How to Increase Female Libido Naturally

Low libido in women is more common than most women realize. There is nothing wrong with you, and there is no shame in it. Stress, hormonal fluctuations, sleep disruption, medications, and lifestyle factors can all influence sexual desire. While occasional changes in libido are normal, persistent low desire can affect confidence, relationships, and overall well-being. In this post, we review how to increase female libido naturally.

Fortunately, changes to diet and lifestyle, as well as targeted, research-backed dietary supplements can significantly help remedy low libido in women.

In this article, I will review what causes low libido and how to increase female libido naturally using evidence-based approaches. If you also want to learn more about libido in menopause, check out our other post on how to increase libido during menopause.

The Science Behind Female Libido

Female libido is often misunderstood because it is not purely based on the sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone). This stands in stark contrast to male libido, which is more directly influenced by these hormones.

Sexual desire starts in the brain and the delicate balance between 3 neurotransmitters:

• Dopamine - associated with pleasure and reward
• Serotonin - influences mood
• Oxytocin - supports bonding and emotional closeness

What Causes Low Female Libido?

Female sexual desire is influenced by multiple systems in the body, not just hormones.

Common contributors include:

• Chronic stress and elevated cortisol

• Hormonal changes (menstrual cycle, postpartum, perimenopause)

• Poor sleep

• Anxiety or relationship tension

• Certain medications (including SSRIs)

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Recurrent urinary or vaginal discomfort

This is a laundry list of potential causes, some of which are unavoidable, but the good news is that many of these can be addressed by a holistic approach to female wellness.

Ways to Increase Female Libido Naturally

Reduce Stress & Support Cortisol Balance

Stress is one of the most common causes of low libido, and it is also one of the most potent killers of libido. Why does stress cause low libido? Because stress elevates cortisol, the body's stress hormone, which negatively impacts metabolism, sleep, and further deteriorates your resilience to stress.

Here are some things you can do to help reduce stress and support cortisol balance:

• Mindfulness and meditation
• Exercise - or at least regular movement
  • On this note, working out for 30 minutes or an hour is less effective than staying active throughout the day
• Sleep optimization
  • Establish a consistent bedtime
  • Ensure that your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool (between 60-67°F (15.6-19.4°C))
  • Limit screen time 30-60 minutes before bed
• Adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, which have been extensively studied to reduce stress and also improve sexual function in women

Support Hormonal Balance

Hormonal fluctuations within a month and throughout a lifetime are completely natural, but persistent low libido is not. The sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, both play a critical role in female sexual desire. Estrogen, the primary sex hormone in women, supports vaginal tissue health, vaginal lubrication, and blood flow. Testosterone, which is naturally produced by women, but at much lower levels than in men, is responsible for sexual motivation and arousal.

Consider checking your hormone levels with your doctor, but diet and lifestyle play a critical role in the meantime. Fortunately, the lifestyle changes mentioned above for cortisol balance also work well for estrogen and testosterone:

• Get enough sleep
• Exercise, particularly strength training
• Eat a balanced, whole food diet
• Targeted supplementation

Consider Saffron Extract

Saffron is one of the most-studied medicinal herbs found to increase female libido naturally, but it is very expensive so most supplement companies do not use it at the doses needed for it to be effective. Saffron has been shows in multiple clinical studies (Kashani et al. 2013, Kashani et al. 2022, and Ranjbar & Ashrafizaveh 2019) to improve all dimensions of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), including:

• Arousal
• Vaginal lubrication
• Overall sexual satisfaction

Saffron is believed to work by modulating serotonin and increasing blood flow.

Improve Vaginal Health & Avoid Urinary Tract Discomfort

Vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) can indirectly reduce libido. When intimacy becomes uncomfortable, desire naturally declines.

The vaginal microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem of microorganisms (primarily bacteria, but fungi and viruses also reside there). A healthy vaginal microbiome is rich in Lactobacillus bacteria that help maintain an acidic pH and protect against colonization by "bad" bacteria. The delicate balance of microorganisms is sensitive to stress, hormonal shifts, poor sleep, antibiotic use, and sexual activity, which is why it is important to be intentional about maintaining a healthy vaginal microbiome.

Support vaginal & urinary tract health with:

• Proper hydration - hydration supports moisture, elasticity, and natural lubrication of vaginal tissues
• Microbiome balance - vaginal-specific probiotics like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 + L. reuteri RC-14 restore a healthy, acidic microbiome
• Cranberry PACs - these are the bioactive components of cranberries that help prevent adhesion of bacteria to the urinary tract

Increase Female Libido Naturally with A Female Libido Supplement

Lifestyle changes are foundational. A supplement cannot fix all of your issues, but it will help build that foundation through:

• Stress resilience - Ashwagandha has been clinically shown to reduce stress and support healthy cortisol balance; it also has been consistently shown to increase female sexual satisfaction on all domains of the FSFI
• Support arousal and vaginal lubrication - Saffron has been clinically shown to improve female sexual function, including arousal, vaginal lubrication, and overall sexual satisfaction
• Vaginal & urinary tract health - probiotics and cranberry PACs have been clinically shown to improve the vaginal microbiome and urinary tract health

Nectar's For Her Sexual Wellness Supplement for Women combines clinical doses of ashwagandha, saffron extract, cranberry PACs for urinary tract health, vaginal-specific probiotics for vaginal health, and other ingredients to support female libido and self-confidence.

For Her Sexual Wellness Supplement

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Our pharmacist-formulated Sexual Wellness Supplement for Women is based on real clinical literature and is dosed using the same doses actually studied. In the sections below, we review the product's key benefits and include a link to the relevant clinical… read more

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When to Speak with a Healthcare Professional

Persistent low libido, despite best efforts to make the lifestyle changes referenced in this post, should be discussed with a healthcare provider. Despite your best efforts to increase libido naturally, your low libido can require medical intervention for reasons like thyroid issues, anemia, depression, or it can be a side effect of medications that you are taking.

Final Thoughts

Female libido is impacted by many different things. Making small daily changes to your lifestyle to increase female libido naturally can make a big difference over the long term, but be sure to discuss persistent low libido with a healthcare provider, especially if it is associated with pain during intercourse or depression.