Low Sex Drive in Men: Causes and What Helps

A low sex drive (loss of libido) in men usually has an identifiable cause, such as stress, relationship problems, an erection problem, alcohol, a medicine or a long-term health condition. The NHS says treating the cause should help increase your sex drive. See a doctor if it worries you or if you think a medicine may be responsible. This guide lists the causes the NHS names, the matching treatments, and what supplements can and cannot do.

What counts as a low sex drive?

There is no “normal” number. A low sex drive means less interest in sex than is usual for you, lasting long enough to bother you or your partner. It is different from erectile dysfunction, although the two can occur together.

Main causes

The NHS lists these among the main causes of a low sex drive:

• relationship problems
• stress, anxiety or depression
• sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction
• lower hormone levels as you get older
• certain medicines, such as medicine for high blood pressure or antidepressants
• drinking too much alcohol

It adds that some long-term conditions can affect sex drive, including heart disease, diabetes, an underactive thyroid and cancer. Some causes on the NHS list, such as pregnancy, menopause and hormonal contraception, apply to women and are left out here.

Is it “low testosterone”?

Sometimes, but less often than advertising suggests. The NHS explains that testosterone falls steadily by about 1% a year from around the age of 30 to 40, and that this is unlikely to cause problems in itself. It says that in many cases symptoms such as loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction and mood swings have nothing to do with hormones and may be the result of stress, depression or anxiety, or of lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, a poor diet, lack of exercise, drinking too much alcohol and smoking.

A true testosterone deficiency developing later in life (late-onset hypogonadism) does exist. The NHS calls it an uncommon, specific medical condition that is not a normal part of ageing, diagnosed from symptoms and blood tests.

Causes and treatments at a glance

This table follows the NHS summary of possible treatments.

Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Ask the doctor who prescribed it.

When to see a doctor

The NHS advises seeing a GP if you are worried about your low sex drive, or if you are taking a medicine and think it may be affecting your sex drive. A doctor can check for the conditions listed above, which matter for your health beyond sex.

What you can do yourself

The NHS pages point to the same everyday factors again and again: sleep, diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking and stress. Improving these is a reasonable first step while you arrange a check-up, and it helps with erection problems as well.

Talking with your partner also matters, since relationship problems are first on the NHS list of causes.

Do libido supplements work?

The NHS page on low sex drive does not list supplements among the treatments. VitaHC sells several products marketed for male libido and performance, and we describe them only by what their makers state. If you choose to try one:

• treat the maker’s claims as claims, not as proof
• check the ingredient list against any medicines you take, with a pharmacist
• do not let a supplement delay a check-up when the problem persists

Common questions

Is a lower sex drive normal with age?

Some decline is common, and the NHS notes hormone levels fall gradually. A marked or sudden loss, or one that worries you, is worth discussing with a doctor.

Can stress really switch off desire?

Yes. Stress, anxiety and depression are among the main causes the NHS lists.

Could my blood-pressure tablets be the cause?

Possibly. The NHS names medicine for high blood pressure and antidepressants as examples. Speak to your doctor; do not stop them yourself.

The takeaway

Low sex drive in men is usually a symptom of something else: stress, low mood, relationship strain, alcohol, a medicine or a health condition. Find and treat the cause, with a doctor’s help if it persists. Hormone deficiency is one possible cause, not the usual one.

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Sources

• NHS: Low sex drive (loss of libido), reviewed 26 May 2026; read in full 2 October 2026
• NHS: The ‘male menopause’, reviewed 13 October 2022; read in full 2 October 2026

About this guide: researched and drafted with AI assistance (Claude) from the sources listed above, and published by Amzad Hosen, owner of Vita Health Care. The guide has not been medically reviewed. This is general information, not medical advice; it cannot diagnose a condition. Last reviewed: 2 October 2026.