{"id":40086,"date":"2023-03-18T06:15:05","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T05:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/?p=40086"},"modified":"2026-02-18T05:58:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T04:58:47","slug":"keto-diet-effects-on-sex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/keto-diet-effects-on-sex\/","title":{"rendered":"The Keto Diet and its Effects on Sex"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"lelo<\/a><\/p>\n

There are so many things that can affect your sex drive and <\/span>libido<\/span><\/a>. From the way you\u2019re feeling, the things you eat, to your hormones, the list is seemingly endless. Which is why there\u2019s no reason to feel somewhat strange or even ashamed about your <\/span>sex drive<\/span><\/a>, whether you consider it to be high, low, or average.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today though, we\u2019ll be talking about a very specific aspect that may be having an effect on your libido. That is, the keto diet. Don\u2019t know what the keto diet is? Allow us to give you a brief explanation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A keto diet, otherwise known as the \u201cketogenic diet\u201d, involves eating a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat in order to help your body burn fat for energy. When this diet is followed, a person will put their body into a metabolic state called \u201cketosis\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some people follow a keto diet? Because it\u2019s been said that it may help them <\/span>lose weight<\/span> or assist them in lowering certain risks for specific diseases. There are different types of keto diets, but the most popular ones are the standard ketogenic diet and the high protein ketogenic diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Following the Keto Diet Affect Your Sex Life?<\/span><\/h1>\n

Getting into the juicier details, you may be wondering if the keto diet can affect your <\/span>sex life<\/span>. Well, there\u2019s not much research to go on, but some studies have found some interesting results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To break it down, a person\u2019s sex drive is at least partially dependent on their levels of <\/span>testosterone<\/span><\/a>. When you have lower levels of testosterone, you likely experience a lessened sex drive, for example. Interestingly, however, there are opposing views on whether consuming a keto diet raises or decreases one\u2019s level of testosterone.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, <\/span>older data<\/span><\/a> suggests that a keto diet can increase levels of testosterone therefore raising their libido, but a <\/span>2021 clinical trial<\/span><\/a> found that it may actually lower the levels of the hormone.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, this is not the only way in which the keto diet can affect one\u2019s sex life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Improved Sexual Functioning on a Keto Diet<\/span><\/h2>\n

Testosterone aside, <\/span>a 2021 study<\/span><\/a> followed subjects with chronic illnesses as they took on a keto diet. The results found that there was a positive association with this diet and their sexual functioning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, in 2018, a <\/span>four-month study<\/span><\/a> was undergone on women with obesity. By the end of this study, it was found that these women had improved sexual functioning. Why? There is no clear cut reason. For one, these women were found to have lost weight, which could have contributed to higher levels of self-confidence and thus, a higher sex drive.<\/span><\/p>\n

These test subjects also found to crave food and <\/span>alcohol<\/span> less, and enjoyed better sleep. All of these factors could then be the reason why they had higher levels of sexual functioning. Simply put, the diet most likely made them feel better about themselves, physically and mentally, which can have a huge effect on one\u2019s libido.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, the keto diet itself may contribute to the overall improvement of one\u2019s quality of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Losing Weight Increase Levels of Testosterone?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Having said all of the above, we\u2019ve come to the conclusion that losing weight by following the keto diet may just have a positive effect on one\u2019s libido. But is there a link between losing weight and an increase in levels of testosterone?<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>Dr Anna Cabeca<\/span><\/a>, \u201c<\/span>being overweight is a huge contributor to sex hormone imbalance; in particular, body mass index (BMI) is correlated to lower levels of testosterone\u201d<\/span><\/i>. With this, it\u2019s natural to assume the opposite to the true: having a lower BMI would equal higher levels of testosterone and a higher level of libido.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, as we mentioned, if we look at other factors that may come about with the keto diet, such as weight loss and better sleep, this too could be why the above-mentioned test subjects experienced a boost in libido during their keto diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the flip side however, when someone eats a lot of carbohydrates but these carbohydrates aren\u2019t being used by the body as energy, they get stored as fat. This, in turn, increases their BMI and results in lower levels of testosterone and a lower sex drive, according to <\/span>Ketologic<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress, Carbohydrates and Your Sex Life<\/span><\/h2>\n

To look at things from a different angle, and according to Dr Cabeca, a <\/span>\u201chigh-carbohydrate diet means that the adrenal glands crank out more stress hormones like norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol. These stress responses, especially elevated levels of cortisol, have been shown to decrease sex drive and arousal\u201d<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

To further prove this point, the <\/span>National Institute of Health did a study<\/span><\/a> on how cortisol affected a woman\u2019s sexual arousal. They found that \u201c<\/span>the women who showed an increase in cortisol had lower scores on the Arousal, Desire, and Satisfaction domains of the Female Sexual Function Index\u201d<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In layman\u2019s terms, a high-carb diet can cause an increase in <\/span>stress<\/span><\/a> hormones, such as cortisol, which can reduce your sexual arousal. This is because the body is dealing with perceived threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

All in all, it does appear as though a keto diet can be beneficial to one’s sex life. Whether it is to do with high levels of testosterone, low levels of stress, or simply the way in which one feels about themselves if they\u2019ve lost weight during a keto diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s evident that what you put into your body matters, and has an impact on your everyday life in general.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, it is important to note that there is very limited studies on the matter. More specifically, there is a lack of long-term research on the implications of the keto diet. For that reason, it\u2019s important to talk to your doctor or health care provider before you start a new eating plan.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are so many things that can affect your sex drive and libido. From the way you\u2019re feeling, the things you eat, to your hormones, the list is seemingly endless. Which is why there\u2019s no reason to feel somewhat strange or even ashamed about your sex drive, whether you consider it to be high, low, or average.\u00a0 Today though, we\u2019ll be talking about a very specific aspect that may be having an effect on your libido. That is, the keto […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":41594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[1115,909,137],"coauthors":[948,943],"class_list":["post-40086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sex-tips-advice","tag-diet","tag-fact-checked-by-doctor","tag-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow Does the Keto Diet Affect Your Sex Life?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are there any effects on your sex life when you follow a keto diet? 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