Low Libido in Women: Hormones, Mineral Imbalances & What Your Body Is Telling You

If your libido has changed and you’ve been told it’s “just stress”, “just hormones”, or “just part of getting older”, you’re not imagining things — and you’re not alone. Low libido in women is common, but it’s rarely without an underlying reason.

Libido is often discussed as a personality trait, a relationship issue, or something that naturally fades with age. In reality, libido reflects how supported, nourished, and regulated the body feels.

Whether libido is low, absent, fluctuating, or unusually high, these changes are not random. They are signals from the body that something deeper needs attention.

This is something I see regularly in clinic, across all life stages — not only during perimenopause or menopause.

What Libido Actually Represents in the Body

Libido is not driven by sex hormones alone.

It is influenced by:

• overall energy availability

• nervous system balance

• adrenal and thyroid function

• mineral status

• blood sugar stability

• gut health and inflammation

• emotional and psychological safety

When the body is under strain, libido is often one of the first functions to downregulate — not because something is “wrong”, but because the body is prioritising survival over reproduction and pleasure.

Low Libido: More Than Just Stress or Age

Low libido is incredibly common, yet frequently dismissed or normalised. Some of the most common drivers I see include:

Chronic stress and adrenal strain

When cortisol remains elevated for long periods, the body diverts resources away from reproductive hormones. Desire doesn’t feel safe or necessary in a stressed system.

Fatigue and low energy availability

If you’re exhausted, under-fuelled, or running on adrenaline, libido often disappears quietly over time.

Hormonal imbalances

Low progesterone, low testosterone, oestrogen dominance, or thyroid dysfunction can all affect libido — but hormones are rarely the only factor.

Mineral imbalances and depletion

Minerals such as zinc, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron play key roles in hormone signalling, nervous system regulation, and energy production. These imbalances are often overlooked.

Gut health and inflammation

Chronic inflammation, dysbiosis, or poor nutrient absorption can significantly affect libido by disrupting hormones and neurotransmitter balance.

Low libido is not a failure of desire — it’s often a sign the body is overloaded or under-supported.

What About High or Excess Libido?

This is discussed far less, but it’s just as important.

While a healthy libido is a positive sign, excessive or compulsive libido can sometimes reflect imbalance rather than vitality.

Possible contributors include:

• high cortisol or adrenaline states

• nervous system hyperarousal

• dopamine-seeking behaviour

• hormonal imbalance (such as low progesterone relative to oestrogen)

• unresolved emotional or psychological stress

In these cases, libido may feel urgent, restless, or disconnected from emotional intimacy. This doesn’t mean something is “wrong”, but it does suggest the nervous system may be stuck in a heightened state rather than true regulation.

Libido Across Different Life Stages

Teens and 20s

Libido changes are often influenced by:

• nutrient depletion

• hormonal contraception

• stress, anxiety, or under-eating

• gut health issues

30s and 40s

This is when many women begin noticing shifts due to:

• cumulative stress

• early hormonal changes

• adrenal strain

• mineral depletion

• busy lifestyles overriding recovery

Perimenopause

Libido can fluctuate significantly due to:

• declining progesterone

• changing oestrogen patterns

• increased reliance on adrenal hormones

• disrupted sleep

• rising inflammation

Importantly, loss of libido is not inevitable during perimenopause — it often reflects unmet support needs.

Post-Menopause

Desire doesn’t disappear; it changes.

With the right support for:

• nervous system regulation

• mineral balance

• adrenal and thyroid health

• inflammation reduction

many women experience a return of desire, confidence, and embodiment, often in a more grounded and empowered way.

Hormones vs Minerals vs the Nervous System

This is where many women get stuck.

Hormone testing can be incredibly helpful, but hormones do not act in isolation. They rely on:

• minerals to function

• a regulated nervous system to respond

• adequate energy to be produced

You can have “normal” hormone results and still experience low libido if:

• mineral balance is disrupted

• stress hormones dominate

• digestion and absorption are compromised

This is why looking at the whole picture matters.

How HTMA Supports Libido and Hormonal Health

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) provides insight into:

• metabolic patterns

• adrenal and thyroid trends

• mineral imbalances affecting hormone signalling

• long-term stress physiology

HTMA doesn’t diagnose disease, but it helps explain why the body may be prioritising survival over desire — and where meaningful support is needed.

Regular HTMA testing also allows us to track trends over time, ensuring support evolves as the body adapts.

Hormone Testing: When and Why

Hormone testing can help identify:

• progesterone and oestrogen balance

• testosterone levels

• thyroid function

• stress hormone patterns

When combined with HTMA, hormone testing provides context — showing whether symptoms are driven by production issues, utilisation challenges, or broader metabolic stress.

When Libido Changes Are a Red Flag

It may be worth seeking support if:

• libido has steadily declined over months or years

• desire disappeared alongside fatigue or burnout

• libido feels disconnected, compulsive, or dysregulated

• hormone treatments haven’t helped

• you’ve been told “this is normal” but it doesn’t feel right

Your body is communicating — and it deserves to be listened to.

What to Do If This Resonates With You

If you recognised yourself in any part of this article, it’s worth knowing that libido changes are not something you need to push through or simply accept.

Understanding what your body needs often requires looking beneath the surface — at hormone patterns, mineral balance, stress physiology, and nervous system regulation.

In clinic, I work with women across all life stages to:

• explore the underlying drivers of libido changes

• assess hormonal and mineral patterns using appropriate testing

• support the body in a way that feels safe, sustainable, and individual

If you’d like personalised guidance and clarity around what’s influencing your libido, you’re welcome to book an appointment or reach out to discuss whether testing such as HTMA or hormone assessment may be appropriate for you.

You don’t need to have all the answers — that’s what support is for.

 

 

Yours in health and wellness,

 

Katrina xx