X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Ask the expert: Causes of low libido

3 min read
Causes of low libido

Read what a doctor has to say about causes of low libido in your husband

My husband’s libido and ability to maintain an erection has declined in the last couple of years. When we have sex, he cannot sustain his erection for more than 3-4 minutes without going limp. Also, when he ejaculates, he releases very little sperm.

He blames it on stress, but I think it’s because he has been taking a medication called Proscar daily for about for years now. Am I right?

Answer from the doctor:

For a man with normal erectile capacity and libido, the erectile tissue in the penis relaxes with ease and blood enters the penis via the artery when there is desire, fantasy, feeling of intimacy, fore play and or tactile stimulation of the penis.

Towards the completion of the filling of the penis, return of the blood back to the body through the vein will get restricted; this allows further erection and rigidity sufficient for vaginal penetration.

During sexual intercourse, focused desire and sensation-induced stimulation will help to continue releasing the erectile chemicals from the nerves and erectile tissue of the penis for maintaining the erection until the episode of ejaculation; this is when the release of anti-erectile chemicals reverses the penis to non-erect state.

RELATED: Fulfill your man’s sex fantasy

The role of testosterone

Normal level of testosterone in man plays an important role in providing libido, desire, frequency of sexual interest and in keeping the spontaneous night/morning erection intact.

Reasons of inability to maintain an erection

There are several reasons for the inability of the penis to maintain an erection during sexual intercourse. Psychogenic causes contributing to prevention or maintenance of erection are:

  • performance anxiety
  • stress and bringing work related and other worries/issues to the bed
  • fear of pregnancy etc; in such a situation, adrenaline / noradrenaline released in the penile tissue can reduce the erectile capacity by contracting the tissue and allowing the blood to easily flow back to the body
  • Partner’s lack of interest, negative comments or unreasonable expectation can also contribute to maintenance problem

 This phenomenon of psychogenic ED is simply called “it is all in the head”.

Physical problems, on the other hand, are contributed by: smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, age-related changes etc. These conditions can easily cause maintenance problem because of the damage they can cause to the erectile tissue such as fibrosis and nerve damage and prevent or reduce the release of erectile chemical in the penile tissue and thereby reduce the inflow of blood into the penis for erection. If a man’s level of testosterone is abnormally low, it can contribute to loss of libido and reduce the erectile and ejaculatory capacity.

You and your husband may be right. Both Proscar and/or stress can cause sexual difficulties. Proscar (finasteride) is used in the treatment of enlarged prostate. In low doses, it is also used for male pattern baldness. Finasteride inhibits the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. It is known that Proscar can cause decreased libido (10%), lower intensity of ejaculation/volume (7.2%) and ED (18.5%) in a small number of man taking this medication. It was reported that up to 3.7% of men stopped taking Proscar because of sexual side effects. However, your husband should consult a specialist for a detailed examination and consultation.

Answered by

Prof P Ganesan Adaikan

Clinical Sexologist,

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology,

National University Hospital

Partner Stories
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Dr. P Ganesan Adaikan

  • Home
  • /
  • Relationship & Sex
  • /
  • Ask the expert: Causes of low libido
Share:
  • Erectile dysfunction be gone!

    Erectile dysfunction be gone!

  • How To Treat Erectile Dysfunction

    How To Treat Erectile Dysfunction

  • Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

    Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • Erectile dysfunction be gone!

    Erectile dysfunction be gone!

  • How To Treat Erectile Dysfunction

    How To Treat Erectile Dysfunction

  • Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

    Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.