Low sexual appetite in men

• ICD–10: Lack or loss of sexual desire F52

Low sex drive is a rare disorder in men (unlike women). As a primary disorder, it occurs in hypogonadisms with absent or weakened production of androgens. These patients are usually also affected by typical disorders of sexual physical development. Therapy must be appropriate for the underlying disorder.

Most low sex drive conditions are secondary in nature. Their main characteristic is depression. Low mood may not always be easy to detect. Low activity of dopamineergic regulation and high level of prolactin are common causes of reduced sexual appetite. Hyperprolactinemia can be caused by psychological stresss or physical illness. It may be related to the administration of medications (psychopharmaceuticals). Extremely high levels of prolactin are often caused by pituitary adenoma (prolactinoma). Some apparently not sexually active men have other than typically heterosexual interests. These are realized outside of heterosexual partner relationships. The majority of such patients we examined were homosexual men. However, there are also pedophiles, fetishists and transvestites or transsexuals. Therefore, the attempt of sexually deviant men to compensate for their problem by getting married is not always successful.

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Author: doc. MD Jaroslav Zvěřina, CSc. (head of the Institute of Sexology of the 1st Faculty of Medicine and VFN)