Low desire (low libido) and questions about testosterone
Low desire in men: does this sound like you?
Low desire, or low libido, means less interest in sex than you are used to. Low testosterone is only one of many possible reasons.
- You think about sex less than you used to, or rarely start it.
- You go along with intimacy, but the interest is not there.
- You come home tired and flat most evenings.
- An advert or a friend at the gym made you wonder: "Is my testosterone low?"
- You would put it as "sex ki ichha kam ho gayi hai".
Urgent signs: if you feel hopeless or have thoughts of harming yourself, or have chest pain, fainting or sudden numbness on one side, get help today. The full list is under “When it should not wait”.
Desire rises and falls with sleep, stress, age, health and what is happening in your life1. A change that lasts, bothers you or came with other symptoms is worth assessing.
Learn moreŚukra dhātu (shukra dhatu): what Ayurveda means by it, and how it compares with modern sexual and reproductive healthŚukra dhātu (शुक्र धातु) is Ayurveda's name for reproductive tissue.
What low desire is, and what it is not
There is no "right" amount of desire. Low desire is not the same as erection difficulty or finishing early, although they can come together.
Whether testosterone is low can only be known from blood tests and a doctor's assessment.2
| It is | It is not |
|---|---|
| Often linked to stress, tiredness, low mood, medicines or relationship strain | Automatically a hormone problem |
| Something that changes over a lifetime | A fixed level you are meant to reach |
| A fair thing to raise with a doctor | A test of your masculinity |
When it should not wait
Low desire by itself is not an emergency, but these signs are different.
Urgent signs
Get help today if:
- you feel hopeless or have thoughts of harming yourself;
- there is chest pain, fainting, or sudden numbness or drooping on one side of the face or body.
Arrange a prompt medical review if:
How Dr. Sharma assesses it
The assessment is a one-to-one conversation. You share only what you want about your relationship. No photographs are needed.
- The change. When it began; gradual or sudden; constant or only in some situations; alone and with a partner.
- The rest of life. Sleep, work, stress, mood, exercise, alcohol and tobacco.
- Health and medicines. Diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid, weight and any long illness; medicines for mood, blood pressure, the prostate or hair loss, some of which can lower desire (do not stop one on your own). 1
- Erections and timing. Whether these have changed too, since that changes the questions.
- Tests only when useful. If symptoms point that way, a morning blood test for testosterone, usually repeated to confirm, with sugar or thyroid checks. Why a test is suggested is explained before you decide.2
- Options and a review date. What is likely going on, what can help and what will not.
Low desire treatment: what it can and cannot promise
- Desire cannot be forced, and is not a target. The aim is to find what changed and deal with that.
- Matched to the likely cause. Sleep, stress and routine; a medicine review with the doctor who prescribed it; counselling; Ayurvedic treatment within scope when it fits.
- Testosterone is a doctor's decision. Treatment for low testosterone is considered only when repeated blood tests confirm a low level and symptoms fit, and it can lower sperm production. 2 If tests point to a hormone problem, you are referred.
- What to expect. When a clear cause such as a medicine, poor sleep or low mood is found and addressed, desire often returns.
- About "medicine to increase libido". Products sold for libido do not fix a cause such as poor sleep, low mood or a medicine. The plan addresses that, and an Ayurvedic medicine is considered only if it fits your assessment.
- How long it takes. This is decided after the assessment.
If you have already tried shilajit or a testosterone booster, bring the box or note its name and how long you took it. The doctor needs to know what you took, because some boosters contain hormones.
Your doctor
Your doctor
Dr. D.K. Sharma, the Ayurvedic doctor who sees you
Name, qualification and registration BAMS; practising since 1992 4067, Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine, Punjab
Reviewed by Dr. D.K. Sharma. Approval recorded on 8 November 2026 for this exact text.
Medical content approved by Dr. D.K. Sharma.
A private consultation, ₹500
A consultation gives you time to explain what has changed, what else was going on at the time and what you have already tried. Dr. Sharma can discuss whether a blood test makes sense, what else could be contributing, and whether treatment at Bharat Clinic fits your needs.
Useful details to have ready: when it changed; what else changed around then; the medicines and supplements you take; and any blood reports. The consultation is in person in Ludhiana (usually 30–60 minutes) or by video, and your personalised Dinacharya (daily-routine) guide follows it. See how booking works. If blood tests or an examination are needed, you are told how and where.
The consultation
₹500In person in Ludhiana, or by video
Includes your personalised Dinacharya (daily-routine) guide, prepared after the consultation.
How booking works · no payment until step 3
- You send a request
- Suitability and a time are confirmed
- You pay ₹500
- Your slot is confirmed
- The consultation
Other costs
- Medicine, if advised
- Discussed after your consultation
- Care courses
- Discussed after your consultation
Looking for a sexologist in Ludhiana? Who you will see, and what to check
Related reading
Questions before you book
Is it normal for desire to drop sometimes?
Yes. Desire varies with sleep, stress, illness, age and life events.
Full answer
A change that lasts for months, worries you or comes with other symptoms is the one worth assessing.1
Does low desire mean low testosterone?
No. Testosterone is one possible factor among many. Whether a test is useful depends on your symptoms, and a low result is usually repeated before anything is decided.2
Full answer
Marked tiredness, weight change, breast swelling or tenderness, loss of body hair, or smaller, softer testicles would make a doctor think of low testosterone. A blood test can then be considered.
Can stress or tiredness cause it?
Yes, often. But a lasting change should not be put down to stress without checking sleep, mood, medicines and health.
How can I increase my sex drive?
Start with what lowered it. Depending on the cause, that may mean better sleep and less stress, a medicine review with the doctor who prescribed it, help for low mood, or counselling for relationship strain.
Testosterone kya hota hai?
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. It plays a part in desire, energy, muscle and sperm, and its level changes through the day, so only repeated morning blood tests show a true low.
What can lie behind low desire
What can contribute. Usually more than one thing, in four areas the doctor checks1:
- Mind: stress, anxiety, low mood or depression, and past difficult experiences.
- Body: poor sleep, long illness, weight, alcohol, and sometimes hormones or the thyroid.
- Medicines: some medicines for mood, blood pressure, the prostate or hair loss.
- Circumstances: tiredness from work or caring for family, conflict, lack of privacy.
About testosterone. Levels are highest in the morning and vary from day to day, which is why one random result can mislead2. Symptoms and repeated tests together decide whether it is low. Your report prints the laboratory's own normal range beside the result, so bring the report rather than just the number.
Three common myths.
- "A real man always wants sex." Desire varies for everyone.
- "A booster will fix it." Without a cause, a product is a guess.
- "Low desire and erection trouble are the same thing." They are separate, though one can affect the other.
The Ayurvedic view. Ayurveda discusses desire under śukra dhātu and vajikarana, together with sleep, digestion and the mind, as a whole-person reading.