soon about aphrodisiacs, which tend to increase libido. Opioids, antipsychotics, antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and beta blockers all decrease libido. Contraceptive hormones increase sex hormone binding globulin, a hormone that binds testosterone, which will decrease libido. Dopaminergic agonist drugs, which increase dopamine, increase libido. It is speculated that males have their highest libido during adolescence and that females have their highest libido in their thirties. The peak testosterone level in males is between fifteen and sixteen years of age, dropping gradually after that. Females have a gradual increase in testosterone, which peaks in the mid-thirties. There are wide differences in the levels of estrogen and testosterone between different people.
DIFFERENCES IN LIBIDO WITH GENDER Multiple research studies have shown differences in libido among men and women. Men are more straightforward with their libido and have stronger sex drives overall. Women are more sensitive to things like context and the environment. Emotional connection is more important in women and cultural factors figure in to a greater degree. While there are wide differences among people, research has shown that men think about sex much more often than women, with the majority thinking about sex at least once a day. The incidence of sexual fantasy decreases with age but is still twice as frequent in men compared to women. Men have more varied fantasies as well. Men will want sex more often, even during the start of a relationship. This is true of both gay men and heterosexual men. Lesbians have less desire for sex at all stages of a relationship. More than half of men masturbate, even if they feel guilty about it. Less than half of women masturbate and the overall frequency is less. Almost all prostitution is related to men seeking sex with a woman, rather than women seeking sex with men. Men in the clergy fail their vows of chastity about 60 percent of the time. As mentioned in the last chapter, heterosexual men are aroused by men and women having sex or by two women having sex. Gay men are aroused by two men having sex. Women are equally aroused by all types of sexual interactions, regardless of gender, even if they don’t admit their arousal. It appears that women are more open to 38
