How to Increase Libido in Men: Causes and What the Evidence Supports

Short answer: Low libido in men usually has a cause you can find, such as stress, depression, relationship strain, poor sleep, alcohol, a medicine or low testosterone. The most reliable way to raise it is to identify and treat that cause, which often means a talk with your GP. Supplements are, at best, a small add-on, and the evidence for most herbal ingredients is limited or mixed.

Key facts at a glance

Question	What the evidence says
Most common causes	Relationship problems, stress, anxiety, depression, age-related hormone decline, some medicines, too much alcohol (NHS)
Does testosterone fall with age?	Yes, gradually, by about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40 (NHS)
Does sleep matter?	In one small lab study, a week of under 5 hours’ sleep a night cut testosterone by 10% to 15% in young men (UChicago Medicine; Leproult and Van Cauter, JAMA 2011)
Can medicines lower libido?	Yes. Some antidepressants list low sex drive as a common side effect (NHS)
When to see a doctor	If you are worried, if you think a medicine is the cause, or if you also have erection problems (NHS)
Do supplements work?	Evidence for common herbal ingredients is mixed and mostly from small trials (OPSS; NCCIH)

What is libido, and what counts as “low”?

Libido is your interest in sex. It varies a lot between men, and it changes over a lifetime and even from week to week. There is no single number that defines normal. What matters is whether your level of desire has changed, and whether it bothers you or your partner.

A short dip during a stressful month is common. A drop that lasts for weeks, or comes with other symptoms such as low mood, tiredness or erection problems, is worth looking into.

What causes low libido in men?

The NHS lists the main causes of a low sex drive as relationship problems, stress, anxiety or depression, lower hormone levels with age, some medicines, and drinking too much alcohol (NHS: loss of libido). In practice, several of these often overlap.

Hormones

Testosterone plays a role in sex drive. Levels fall slowly with age, by about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40, according to the NHS. The NHS also describes late-onset hypogonadism, where the testes make few or no hormones. It says this is uncommon, is not a normal part of ageing, and is often linked to obesity or type 2 diabetes (NHS: male menopause). A blood test is the only way to know if your testosterone is low. Symptoms alone are not enough.

Stress, anxiety and depression

The NHS notes that low sex drive, erection problems and mood swings in midlife can be caused by stress, depression or anxiety, often driven by work, relationship or money worries (NHS: male menopause).

Sleep

Sleep and hormones are linked. In a small laboratory study of 10 healthy young men, sleeping less than 5 hours a night for one week lowered their testosterone by 10% to 15% (UChicago Medicine; Leproult and Van Cauter, JAMA 2011). The study was small and did not measure libido directly, but it is a good reason to take sleep seriously. The NHS also lists lack of sleep among lifestyle factors behind midlife symptoms.

Relationship factors

Conflict, poor communication, boredom or unresolved resentment can all reduce desire. The NHS suggests relationship counselling where this is the main cause (NHS: loss of libido).

Medicines

Some medicines lower sex drive. The NHS lists antidepressants and some blood pressure medicines as examples. For sertraline, a common antidepressant, the NHS lists “low sex drive (loss of libido)” as a common side effect (NHS: sertraline side effects). Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Ask your GP whether a different dose or medicine could help.

Alcohol, smoking, diet and exercise

Drinking too much alcohol can reduce sex drive (NHS). The NHS also names a poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking as lifestyle factors behind midlife sexual and mood symptoms (NHS: male menopause).

When should you see a doctor about low libido?

See your GP if you are worried about your sex drive, or if you think a medicine is causing it (NHS). Book an appointment sooner if low libido comes with any of these:

• Erection problems that keep happening. The NHS says these may be a sign of a treatable condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes (NHS: erection problems).
• Signs of heart or blood vessel disease risk. A 2023 review in JACC: Advances concluded that erectile dysfunction often comes before cardiovascular events and can act as an early marker of men at high risk (Cortese et al., 2023).
• Low mood, anxiety or ongoing stress. The NHS says these can be treated with talking therapies such as CBT or with medication (NHS). If you have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help urgently.

A doctor can check your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and, where it makes sense, testosterone. That is something no supplement can do.

What lifestyle steps have evidence behind them?

Because treatment depends on the cause, the NHS says there is no single fix (NHS). These steps are reasonable for most men and are supported by the sources above:

1. Protect your sleep. Aim for enough sleep on most nights. Short sleep lowered testosterone in the JAMA study.
2. Cut back on alcohol. Heavy drinking is a named cause of low sex drive.
3. Stop smoking. The NHS lists smoking as a contributing factor, and the JACC review lists stopping smoking among ways to reduce cardiovascular risk in men with erection problems.
4. Move more and manage weight. Lack of exercise is a named factor, and obesity is linked to late-onset hypogonadism.
5. Treat stress, anxiety and depression. The NHS mentions talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), medication where appropriate, exercise and relaxation.
6. Talk to your partner. Where relationship problems are part of the picture, couples or relationship counselling is an NHS-suggested option.
7. Review your medicines with your GP. A switch can sometimes help, but only under medical advice.

Where do supplements fit?

Supplements are not a treatment for the causes above. If your libido is low because of depression, a medicine, poor sleep or a hormone problem, a supplement will not fix that.

The evidence for common herbal ingredients is limited:

• Korean (Asian) ginseng. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says some research suggests oral Asian ginseng may improve sexual function in men with erectile dysfunction. It also warns that ginseng can interact with medicines and may affect blood sugar (NCCIH).
• Tribulus terrestris. Operation Supplement Safety, a US Department of Defense resource, says trials in men show mixed results for testosterone and erectile function, that no strong evidence supports the marketed claims, and that a few cases of serious liver and kidney damage have been reported after taking Tribulus products (OPSS).
• Other herbs such as damiana, muira puama, Chinese hawthorn and Cuscuta chinensis. We did not find strong human trial evidence for these for male libido, so we make no claims about them.

Erectin

Erectin is one of the libido supplements we cover. According to the manufacturer’s website (checked 27 September 2026):

• Listed ingredients: BioPerine black pepper, Chinese hawthorn, Cuscuta chinensis, damiana leaf, Korean red ginseng, muira puama bark extract, saw palmetto and Tribulus terrestris seed extract.
• Guarantee: a 67-day money-back guarantee. The refund excludes shipping and handling.
• Price: shown as $69, $59 or $49 per bottle depending on package size.
• Clinical study: the manufacturer says Erectin has been clinically studied. We have not seen the full study, so we cannot assess its design or results.

If you are considering it, read our full Erectin review and, for the chewable version, our Erectin Gummies review. Check with a pharmacist or doctor first if you take any regular medicine, especially for blood pressure, blood sugar or blood thinning. You can read how we assess products on our how we review page.

FAQ

What is the fastest way to increase libido in men?

There is no proven quick fix. The fastest route is usually finding the cause. If a medicine, heavy drinking or poor sleep is behind it, changing that may help. If the cause is depression, a hormone problem or a relationship issue, treating it is what works.

Can low testosterone cause low libido?

Yes, low testosterone can reduce sex drive. But testosterone falls only slowly with age, and true hypogonadism is uncommon according to the NHS. A blood test from your doctor is the only way to confirm it.

Can antidepressants lower sex drive?

Yes. The NHS lists low sex drive as a common side effect of sertraline, for example. Do not stop your medicine suddenly. Ask your GP about alternatives.

Does lack of sleep lower libido?

Short sleep can lower testosterone. In one small study, a week of under 5 hours’ sleep a night reduced testosterone by 10% to 15% in young men. Getting enough sleep is a sensible first step.

Are libido supplements safe?

Not always. Ginseng can interact with medicines and affect blood sugar, and a few cases of serious liver and kidney damage have been linked to Tribulus products. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting one, especially if you have a health condition or take medicine.

When is low libido a sign of something serious?

If it comes with erection problems that keep happening, see a doctor. The NHS says these can be caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, and research suggests erection problems can be an early marker of heart disease risk.

Is low libido the same as erectile dysfunction?

No. Libido is desire. Erectile dysfunction is difficulty getting or keeping an erection. They often occur together, and one can affect the other, so it is worth mentioning both to your doctor.

Related reading

• How to increase semen volume: what affects it and what the evidence says
• Semen volume vs fertility: what supplements can and cannot do

Sources

1. NHS. Low sex drive (loss of libido). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/loss-of-libido/
2. NHS. The “male menopause”. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/male-menopause/
3. NHS. Erectile dysfunction (impotence). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/erection-problems-erectile-dysfunction/
4. NHS. Side effects of sertraline. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/side-effects-of-sertraline/
5. Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. 2011. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/21632481
6. UChicago Medicine. Sleep loss lowers testosterone in healthy young men. https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/news/sleep-loss-lowers-testosterone-in-healthy-young-men
7. Cortese F, Costantino MF, Luzi G. Can we consider erectile dysfunction as an early marker of cardiovascular disease? JACC: Advances. 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11198067/
8. NCCIH. Asian ginseng. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/asian-ginseng
9. Operation Supplement Safety. Tribulus terrestris as an ingredient in dietary supplements. https://www.opss.org/article/tribulus-terrestris-ingredient-dietary-supplements
10. Erectin official website, checked 27 September 2026 (manufacturer claims). https://www.erectin.com/