Being overweight or obese can negatively impact your sex life by lowering your libido, and making it difficult to enjoy sex or reach orgasm.
In addition to affecting self-confidence in some people, being severely overweight can also affect sexual function due to:
- Impaired blood flow to the genitals
- Sex hormone derangements
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Low-grade systemic inflammation
- Depression
- Sleep apnea
Obese individuals are also more likely to suffer from depression and high blood pressure, and medications used to treat these diseases can affect sex drive as well.
What factors can affect sex drive?
Women
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Urinary incontinence
- Vaginal infections
- Vaginal dryness
- History of sexual abuse
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
Men
- Erectile dysfunction
- Premature ejaculation
- Performance anxiety
- Low testosterone
- Excessive alcohol consumption
All genders
- Age
- High cholesterol
- Type II diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Chronic diseases of the lungs, heart, kidneys, or liver
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression
- Low self-esteem
- Traumatic sexual experiences
- Cancer and chemotherapy
- Medications
- Substance abuse
How body weight can affect your sex life
- Lower sexual desire: Higher levels of body fat can cause higher levels of a chemical called sex hormone-binding globulin, which binds to testosterone, making it less available to stimulate desire.
- Lower stamina: Overweight or obese people tend to have lower stamina or energy, which may hamper sexual performance.
- Decreased blood flow: Obesity can cause decreased blood flow in the genitals due to narrowing of the blood vessels, which is essential to reach an orgasm.
- Erectile dysfunction: Men who are overweight are 2.5 times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Obesity lowers testosterone in men, making it hard to achieve or maintain an erection.
- May limit positions: If one partners is obese, some sexual positions can be challenging. You may have to stick to one or two positions that are comfortable for both partners.
- Lack of self-confidence: When you are not satisfied with the way you look, it can take over your mind and shift your focus from the pleasurable activity to areas of your body you are not confident about.
QUESTION
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Medically Reviewed on 3/15/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images
Bouchez C. Better Sex: What’s Weight Got to do with it? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/sex-and-weight
Bates JN, Pastuszak AW, Khera M. Effect of Body Weight on Sexual Function in Men and Women. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2019;11(1):52-59. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6771291/
Bouchez C. Better Sex: What’s Weight Got to do with it? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/sex-and-weight
Bates JN, Pastuszak AW, Khera M. Effect of Body Weight on Sexual Function in Men and Women. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2019;11(1):52-59. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6771291/
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