Loss of libido, or sex drive, is something that can affect many men and women in their lifetimes. According to the NHS there is no such thing as a "normal" libido because everyone’s sex drive is different.

However, there are a lot of things that can affect it. Simply being with a partner for a long time and becoming over-familiar is one reason, while another can be loss of sexual attraction. Regular arguments can cause problems, as can poor communication and/or difficulty in trusting one another. Physical problems can also have a great effect.

If the cause is physical, a low sex drive can be the result of inability to orgasm, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems, or vaginal dryness. There is also a condition called vaginismus which is involuntary tightening of the vagina.

Stress and anxiety are more causes of low sex drive. This can be because of problems at work, insufficient income, or simply feeling tired all the time.

Depression is another cause, and according to the NHS this is not just feeling unhappy or sad for a short time. It consists of feelings of extreme sadness that will not go away, feeling hopeless, and losing interest in things that you used to do and that you enjoyed doing. If this should happen, you are advised to talk to your GP about it. (1)

Simply getting older can also have an effect. You may have falling levels of sex hormones as a result of ageing – testosterone in men - and testosterone and oestrogen in women just before, during, and after the menopause. There could also be mobility problems or the side effects of medications that you have been prescribed.

Women can lose interest in sex during pregnancy, after giving birth, and while breastfeeding.

Drinking too much alcohol and/or the use of so-called "recreational" drugs can also have a bearing on your sex drive. In addition, health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, or thyroid problems can also be a cause.

As you can see, there are many things that can affect the sex drive and loss of libido, and one of the more common is erectile dysfunction in men. According to the US website UW Health, around 5% of men aged 40 have total erectile dysfunction, and that increases to 15% of men aged 70. Mild and moderate erectile dysfunction affects approximately 10% of men per decade of life (i.e. 50% of men in their 50s, 60% of men in their 60s, and so on. Basically, that means that sometimes they can and sometimes they can’t. (2).

Fortunately, today there are several medications which can combat erectile dysfunction, the best known of which is, of course, Viagra. It was discovered by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in 1989 when they were searching for a cure for angina, or chest pain. It was being tested on male patients who reported that a side effect was that their erectile dysfunction problem had disappeared or was considerably lessened. Pfizer then created the "little blue pill" with its’ diamond shape, and this was then approved for use for erectile dysfunction in the US and Europe in 1998. Pfizer applied for, and was granted, a patent, but that expired in 2013 so it is now legal for any manufacturer to produce a generic version of Viagra.

These generic versions contain exactly the same active ingredient as Viagra which is sildenafil. In fact, there is a generic version which is known as Sildenafil and you can buy Sildenafil online today. It is available as Sildenafil 50mg and Sildenafil 100mg and it is always recommended that users commence with the 50mg pill and use it several times to see how well it works for them. In many cases, the 50mg pill will be sufficient, but people do vary, and if it is not proving sufficient, one can increase to the 100mg dose.

In order to buy Sildenafil in the UK it is necessary to have a doctor’s prescription, because there could be contra-indications. In other words, a man might have certain conditions which make the use of Sildenafil inadvisable. However, if you want to buy Sildenafil online you can complete an online questionnaire and this will be assessed by a doctor who will then issue a prescription if you are suitable.

1. NHS UK. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/loss-of-libido/. Cited on 12.07.2019.

2. UW Health.Org. Available at: https://www.uwhealth.org/urology/erectile-dysfunction-ed/20537. Cited on 12.07.2019