Tonic water, white bread, painkillers - the unlikely passion killers sapping your sex drive
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As many as two million British men and almost twice as many women are said to suffer from low libido.So claim the drug companies, for whom sexual problems represent a potentially huge new market; Viagra sales alone are worth 316million a year worldwide. Which is why the manufacturers are busy developing all kinds of new treatments for men and women only last week came the news of a faster-acting libido pill for men. 
IRON DEFICIENCY
An estimated one in four British women doesnt get enough iron from their diet, and iron deficiency is known to leave your libidolagging, says Dr Radha Modgil, a GP inWest London with a special interest in sexual health. Low iron levels are thought to reducethe quality of blood flow and sosap energy, she explains. If youre exhausted, sex is obviously the last thing you feel like doing.The best source of easily absorbable iron is a nice juicy steak, adds Helen Bond. Red meat like steak helps release key amino acids from the brain which are important for good mood. Red meat is also a good source of B vitamins, which help convert the carbohydrates we eat into energy. Its also a rich source of zinc, important for the production of the sex hormone testosterone, which women also need for sexual desire. Other good sources of zinc include beans, nuts and oysters.
This protein is vital as it attaches itself to testosterone and transports it aroundthe body. If you have less of the protein youll have a lower concentration of testosterone, too.TONIC WATER
We all know that too much alcohol can cause brewers droop in men, and a loss of sensation for both parties. But quinine, the ingredient which gives tonic water its unique flavour, may also affect libido.
Scientists at the University of Lagos in Nigeria found that quinine was a testicular toxicant and lowered the levels of testostero! ne in ra ts.
In a separate study, they found it also significantly lowered sperm concentration and motility.
However, this research has not been repeated elsewhere.
The study, to be published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, is the first to show that symptoms persisted for at least three months in otherwise healthy men, even when they stopped taking the drug. Its thought the drug alters levels of important brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that affect mood and other bodily functions.
As many as two million British men and almost twice as many women are said to suffer from low libido.So claim the drug companies, for whom sexual problems represent a potentially huge new market; Viagra sales alone are worth 316million a year worldwide. Which is why the manufacturers are busy developing all kinds of new treatments for men and women only last week came the news of a faster-acting libido pill for men.
Turn-off: As many as two million British men - and almost twice as many women - are said to suffer from low libido But even if millions of Britons really do suffer from a poor sex drive, is treating the problem with drugs the answer? Infact, the solution might be much simpler. For, as the experts reveal, many of our daily habits from the cold remedies we use to the food we eat could be behind that flagging libido ...
WHITE BREAD
Eating too much white bread and other refined carbohydrates can sap your sex drive, says Helen Bond of the British Dietetic Association. Foods such as white bread release the sugar more quickly than their wholegrain counterparts and too much sugar is associated with energy slumps, which mean you wont have the energy for sex, she adds.More...
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COLD & FLU REMEDIES
Over-the-counter cold and flu remedies are well-known libido dampeners, says Dr John Tomlinson, a GP specialist in mens sexual health and trustee of the Sexual Advice Association. Those that contain diphenhydramine or pseudoephedrine not only affect your sex drive but can cause erectile dysfunction, he says. Why this is so is not clear, but I have certainly seen it in my patients, he adds. It wont happen to everyone, but if your libido is already fragile, then it could knock you off your perch.Feeling unloved: A reduced sex-drive could be caused by anything from trying for a baby, to baldness pillsMeanwhile a study by the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio found that antihistamines might lead to problems with ejaculation for men and hamper both mens and womens libido. The researchers suggested they might affect part of the nervous system connected with sexual arousal and orgasm.
IRON DEFICIENCY
An estimated one in four British women doesnt get enough iron from their diet, and iron deficiency is known to leave your libidolagging, says Dr Radha Modgil, a GP inWest London with a special interest in sexual health. Low iron levels are thought to reducethe quality of blood flow and sosap energy, she explains. If youre exhausted, sex is obviously the last thing you feel like doing.The best source of easily absorbable iron is a nice juicy steak, adds Helen Bond. Red meat like steak helps release key amino acids from the brain which are important for good mood. Red meat is also a good source of B vitamins, which help convert the carbohydrates we eat into energy. Its also a rich source of zinc, important for the production of the sex hormone testosterone, which women also need for sexual desire. Other good sources of zinc include beans, nuts and oysters.BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS
These can sometimes significantly reduce libido and cause erectil! e dysfun ction, explains Dr Graham Jackson, consultant cardiologist at Guys & St Thomass Hospital. Because they reduce heart rate and blood flow, not as much blood gets to the genitals. The worst offenders are diuretics and beta-blockers such as propranolol and atenolol, according to a review of blood pressure medication in this months issue of International Journal of Clinical Practice. The report adds that patients treated with a newer type of betablocker called nebivolol improved their erectile function by 69 per cent. However, never stop taking medication without consulting your GP first.AN APPLE-SHAPED FIGURE
Increased waist circumference, or being an apple shape, reduces the amount of a protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which is produced in the liver, explains Dr Mark Vanderpump, consultant endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London.This protein is vital as it attaches itself to testosterone and transports it aroundthe body. If you have less of the protein youll have a lower concentration of testosterone, too.
BALDNESS
Last week it was reported that men who take the hair loss drug finasteride, also known as Propecia, can experience prolonged periods of low libido.Dr Michael Irwig, assistant professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, discovered that 94 per cent of men taking finasteride developed low sexual desire, 92 per cent suffered from erectile dysfunction and 69 per cent experienced difficulty with orgasm.TONIC WATER
We all know that too much alcohol can cause brewers droop in men, and a loss of sensation for both parties. But quinine, the ingredient which gives tonic water its unique flavour, may also affect libido.Scientists at the University of Lagos in Nigeria found that quinine was a testicular toxicant and lowered the levels of testostero! ne in ra ts.
In a separate study, they found it also significantly lowered sperm concentration and motility.
However, this research has not been repeated elsewhere.
The study, to be published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, is the first to show that symptoms persisted for at least three months in otherwise healthy men, even when they stopped taking the drug. Its thought the drug alters levels of important brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that affect mood and other bodily functions.
LOSING WEIGHT TOO QUICKLY
Many women try to get thin so they are more attractive, but the irony is it can kill their sex life and defeat the point of trying to be thin in the first place, says GP Sarah Brewer. Losing weight too fast can disturb the hormones and even affect fertility, she says.If you lose more than 10 per cent of your body weight very quickly, then your body goes into red alert and thinks you are starving it. Your level of sexual interest and enjoyment fall because the lack of nutrients means it wouldnt be a good environment for a baby to grow in.PAINKILLERS
Opiate-based painkillers such as codeine and morphine can suppress activity in the hypothalamus an area of the brain thats involved with controlling hormone levels, says Neal Patel of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. This, in turn, causes a release of hormones from the pituitary gland that suppress libido.Indeed, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that almost 95 per cent of men and 68 per cent of women receiving opioid medicine long term reported a decreased sex drive. The effect is linked to how long and how high a dose of opiate you are taking. If youre worried about your sex drive, then stick with painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, adds Mr Patel.HERBAL LIBIDO BOOSTERS
There are dozens of herbal remedies promising to pep up your libido, but some may do more harm than good, warns Dr Tomlinson.Just because something is natural, it doesnt mean it is safe, he says. ! Aswith a ny of these products forlibido or otherwise some of them really are very dangerous, and I would advise against buying anything off the internet.Some products are made in appalling conditions in Asia and can actually be poisonous. Others may be laced with traces of heavy metalswhich could negatively affect your libido.DIABETES
When it comes to sex, good blood flow is important, says Dr Tomlinson. Not only does diabetes cause nerve damage, which means youre less sensitive to touch, but 50 per cent of men with diabetes will eventually suffer from erectile dysfunction (caused by narrowed arteries and nerve damage) and low testosterone, which are huge reasons for low sex drive.ROMANTIC MEALS
A romantic three-course meal doesnt translate into action in the bedroom, says dietician Helen Bond. In fact, youre better off having sex before you go to the restaurant.DID YOU KNOW?
Three tablespoons of baked beans counts as one of your five-a-day fruit and veg. Sadly, the sauce (or, indeed, ketchup) doesnt despite one in ten British children thinking it shouldRich, carbohydrate-heavy meals cause a huge energy slump about two hours later, whats known as postprandial dip. As your body focuses on digesting the food, youll feel sleepy and hardly in the mood for sex by the time you get home.
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