Editing Libido (section)

==== Medications ====
Some people purposefully attempt to decrease their libido through the usage of [[anaphrodisiac]]s.<ref>Rebal Jr, Ronald F., Robert A. Faguet, and Sherwyn M. Woods. "Unusual sexual syndromes." ''Extraordinary Disorders of Human Behavior''. Springer US, 1982. 121-154.</ref> Aphrodisiacs, such as [[dopaminergic]] psychostimulants, are a class of drugs which can increase libido. On the other hand, a reduced libido is also often [[iatrogenic]] and can be caused by many medications, such as [[hormonal contraception]], [[selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor|SSRI]]s and other [[antidepressants]], [[antipsychotic]]s, [[opioid]]s, [[beta blocker]]s and [[isotretinoin]].

Isotretinoin, [[finasteride]] and many SSRIs uncommonly can cause a long-term decrease in libido and overall sexual function, sometimes lasting for months or years after users of these drugs have stopped taking them. These long-lasting effects have been classified as iatrogenic medical disorders, respectively termed post-retinoid sexual dysfunction/post-Accutane syndrome (PRSD/PAS), post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and [[Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor#Sexual dysfunction|post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD)]].<ref name=":12"/><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Bala|first1=Areeg|last2=Nguyen|first2=Hoang Minh Tue| last3= Hellstrom|first3=Wayne J. G.| date= 2018-01-01|title=Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction: A Literature Review| journal=Sexual Medicine Reviews |volume=6|issue=1|pages=29–34| doi=10.1016/j.sxmr.2017.07.002|pmid=28778697|issn=2050-0521}}</ref> These three disorders share many overlapping symptoms in addition to reduced libido, and are thought to share a common etiology, but collectively remain poorly-understood and lack effective treatments.

Multiple studies have shown that with the exception of [[bupropion]] (Wellbutrin), [[trazodone]] (Desyrel) and [[nefazodone]] (Serzone), antidepressants generally will lead to lowered libido.<ref name=":12" /> SSRIs that typically lead to decreased libido are [[fluoxetine]] (Prozac), [[paroxetine]] (Paxil), [[fluvoxamine]] (Luvox), [[citalopram]] (Celexa) and [[sertraline]] (Zoloft).<ref name=":12" /> Lowering the dosage of SSRI medications has been shown to improve libido in some patients.<ref name="Gonzales_1997">{{cite journal |last1=Montejo-González |first1=A L |last2=Llorca |first2=G |last3=Izquierdo |first3=J A |date=Fall 1997 |title=SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction: fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and fluvoxamine in a prospective, multicenter, and descriptive clinical study of 344 patients |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9292833/ |journal=J Sex Marital Ther |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=176–194 |doi=10.1080/00926239708403923 |pmid=9292833 |access-date=2024-09-27}}</ref> Other users try enrolling in psychotherapy to solve depression-related issues of libido. However, the effectiveness of this therapy is mixed, with many reporting that it had no or little effect on sexual drive.<ref name=":12" />

[[Testosterone]] is one of the hormones controlling libido in human beings. Emerging research<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Warnock | first1 = J. K.
| last2 = Clayton | first2 = A.
| last3 = Croft | first3 = H.
| last4 = Segraves | first4 = R.
| last5 = Biggs | first5 = F. C.
| title = Comparison of Androgens in Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Those on Combined Oral Contraceptives (COCs) vs. Those not on COCs
| doi = 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00294.x
| journal = The Journal of Sexual Medicine
| volume = 3
| issue = 5
| pages = 878–882
| year = 2006
| pmid = 16942531
}}.</ref> is showing that hormonal contraception methods like oral [[contraceptive pill]]s (which rely on [[estrogen]] and [[progesterone]] together) are causing low libido in females by elevating levels of [[sex hormone-binding globulin]] (SHBG). SHBG binds to sex hormones, including testosterone, rendering them unavailable. Research is showing that even after ending a hormonal contraceptive method, SHBG levels remain elevated and no reliable data exists to predict when this phenomenon will diminish.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Panzer | first1 = C.
| last2 = Wise | first2 = S.
| last3 = Fantini | first3 = G.
| last4 = Kang | first4 = D.
| last5 = Munarriz | first5 = R.
| last6 = Guay | first6 = A.
| last7 = Goldstein | first7 = I.
| doi = 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2005.00198.x
| title = Impact of Oral Contraceptives on Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Androgen Levels: A Retrospective Study in Women with Sexual Dysfunction
| journal = The Journal of Sexual Medicine
| volume = 3
| issue = 1
| pages = 104–113
| year = 2006
| pmid = 16409223
}}.</ref>

[[Oral contraceptive pill|Oral contraceptives]] lower androgen levels in users, and lowered androgen levels generally lead to a decrease in sexual desire. However, usage of oral contraceptives has shown to typically not have a connection with lowered libido in women.<ref>{{Cite journal| last1=Burrows|first1=Lara J.|last2= Basha|first2=Maureen|last3=Goldstein|first3=Andrew T.|date=2012-09-01| title=The Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives on Female Sexuality: A Review|url=https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(15)34100-X/abstract|journal=The Journal of Sexual Medicine| language=en| volume=9|issue=9|pages=2213–2223| doi=10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02848.x| pmid=22788250|issn=1743-6095}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal| last1= Davis| first1=Anne R.| last2= Castaño| first2=Paula M.|date=2004|title=Oral contraceptives and libido in women| journal=Annual Review of Sex Research|volume=15|pages=297–320| issn=1053-2528|pmid=16913282}}</ref>