12 Drugs Killing Libido

Men with low libido is often blamed for having low-T. As men get older, some of them may experience not interested in sex from time to time due to stress, emotional problems, chronic disease, and sexual problems (erection problem, enlarged of the prostate, and low testosterone).

When men hit in their 40’s, many of them are taking medications for their ailments. And that’s the reason why some men are experiencing loss of interest in sex or loss of libido as a side effect of the drug.

Indeed, certain medications can interfere not only your sex drive, but also can cause poor erection quality. So if you are taking medications for your high blood, high cholesterol, allergy, ulcer, prostate, and depression, and have noticed a drop in your libido. It is highly advisable to talk with your doctor about the alternative medications that has no symptoms of lowering your sex drive.

Many of the drugs on the list below are used for conditions that are known to decrease your sex drive.

Related: List of drugs that can cause erectile dysfunction (ED)

Drugs Killing Libido #1: Acne medications

Taking acne medications can steal away your ability to get aroused and rob your male sex drive entirely. Some of the side effects of the acne drugs are hormonal imbalance like stop growing beard, genitals shrink, developing of breast (man’s boob).

Some men who have taken these acne medications complained of not getting erections (impotence), difficulty achieving orgasm or completely absent of orgasm (anorgasmia), genital numbness, decreased volume and watery sperm, shrinkage in the flaccid state and low blood flow to the gland when erect.

Warning: Don’t ever take these drug! Acne drugs that are known to ruin your sex life permanently are:

If you want to eradicate your acne permanently in the next 30 days, try this » natural method.

Drugs Killing Libido #2: Anti-androgens

Antiandrogens are used in men to treat prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, androgenic alopecia (hair loss), and various sexual disorders (such as hyper-sexuality, paraphilia, pedophilia, and precocious puberty).

In women, antiandrogens are used to treat acne, seborrhea, amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods), hirsutism (excessive facial and body hair), polycystic ovarian syndrome and masculization.

Common side effects of antiandrogens in men include breast development (gynecomastia), feminization, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and osteoporosis.

List of anti-androgen drugs killing libido are:

leuprolide

goserelin

triptorelin

abarelix

ketoconazole (tablet)

flutamide

nilutamide

bicalutamide

cyproterone acetate

Related: 11 Things that can kill your erections and stealing your manhood unknowingly

Drugs Killing Libido #3: Antidepressants

Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common side effect from antidepressants and can have significant impact on one’s sex life. According to a study, the side effects of these drugs can include:

inability to maintain an erection (ED)

loss of libido or reduced sexual desire

difficulty reaching orgasm or delayed ejaculation

decreased sexual excitement or arousal

Antidepressants most likely to cause low libido and other sexual side effects include:

Anti-mania medications such as lithium carbonate (Eskalith, Lithobid)

medications such as lithium carbonate (Eskalith, Lithobid) Anti-psychotic medications , including thioridazine (Mellaril), thiothixene (Navane) and haloperidol (Haldol)

, including thioridazine (Mellaril), thiothixene (Navane) and haloperidol (Haldol) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) , including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)

, including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Examples of SSRIs are citalopram (Celexa), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla), duloxetine (Cymbalta), fluoxetine (Prozac, Selfemra), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva)

are used to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Examples of SSRIs are citalopram (Celexa), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla), duloxetine (Cymbalta), fluoxetine (Prozac, Selfemra), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which include venlafaxine (Effexor XR), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla) and duloxetine (Cymbalta).

which include venlafaxine (Effexor XR), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline (Elavil),clomipramine (Anafranil), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil) and nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor)

Drugs Killing Libido #4: Antihistamines

Antihistamines are over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that are used to treat symptoms of allergies. Unfortunately, anti-allergy medicines may affect your sex drive. Many men who have taken antihistamines have reportedly dropped their libido significantly.

This drug can affect some part of your nervous system, which is connected with sexual arousal and orgasm. As reported by the Cleveland clinic, antihistamines not only can decrease your libido, but also can cause ED and ejaculation problems.

Examples of antihistamines that are known to lower your sex drive are:

Brompheniramine (Dimetane)

(Dimetane) Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)

(Chlor-Trimeton) Cimetidine (Tagamet)

(Tagamet) Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

(Benadryl) Fexofenadine (Allegra)

(Allegra) Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)

(Atarax, Vistaril) Meclizine (Antivert)

(Antivert) Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin)

So if you are taking antihistamine to alleviate your allergy symptoms and have noticed lose interest in sex, talk with your natural health practitioner for an alternative remedy to combat your allergy.

Related: 7 Bad habits causing ED

Drugs Killing Libido #5: Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)

If you have been taking anti-seizure medications from your epilepsy and have no sex drive at all, your epileptic drugs can be the culprit.

Studies have been found in men who have taken AEDs have diminished libido, erectile dysfunction, lack of sexual satisfaction, difficulties reaching orgasm, and sperm abnormalities.

Other side effects of anti-seizure drugs include: tiredness, sleep disturbance, feeling tense or depressed, which can affect interest in sex.

Examples of anti-seizure/anticonvulsant drugs killing libido are:

Carbamazepine (Tegretol)

(Tegretol) Eslicarbazepine acetate

Ethosuximide

Gabapentin

Lacosamide

Lamotrigine

Levetiracetam

Nitrazepam

Perampanel

Phenobarbital

Phenytoin

Pregabalin

Primidone

Retigabine

Rufinamide

Sodium valproate

Stiripentol

Topiramate

Vigabatrin

Zonisamide

Also Read: 10 Amazing benefits of testosterone and why you should boost your T

Drugs Killing Libido #6: Anti-hypertensive Drugs (used to treat high blood pressure)

Some high blood pressure medicines can interfere with ejaculation and reduce sexual desire. Overtime, hypertension can damage the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries narrow and harden, (atherosclerosis), restricting blood flow to the penis. This means decreased blood flow to the penis makes it difficult to get and maintain erections.

Certain high blood pressure drugs can also deplete the body of zinc, which is necessary to produce male sex hormone – testosterone.

Several widely prescribed antihypertensive agents associated with loss of libido and sexual dysfunction, including:

a-Adrenergic blockers , including prazosin (Minipress) and terazosin (Hytrin)

, including prazosin (Minipress) and terazosin (Hytrin) b-adrenergic (beta) blockers , including propranolol (Inderal, Innopran XL) and metoprolol (Lopressor)

, including propranolol (Inderal, Innopran XL) and metoprolol (Lopressor) Centrally acting agents , including methyldopa (Aldomet) and reserpine (Serpasil, Raudixin)

, including methyldopa (Aldomet) and reserpine (Serpasil, Raudixin) Diuretics, including spironolactone (Aldactone), Furosemide (Lasix), Torsemide (Demadex) and the thiazides (Diuril, Naturetin and others)

Drugs Killing Libido #7: Chemotherapy, Anti-cancer Drugs

Medicines used to treat cancer are also associated with sexual side effects like: lack of sexual interest, breast enlargement (gynecomastia), genital or testicular pain, and trouble reaching orgasm.

Anti-cancer drugs associated with lack of sexual desire and other sexual side effects, including:

Busulifan (Myleran)

(Myleran) Cabazitaxel (Jevtana)

(Jevtana) Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)

(Cytoxan) Docetaxel (Taxotere)

(Taxotere) Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)

(Novantrone) Estramustine (Emcyt)

Related: Natural ED remedies that work!

Drugs Killing Libido #8: Hair Loss: Proscar and Propecia

Finasteride is a generic name of Proscar and Propecia. It is a medication prescribed to treat symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men with prostate enlargement and pattern hair loss. Finasteride prevents the conversion of testosterone to another androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body.

Both Proscar and Propecia have linked to sexual side effects, including:

decreased interest in sex, desire, drive, or performance

inability to have or keep an erection (impotence)

trouble reaching an orgasm, abnormal ejaculation

swelling or tenderness in your breast or breast enlargement

Drugs Killing Libido #9: H2 Blockers

H2 blockers, also called H2-receptor antagonist, are a group of medicines used to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric ulcers, peptic ulcers, dyspepsia and erosive esophagitis.

H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid produced by the cells in the lining of the stomach.

H2 blockers side effects can cause sexual dysfunction: impotence, breast in enlargement in men, decreased libido, reduced sperm count.

H2 blockers that may cause sexual disorder are the following:

cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB)

(Tagamet, Tagamet HB) famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC)

(Pepcid, Pepcid AC) nizatidine (Axid)

(Axid) ranitidine (Zantac)

Related: Top 3 Reasons Why Men Ejaculate So Fast

Drugs Killing Libido #10: Opioids (painkillers)

Narcotic opioids such as Vicodin, Oxycontin or Percocet is used to prescribed to relieve pain. However, this drug can lower your testosterone levels, which in turn can decreased your libido.

Examples of opioid drugs killing libido, including:

codeine (only available in generic form)

(only available in generic form) fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora)

(Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora) hydrocodone (Hysingla ER, Zohydro ER)

(Hysingla ER, Zohydro ER) hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)

(Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin) hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo)

(Dilaudid, Exalgo) meperidine (Demerol)

(Demerol) methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)

(Dolophine, Methadose) morphine (Astramorph, Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Ora-Morph SR)

(Astramorph, Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Ora-Morph SR) oxycodone (OxyContin, Oxecta, Roxicodone)

Drugs Killing Libido #11: Statins

According to medicine.net, statins are widely prescribed to treat high cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia) in the blood by blocking the enzyme in the liver, which is responsible for the production of cholesterol.

Studies suggest that there is an increasing evidence of sexual disorders during therapy with statins.

Researchers have found a decreased libido and low testosterone levels with patients using statins.

These drugs killing libido are also confirmed by the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, which is responsible for the spontaneous reporting for adverse reactions in the Netherlands.

Examples of statins used to treat high cholesterol, but also may affect your sex drive include:

atorvastatin (Lipitor)

(Lipitor) fluvastatin (Lescol, Lescol XL)

(Lescol, Lescol XL) lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev)

(Mevacor, Altoprev) pravastatin (Pravachol)

(Pravachol) rosuvastatin (Crestor)

(Crestor) simvastatin (Zocor)

(Zocor) pitavastatin (Livalo)

Drugs Killing Libido #12: Tranquilizers (Barbiturates & Benzodiazepines)

Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are used to sedate patients and induce sleep (insomnia). It is also used to treat anxiety agitation, seizures, and muscle spasms.

Benzodiazepines are associated with many sexual problems such as diminished orgasms, reduced sexual interest, excitement and sensation, erectile problems and ejaculation problems.

Some of these drugs may also interfere with the production of testosterone, a male sex hormone important for sexual desire in men.

Examples of barbiturate & benzodiazepine that can affect your sex drive are:

alprazolam (Xanax)

(Xanax) amobarbital (Amytal)

(Amytal) aprobarbital (Alurate)

(Alurate) butabarbital (Butisol)

(Butisol) chloral hydrate (Somnote)

(Somnote) chlordiazepoxide (Librium)

(Librium) clorazepate (Tranxene)

(Tranxene) clonazepam (Klonopin)

(Klonopin) diazepam (Valium)

(Valium) estazolam (Prosom)

(Prosom) flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)

(Rohypnol) flurazepam (Dalmane)

(Dalmane) lorazepam (Ativan)

(Ativan) mephobarbital (Mebaral)

(Mebaral) methohexital (Brevital)

(Brevital) nitrazepam (Mogadon)

(Mogadon) oxazepam (Serax)

(Serax) pentobarbital (Nembutal)

(Nembutal) phenobarbitol (Luminal)

(Luminal) primidone (Mysoline)

(Mysoline) secobarbital (Seconal)

(Seconal) thiopental (Penothal)

(Penothal) temazepam (Restoril)

(Restoril) triazolam (Halcion)

Related: Medicines Cause ED: How Can These Drugs Destroy Your Erection Silently

So the next time you take medications, make sure you have done your research well on drugs killing libido.