The Birth Control Pill can Lower Libido
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008While the birth control pill has revolutionized many women’s lives, giving them more professional and sexual freedom, it has come at a cost. The interference with hormone levels has increased the incidence of candida, which can cause ill health and potentially a wide variety of illnesses.
Now, a recent study shows that the pill can in fact demolish libido.
How does the birth control affect Libido?
The birth control pill is designed to change a woman’s sexual hormones so that she doesn’t get pregnant. This change in hormones can actually keep a women from have a vibrant sex life.
The pill inhibits the production of certain hormones called androgens, such as testosterone, which directly influence sex drive and pleasure.
In addition, the pill increases the production of a protein called sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which serves to bind sexual hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. Studies have shown a link between high levels of SHBG and decreased sexual desire.
The birth control can affect libido in several ways:
• Decreased libido
• Decreased enjoyment from sexual intercourse
• Decreased lubrication during intercourse; vaginal dryness
A study conducted in 2006 and published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine confirmed the birth control and libido link. It revealed that women using the pill had significantly lower libido than women not using the oral contraceptive.
Furthermore, the study showed that even those women who stopped using the pill continued to suffer from lowered sexual desire.
The Birth Control and Libido Study
The study included 124 pre menopausal women who had experienced long-term sexual dysfunction. The women were divided into three groups: continued birth control pill users, former pill users, and women who had never used the pill before.
SHBG levels for all three groups were taken on three separate occasions: at the commencement of the study, 80 days after pill discontinuation, and 120 after pill discontinuation.
The study found that levels of SHBG were much higher in the continued pill users than in those women who had never used the pill before. At the beginning of the study, continued pill users had 4 times the levels of SHBG in their system than non-users.
Even 120 days after discontinuing the pill, continued pill users still had 2 times the levels of SHBG that non-users had. This suggests that perhaps the birth control pill can contribute to long-term elevated levels of SHBG. It may even mean that the birth control pill could permanently affect SHBG levels in pill users, even after use is discontinues
What to do Next
Women who have their sex drive lowered after taking the pill can switch to another pill, however this might not eliminate the problem. Furthermore, interfering with hormones causes a range of problems generally including headaches, weight gain, and Candida.
It may be worth trying contraception that doesn’t affect libido and the body in general. These may be condoms, diaphragms, the copper coil, and even the rhythm method (sexually transmitted diseases must also be considered).
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