Let's talk about sex (or lack thereof)


#1

Ok,
TMI thread. You have been warned.
Years ago I did LC diet and my libido was off the charts. While definitely about third or fourth on my list, one of my hopes for Keto was a resurgence of what was currently a pretty ordinary sex drive. Been Keto about three months. Worse than nothing. Lower. No sex drive AT ALL.
So I can see in a search of this forum that many people experience the opposite, and I’m feeling a little miffed!
I am pre menopausal, doing lazy Keto but sticking under 20g carbs, about 80% fat, doing fine, losing between 0.5-1kg a week. Stress down, sleeping well, drinking water, no frankenfoods. PCOS, still about 15kgs to lose, easily IF 16:8 most days, occasional 24hr fasts.

I would love to hear other’s stories and see if their libido has waxed/waned/turns a corner?


(LeeAnn Brooks) #2

Could it be your problems are more related to the premenopausal thing than the diet?


#3

Mine hasn’t gone down, only because it was already super low to begin with, ever since having a kid :frowning:


(Kirk) #4

I have to admit I am only horny when I am awake. Or asleep.


#5

Hi Swiftynix, I definitely think its hormonal, nothing to do with keto. I’m menopausal, been keto since second week of Feb and all much improved since became fat adapted.

I do take dry root ginger capsules to deal with cortisol production. As your body reduces oestrogen production in pre and menopausal state so cortisol production rises. Cortisol = stress and anxiety = lower libido. All natural but you can help to minimise and remember n=1 so can’t guarantee it will work for you. I take 2 capsules twice daily. Suggest you search for great advice re ginger from @SlowBurnMary.

Old fashioned but tried and trusted; turn off the TV, phone, laptop off, candle lit dinner, talking no distractions; its amazing what this can do…

All the best to you, shout if any queries. Off to sleep now :slight_smile: Ali


#6

As a male,no libido is about the same.
I will be measuring hormones before I go back to carbs. Only been on keto for 2 months now.
Its about getting your essentials in(zinc,all mircros, EFA) and staying away from toxins .Sleep too.


#7

Hmm, not sure, because when I say pre menopausal, I mean ‘before menopause’, which technically is anytime before peri menopause. So not sure how that would work? The only thing that has changed is the diet. So started diet, sex drive plummets from albeit fairly low baseline- but something to nothing is noticeable.


(Leslie) #8

Hi, swifty

Personal experience only
Don’t put too much into it
My husband and I have enjoyed a completely rapturous love life. Amazing right form the first day until about two years ago…when I all came to a screaming halt
I turned 50.
I suffered full on menopause
I had no sex drive
None
From 100 to zero!
In the course of a couple of months
Nothing. Zilch. Zero. The null set
Omg, it was awful for about a year and then I found keto
Guess what ?
It’s been AMAZING!
We are like we were thirty years ago
I have everything I could ever ask for
Health
Fitness
Libido
My husband…yummmmmm again
Keto! Keto! And keto!

Who hoo!!!


#9

Ok, thanks @Lesliemont… so did that happen instantly? Like three days, ketosis, wham bam back on? Or was it more like a gradual build up after you were fat adapted?
Curious to hear the experiences of others, even though I know n=1, yada yada…:smirk:


(TJ Borden) #10

Not gonna lie. The possibility of increased libido was definitely in my mind when I convinced my wife to start keto… and I haven’t been disappointed :wink:


(Leslie) #11

Now that I think of it, it was instant. Like overnight one day
So, not that it’s happened overnight but I think it did happen once I became fat adapted.
During those first few weeks I didn’t care
During every day since I CARE! Omg, I can’t even describe it
This is a noticeable difference.
I’m not sure why
I don’t actuality know what happened
I do know that in March of 2017 I stopped being interested
In Dec 2017 I started keto and by January 2018 I was like a teenager again.
Fat adaptation
Also, I don’t have periods. Not at all since Jan 2018 but only twice in the year prior
I am lifting more weight than I have ever lifted before

Stats for fun
5’2” 120ish
51 years old
Active and enjoying camping, fishing, hiking and the gym
I only keep track of my fat
I don’t eat any carbs except for veggies and a couple glasses of wine every night
I love avocados, salmon, eggs, coconut butter, kerigold butter, macadamia nuts, sea weed, Kombucha and spirulina
I’m not try to lose weight anymore
My husband loves my body and I’m very happy with that
Our sex life is amazing
I hope yours will be too


(Brandy) #12

The same thing is happening to me. I had a very healthy sex drive pre-Keto. Now it’s tanked.

I’ve been following a ketogenic WOE with IF and EFs for about six months. 44 years old, down 67 pounds and counting. PCOS is turning around. Completely off all medications for blood pressure and anxiety. Lots of energy. Feeling fantastic all around. Except this.

In terms of labido, I feel like I did ten years ago when my doc had me drugged out on anti-depressants. It’s starting to be a real problem for me, particularly when all I read is about an increased sex drive. Hmph.


(Frank) #13

Just like everything else ymmv. I have certainly found that my sex drive has gone up. Having significantly less body to move around has certainly made things more fun and focused. My wife has also been on the diet for about 4 months and she has experienced the same. It may not be a matter of quantity but the quality has improved by leaps.


(Bunny) #14
  1. Body is going into ‘starvation mode’ so the desire (libido) to have sex (reproduce) goes down?

  2. Still transitioning into Ketosis or more specifically being fat adapted? “…So if you’re experiencing this, it’s important to stay patient and stick with it. This won’t last forever[1]. …”

References:

[1] How a Ketogenic Diet Really Affects Your Sex Drive


(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #17

I didn’t have any real problems before, but getting my big belly out of the way has made it much better :slight_smile:
A few times after losing a bunch of weight, I looked down and told my GF… “Look ! I can actually see it” :slight_smile: lol
Granted, even after losing the weight, my GF still looks better naked than I do. But I think I deserve it, for putting up with her ornery little self :slight_smile:


(Bunny) #19

Up your carbohydrates a little more (fed state; higher sex drive) after around 6 months or so or go carnivore for higher circulating blood testosterone, only disadvantage is a weaker immune system because the thymus gland shrinks from higher testosterone and cannot push out as many mature T-cells from bone marrow.


(Keto Koala 🐨) #20

I had no libido at all for two years from opiate addiction. I got off all the drugs and started Keto and it came like crazy ( No pun intended).:joy::joy:. This is embarrassing but I’m 31 years old female and never experienced a climax until I was 29. I’ve had lots if sexual abuse so I never could enjoy sex. So I’m now learning like a teenager. Im like a teenage boy without the wanger. It may be the premenstrual stuff though because my mum is going through menopause and I think it happened to her. It will come back. Don’t worry :heart::heart::heart:


(Keto Koala 🐨) #21

That’s AWESOME!!! Enjoy.:yum::wink::grinning::joy::rofl:


(Troy) #23

Drive😳
Just need a hostage I mean passenger :weary:


(Canadian Beauty) #25

So pre menopausal or before menopause is splitting hairs. Many women experience symptoms of menopause before cycles cease; so do you or are you having ANY pre menopausal symptoms that you can think of?