Two words that men dread to hear from their wives, “Not tonight.” While loss of sexual appetite is commonly blamed on stress, vices, emotional issues and lack of connection – all of which men work hard to overcome just to keep going with their sexual relationship with their partners – recent studies show something more potent and proven to be a cause of decrease in lady’s libido. Quite common in your homes, plastic is surprisingly a case of your loss of sexual appetite.
In a study conducted by the University of Rochester School of Medicine, it was found that this is another factor causing the loss of libido and sexual appetite in women. The study was presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference, which was held in Honolulu.
It was said that Phthalates, a man-made chemical that is present in plastic, interferes with the growth of natural hormones and is more than likely linked to the decrease in estrogen production in women, therefore paving way to the gradual loss of interest in sex.
Plastic can be found in many necessities and furniture that you have at home. This poses the concern as to how to eliminate it, since the use of plastic has somehow become a way of life.
Plastic can be found in the common things that we buy or use at home like –
- Shower curtains. A majority, if not all shower curtains, are made of plastic.
- Processed food and tightly packaged food are mostly stored in, or covered in plastic.
- Furniture, like chairs and tables consist of plastic.
- Some personal care products for the face and body contain plastic.
Although plastic is not directly introduced to the body, dust particles coming from these things, that you unknowingly inhale is also a way for phthalates to enter your body.
Why Blame Plastic?
You might think that it’s crazy, blaming plastic on your loss of desire to have sex. However, studies have been conducted on how plastic, and its component phthalates, can affect the growth of hormones responsible for a woman’s libido.
A study was conducted on 360 pregnant women and their libido status before conception. They were given a survey about their sexual appetites before they got pregnant.
They underwent testing to determine the levels of phthalates metabolite concentrations in their urine. Two dimensions were looked at on this testing: vaginal dryness and lack of interest in sexual intercourse.
The result was astonishing, showing that women with the most phthalate in their urine have the higher probability of losing their sexual appetite. The test, however, was done on pregnant women alone. So the effect of phthalates on non-pregnant women is yet to be tested, yet there is strong evidence that it has the same effects.
1. Health Risks of Phthalates
Plastic can generally pose a risk to your health. But in a recent research by Dr. Emily Barrett of the University of Rochester School of Medicine, she specified that phthalate can interfere with the production of sex hormones or estrogen and libido.
Both hormones are involved in the libido department for women.
Dr. Barrett further shares that the greatest contributor of phthalates in your body is through processed food and highly packaged food, which are mostly covered in plastic. Phthalates gets into food during processing and packaging.
2. How to Avoid Phthalates
Plastic has been a part of our way of life for a long time. In the bedroom, dining room, living room, restroom, kitchen – in our groceries and more – plastic is basically everywhere and unavoidable. So, how can you lessen your interactions with plastic?
You can avoid or at least minimize your use of plastic. Going organic is one big factor that can lessen your exposure to phthalates. But if you are unwilling to fully go on an organic way of life, here are some recommendations that you may consider to avoid too much phthalates –
Eat and buy less processed food that is highly and tightly packaged with plastic. These are mostly found in the cold foods section, like hotdogs, ham and other junk foods. These food are over-exposed to plastic, given that they are packaged in plastic, and therefore is induced with phthalates. Opting to not buy these types of food may also have health benefits, since processed food have always been proven to be bad for your health.
Use natural wooden floors at home, if possible. Some materials used on your home floorings may contain phthalates deposits which you can inhale and encounter on a day to day basis.
To avoid this situation, you can opt to use wooden floors on your home. Plus, wooden flooring can give a lovely ambience for your home.
Change plastic shower curtains to sliding glass doors. Shower curtains have a large amount of plastic in the materials used to make them. Thus, the phthalates deposit is also abundant.
Instead of using plastic shower curtains, it is best and more advisable to use sliding glass doors to separate your shower from the rest of the bathroom. Add to that is that you can personalize the design you use on your glass doors – and they are a lot sturdier than shower curtains.
Take precaution with the personal care products that you use. Some products may contain too many phthalates or other unhealthy contents in them. Study the content information of the products that you use to ensure that you are using an effective and healthy product. It is best if you use products of with high and proven brands to ensure its safety.
Can You Really Blame Plastic For Your Low Sex Drive?
It will not hurt to be extra cautious, especially when it comes to your libido and sex drive towards your partner.
Sex is a vital part of a relationship and should be well endowed. Otherwise, the relationship will be dull and boring.
So, does plastic really affect your sex drive? Based on the studies conducted and presented, yes, it does. Plastic can interfere with the growth of oestrogen and testosterone levels in women, both of which are viral components to a woman’s libido.
Of course, other factors also affect a woman’s desire for sex, such as:
Emotional Health And Well-Being- If a woman is depressed or is undergoing too much emotional stress, the desire for sex may be gradually affected. Therefore, women should stay happy and well so that the libido can stay upbeat.
Confidence In Yourself And Your Body- Low self esteem can also be a huge factor affecting a woman’s desire for sex. Other confidence issues like previous negative sexual experiences may also affect your sex drive. You should learn to boost your confidence to address this libido-decreasing factor.
Menopausal Period- Menopause for older women also causes lesser testosterone production, which is a widespread cause of loss of sexual appetite for women.
If you are under hypertensive or depression medications. Anti-hypertensive and anti-depressants have active ingredients that can affect or interfere with the growth of hormones, and inclusive of them are oestrogen and testosterone.
A healthier lifestyle can prevent hypertension or depression, which can then eliminate the use of these libido-decreasing agents.
Smoking and alcohol. Too much alcohol can weaken the growth of hormones and kill the libido and desire for sex. Minimize vices like these, because they are also bad for your whole body’s well-being.
Relationship Problems- Lack of an intimate, close connection can cause the loss for sexual desire with your partner. Another factor is ongoing unresolved conflicts that you and your partner may have, which can affect not only your emotional self, but also your sexual self.
Poor communication when it comes to sexual needs is also another big factor. If your partner doesn’t know what you want because you fail to educate him, chances are you will not be satisfied with the sex and your lack of interest will follow.
There are many causes of loss of sexual appetite and they have proven to be a home-wrecker in most families.
It is important that you keep your libido in check, so that your sexual relationship with your partner is maintained.
Loss of sexual appetite can pose a huge problem to your marriage or relationship. There are many factors that can cause the decrease in estrogen and loss of desire for sex. All these factors should be addressed so that you can maintain a healthy relationship with your partner.
It may surprise you that the loss of sexual appetite may be caused by plastic. Although the studies were only done with pregnant women and the results for non-pregnant women are yet to be studied, it will not hurt to be careful when it comes to your libido. Your relationship with your partner dwells mostly on this factor. Minimizing exposure to phthalates can give health benefits to your entire body as well.