Making Valentine’s Day plans? Check out these nutrition
tips that may also double as libido support.
Just not feeling all that interested in sex lately? As lonely as this problem can feel because few bring it up in general conversation, lacking libido and low sex drive are common problems. Before you hit up your favorite search engine with how to increase sex drive, you may want to look at your nutrition regimen. Obviously, nutrition is not the only factor in a healthy libido, but what you take in everyday with food and supplements can be partially to blame. Take a look at a few good nutrition tips that may also double as libido support.
LIBIDO BOOSTING TIPS
GET IN YOUR DAILY VITAMIN D
Nearly 42 percent of adults don’t get enough vitamin D, and vitamin D is super important to the body.1 In fact, this one vitamin is suggested to be important to the health of soft tissues, the bones, and cellular health. Further, some studies have suggested that lower vitamin D intake may be related to lower sexual hormone levels in the body, especially for men.2 Therefore, if your libido has been waning, lacking vitamin D may have a part to play in the problem.
Vitamin D can be found in a lot of natural food sources, such as almonds, soy, trout, mushrooms, chicken breast, and cheddar cheese. You can also give your vitamin D levels a boost by spending time in the sun. Vitamin D intake for adults between the ages of 18 and 70 should be getting 15 mcg (600 IU) of vitamin D daily.3
READ MORE: Vitamin D Deficiency—How Can You Tell If You Have One?
SUPPORT YOUR LIBIDO WITH AMPLE WATER INTAKE
Getting enough H2O can really support your health and wellness efforts. After all, water keeps the body lubricated and pushing waste products out. However, not getting enough water may also have a detrimental effect on your sex drive. Water helps keep blood flowing throughout your body, which is ever-important during sex.
Keep in mind, working out can lead to a 6 to 10 percent loss in body weight through perspiration, so if you’re not getting enough fluids and workout often, you could be edging on dehydration.4 Hydration drinks may help you keep your levels in check.
CHECK YOUR DIET FOR OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Omega-3 fatty acids like DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) can do a lot of good things within the body, such as support cardiovascular health and blood lipid levels in a normal range. The membranes that makeup brain and sperm cells contain high levels of DHA. And, omega-3s have functions within the endocrine system, which is related to sexual hormone production and stability.8, 11
Omega-3s can be found in natural food sources, such as soybean oil, flaxseed oil, and other natural plant oils.10 Plus, omega-3s are relatively common to find as fish oil supplements. So, if you are concerned that you’re not getting enough omega-3s, it can be worth adjusting your diet or trying a supplement.
WORK L-ARGININE INTO YOUR NUTRITION REGIMEN
If you are really digging into getting your libido boosters, be sure to check out L-arginine. L-arginine is a valuable amino acid. As an amino acid, this nutrient is essentially a precuror to nitric oxide, and nitric oxide plays a key role in sex because it maintains blood vessel tone.
L-arginine can be found naturally in foods like red meat, whole grains, and soy. However, if you are looking for a boost, finding a well-sourced L-arginine supplement is best.
EAT DARK CHOCOLATE TO FUEL A BETTER SEX DRIVE
You may have not been told to go out and eat chocolate for better health, but truthfully, dark chocolate may do your libido some good. Dark chocolate with flavonoids, high cocoa content, and less sugar is most associated with benefits for the body.5
Chocolate has been noted for its ability to affect sexuality. Primarily it appears to act as an actual aphrodisiac according to research published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.5 While eating too much chocolate is perfectly possible, modest amounts of rich dark chocolate potentially could give your sex drive a boost.
KEEP B12 INTAKE IN CHECK
B vitamins serve important roles in the body. However, B12 is essential for the production of energy in the body, supports proper neurological function, and is required for the creation of red blood cells. Low energy can be a major factor in lacking sex drive, so B12 intake should be examined if you’re energy levels have been lagging.
B12 is a tricky vitamin to get in food, especially if following a vegan diet, as the vitamin is only found naturally in foods sourced from animals like milk, eggs, and poultry. In general, men should get 2.4 mcg of B12 and women should get 2.4 mcg of B12 daily.6 If you’re struggling to hit the mark, it can be a good idea to look at B12 supplements.
WORK TOWARD BETTER ZINC INTAKE
Zinc is a micronutrient, but zinc happens to be involved in things like glucose utilization, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin production. However, zinc is actually required for normal reproduction functions as well. Therefore, if you are looking for better libido, it may be worth examining your daily zinc intake.
Adult men need 11 milligrams and adult women need 8 milligrams of zinc daily.7 Perhaps not-so surprisingly, zinc can be found in oysters, a well-known libido booster.9 But zinc can also be found in beans, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and seafood.