Body and biology
What Does Libido Mean? Decreased Libido as a Side Effect
Libido · say it: lih-BEE-dohAlso written: sex drive, sexual desire, decreased libido, loss of libido
Short answer
Libido means sex drive, a person's level of interest in or desire for sexual activity.
What it means
Libido is the medical word for sex drive or sexual desire. It varies a lot between people and changes over a lifetime. It can be affected by hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, mood, stress, tiredness, relationships, illness and medicines.
'Decreased libido' is listed as a side effect on many medicine labels, including some antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, hormone treatments, finasteride and dutasteride, and some antipsychotics. Labels include it because people may not connect a change in sex drive with a new medicine, and may not like to mention it. If it bothers you, it is a reasonable thing to raise with your doctor; options may include a dose change or a different medicine.
Libido is about desire. Erectile dysfunction is difficulty getting or keeping an erection, and other sexual side effects include difficulty reaching orgasm. They can happen separately or together.
Where you may see it
- 'Adverse Reactions' sections of antidepressant, finasteride and some blood pressure medicine labels
- Medicine leaflets under 'Common side effects'
- Hormone and sexual health clinic letters
📄 How it looks on a report
The most common adverse reactions were impotence, decreased libido and ejaculation disorder.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Being listed on the label does not mean it will happen to you.
- Lower libido is not always caused by a medicine; stress, mood and health can all play a part.
- Do not stop a medicine on your own because of it. Ask your doctor about options.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Libido”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Alprazolam
a benzodiazepine, a type of central nervous system medicine
- Escitalopram
a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant
- Finasteride
a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, a medicine that blocks an enzyme involved in making a hormone called DHT
- Fluoxetine
a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant medicine
- Metoprolol Tartrate
A beta blocker. The label describes it as a selective beta-1 adrenergic receptor blocking agent, which means it mainly blocks beta-1 receptors, found largely in the heart.
- Paroxetine
A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant medicine
- Sertraline
An SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), a type of antidepressant medicine, according to the label
- Spironolactone
An aldosterone antagonist, a type of prescription medicine the FDA classifies this way
- Tamsulosin
An alpha-blocker medicine. The label calls it an alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist that acts on the prostate. The FDA class is not listed.
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Libido” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “libido”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.