways linked to the libido: sexual desire, the nervous system and a healthy vaginal lining.
An extract of Tribulus terrestris plant is believed to improve arousal and sex drive, while biotin and vitamin B2 help maintain the healthy function of the mucus membrane that makes up the inner lining of the vagina.
Other vitamins included are B2, B6 and C combined with magnesium to keep the nervous system functioning normally and ease stress and anxiety, while B6 will assist in regulating hormones. The botanical maca root has also been added for its ability to boost mood and libido. You can find more support and advice by downloading their free app too.
Buy now £24.00, Amazon
Viridian Nutrition Maca Extract
Libido, stamina, energy and hormonal balance are all believed to be improved with regular use of the maca root extract, taken from a vegetable found in the Andes and often referred to as Peruvian ginseng for its pick-me-up properties. Known to be a natural aphrodisiac and mood enhancer, it’s rich in nutrients including vitamins B1, B2, C and E, as well as minerals including calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium and iron, giving it the well-earned title of a superfood.
These nutrients together can help enhance energy, mood and libido while supporting fertility and reducing symptoms of hormonal imbalances. For those taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression and feeling a side-effect of diminished sex drive, a trial where women took 3000mg of maca per day found it significantly improved depressive symptoms including libido.
Buy now £25.50, Victoria Health
Rejuvenated Female Hormone Support
Herbs, vitamins and bio-active nutrients make up this multi-purpose supplement aimed at balancing hormones in a variety of ways and with myriad benefits. By supporting oestrogen levels and easing symptoms of PMS, peri and menopause including anxiety and irritability, this one-a-day capsule also tackles many of the contributing factors to low sex drive, in turn helping to improve it.
The sustainable and traceable ingredients include adaptogens ashwagandha, suma powder and schizandra berry, which all help the body to adapt to stress. Hops are packed with phytoestrogens and are believed to be useful for fatigue, disrupted sleep and vaginal dryness. Reishi mushroom extract boosts the immune system as well as being said to help with low mood. A power-packed supplement with 360° holistic benefits for women at any age.
Buy now £24.95, Rejuvenated
Bare Biology Ready & Rested
For maximum benefit, take up to three capsules a day of this formula based around magnesium glycinate, a combination of the mineral magnesium bound with the amino acid glycine which together are very bioavailable, meaning the supplement is easily absorbed by the body and gentle on the digestive system.
As well as helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue, it aids in regulating energy production, the nervous system and psychological health, which all contribute to keeping libido levels well-balanced for women spanning all age groups. By also supporting hormone health and muscle function, both body and mood are also best placed to maintain a regular sex drive and prevent dips in sexual desire.
Buy now £34.99, Amazon
MenoPlay Testosterone Food Supplement with Libido Support
Although labelled a testosterone supplement, this powdered formula is hormone-free. Instead, it helps the body produce its own natural testosterone, which declines as we age but is critical for female sexual health, contributing to libido and orgasm, as well as helping to maintain normal metabolic function, muscle strength, cognitive function and mood.
Each of the scientifically evaluated ingredients has been chosen for their positive benefits on sexual desire and as well as symptoms of menopause, so is well-suited to women during this period of life. Zinc is included to support normal testosterone levels in the blood, as well as helping to keep skin and hair healthy; saffron, meanwhile, adds a libido boost. Magnesium is key for helping to tackle fatigue plus keeping bones maintained, while vitamin B6 regulates hormones, cognitive function and energy production.
Add two teaspoons to water daily to transform the powder into a refreshing pink lemonade-flavoured drink.
Buy now £32.99, Issviva
Hifas da Terra Cordyceps Vital Mushroom Powder
A superfood powder crafted from specially selected and sustainably grown mushrooms, you can add one or two tablespoons to the drink, yoghurt, soup or even rice of your choice for a pick-me-up every day.
The only ingredient is cordyceps sinensis or cordyceps mycelium, sometimes called caterpillar mushroom, which has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries and is revered in Asian cultures as a natural aphrodisiac and libido-booster. By increasing energy and vitality as well as helping to improve physical performance, sex drive can be enhanced as well as low mood elevated.
Buy now £26.00, Hifas da Terra
Artah Enhanced NAD+ Complex
While the main focus of this supplement is to promote cell health and longevity by fuelling the body with the precursors that stimulate it to create new NAD+ energy and recycle what we already have, there are ingredients in the two-per-day capsules that also act to help support and boost sex drive.
Maritime pine bark is believed to help improve libido while studies have revealed that saffron enhances sexual desire and vaginal lubrication. Added panax ginseng has also been found to improve libido and overall sexual satisfaction. Working in tandem with the mood, sleep and physical performance benefits of this phytonutrient-rich formula, it makes for a fantastic synergy.
Buy now £60.00, Artah
Verdict
The detailed research around female sexual function and maintaining a healthy libido that has gone into creating this supplement makes The Naked Pharmacy Ashwadisiac for Women a well-trusted option for those impacted by a low sex drive.
Focusing specifically on the core issues of supporting libido, vitality and hormone balance by combining the best quality ingredients from food sources and using pharmaceutical technology to ensure they work at their optimum, these capsules can offer a wealth of fantastic libido-boosting benefits around a health issue that many women may not feel comfortable discussing, while the additional confidential support available from their in-house pharmacists is another reassuring asset too.
