Does the Vegetarian Diet Lead to a Low Sex Drive

A balanced vegetarian diet has been credited with improving health and may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. As well as bringing benefits though there are also some possible negative effects associated with this diet. This is especially likely if care is not taken to ensure that all necessary nutrients that the body requires are ingested. One risk that is often discussed is that it may lead to a low sex drive in male vegetarians.

How does the Vegetarian Diet Cause a Low Sex Drive?

It is believed that some vegetarians are lacking enough protein in their diet and this is reflected in low sex hormone levels. This lack of sex hormones means lower testosterone for men which in turn will lead to a low sex drive. Lack of sex drive can really impact negatively on a person's life. It can destroy relationships because the partner feels unloved and unwanted. It can also mean that couples trying to have a baby will struggle. It is also common that individuals will lose a lot of self-confidence because of their inability to have a healthy sex life.

The good news is that once vegetarians remedy the nutritional deficiencies in their diet their sex drive should return to normal. In order for this to happen though it is important for people to be aware of how this problem can occur in the first place. A lot of individuals might not even notice that they no longer feel as interested in sex as they once did. Other people might believe that their problems are being caused by some other factor and not realize that all that is needed is a change in diet.

Should the Risk of a Low Sex Drive Turn People against the Idea of a Vegetarian Diet

While a low sex drive might be a risk for vegetarians it is by no means a definite outcome of this diet. In fact vegetarians can avoid this negative consequence altogether as long as they make sure they are getting enough protein in their diet. There are also some vitamins and minerals that are important for testosterone formation and care should be taken to ensure that the diet is balanced overall. Meat eaters have a diet that is rich in protein and this is not something they generally have to think about. Vegetarians on the other hand will often have to make more of an effort to ensure that they are getting enough of this nutrient. Foods such as soya bean, beans, nuts, and eggs can all be good sources of protein.

Sources

BBC article - Sex drive warning to vegetarians and elderly (accessed 11^th August 2010)

NHS Choices - Going Vegetarian (accessed 11^th August 2010)

Mayo Clinic - Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition (accessed 11^th August 2010)