Why does the heart accelerate when you are attracted to someone? Why do certain periods of life change the libido? And why can orgasm be followed by a very marked feeling of relaxation?
The sexual response does not depend on a single hormone. It results from interactions between the brain, nerves, blood vessels, genitals, emotional context and several chemical messengers.
We often speak of «eight sex hormones», but certain elements of this list are actually neurotransmitters or act as both hormones and neurotransmitters. Distinguishing them allows you to understand the subject without transforming sexuality into a simple chemical formula.
1. Testosterone and other androgens
Testosterone is present in both men and women, with very different average concentrations. It participates in particular in sexual desire and in several reproductive functions.
In humans, a real testosterone deficiency can be accompanied by a decrease in libido and sometimes other symptoms such as a decrease in energy or muscle mass. However, having a lower desire period is not enough to conclude that there is a hormonal lack.
In women, androgens also participate in sexuality, but desire depends on many other factors and is not just a testosterone level.
A hormonal dosage is only useful when answering a specific medical question and should be interpreted with symptoms, age and context.
2. estrogen
Estrogen plays a major role in female genital tissues. They contribute in particular to the maintenance of the vaginal mucosa, its flexibility and hydration.
When levels drop sharply, especially around menopause, some women experience dryness, irritation or pain during intercourse. This can indirectly reduce desire because sexual activity becomes less comfortable.
Estrogens are not, however, a «libido» button. A woman may have a high desire with varying hormonal levels, and sexual difficulties may exist while the dosages are normal.
3. dopamine
Dopamine is above all a neurotransmitter involved in motivation, learning and reward systems. She participates in anticipation and the search for pleasant experiences, including sexual ones.
When you are attracted to someone, anticipate a meeting or recognize a stimulus associated with pleasure, dopaminergic circuits can help maintain interest and motivation.
However, it is inaccurate to say that a precise amount of dopamine «creates» orgasm or that one can exhaust one’s dopamine with too much sex. The functioning of the brain is much more complex than a reserve that empties and fills.
4. oxytocin
Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter best known for its roles in childbirth and breastfeeding. She is also released in different contexts of social contact, touch and sexual activity.
She is often nicknamed «love hormone» or «trust», but these names greatly simplify her role. An oxytocin rise does not automatically create a love attachment and a low rate does not mean that a person lacks privacy.
During orgasm, oxytocin participates in certain muscle contractions in particular. It is part of a set of responses, not an isolated mechanism alone responsible for sexual satisfaction.
5. serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, appetite and many neurological functions. It also interacts with the sexual response.
We particularly notice its importance with certain antidepressants which increase serotonergic transmission: they can, in some people, reduce desire or delay orgasm and ejaculation.
This does not mean that a «too high serotonin» explains all sexual difficulties or that a «low serotonin» automatically causes premature ejaculation. The relationships between neurotransmitters and behavior are more nuanced.
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If a sexual effect appears under treatment, the prescriber should be spoken about rather than modifying the dose alone.
6. endorphins
Endorphins are peptides produced by the body that interact with opioid receptors. They participate in the modulation of pain and certain feelings of well-being.
Physical activity, laughter, stress and sexual activity may be associated with their release. After an orgasm, several biological systems contribute to the feeling of relaxation, and endorphins are among the messengers involved.
It would be exaggerated, however, to say that a person becomes «sex dependent» simply because they are looking for endorphins. Compulsive behaviors result from much more complex psychological and social mechanisms.
7. noradrenaline
Noradrenaline is involved in the body's attention, vigilance and response to activation. During sexual arousal, the awakening state increases and different nervous systems change heart rate, breathing and stimulation perception.
Moderate activation can accompany excitement. But when the stress becomes very high, anxiety can on the contrary hinder erection, lubrication or the ability to stay focused on pleasure.
There is therefore not a simple level of noradrenaline that should be «maintained in a perfect area». The emotional context and how the person interprets his activation matters a lot.
8. adrenaline
Adrenaline is part of the response to stress and excitement. It increases the heart rate in particular and prepares the body for action.
Some physiological activation is normal during sex: faster heart, accelerated breathing and muscle tension are part of the experience. In contrast, significant fear or performance anxiety can distract attention and disrupt the sexual response.
Adrenaline is not the direct engine of genital congestion; Erection and lubrication depend on a complex balance of the autonomic nervous system and blood circulation.
Prolactin and other messengers could also be cited
A list of eight is necessarily simplified. Prolactin, for example, changes after orgasm and is the subject of research on sexual satiety. Other hormones related to stress, thyroid or metabolism can indirectly influence desire when they are abnormal.
This is why a drop in libido is never diagnosed by looking at a single hormone at random.
The brain, body and context work together
The sexual response is often described in phases—excitement, platter, orgasm and resolution—but not every person follows exactly the same sequence. Desire can appear before physical excitement or, on the contrary, develop after the start of caresses.
Sleep, stress, drugs, pain, relationship quality, body image, age and health all influence this response along with chemical messengers.
Thus, improving your sex life is not about looking for a supplement that «increases dopamine» or testosterone. It is often more useful to work on comfort, communication, time for excitement and identified health problems.
When to consider a medical check-up?
A temporary variation in libido is normal. On the other hand, if the drop is lasting, significant and associated with other symptoms — extreme fatigue, menstrual dysfunction, hot flushes, erectile dysfunction, change in medication, for example — a professional can decide whether examinations are useful.
Hormones participate in sexuality, but they do not control it alone. Understanding this interaction avoids both trivializing a real problem and transforming each fluctuation of desire into «hormonal imbalance».
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