Use These 4 TCM Tips to Resurrect Your Libido

Can TCM support libido? With the daily grind of work, taking care of the kids, keeping track of finances and having the weight of the world on your shoulders, it’s no wonder that you even have an ounce of libido left in your body. But having a healthy libido, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is part and parcel of overall wellness. 

Even if you’re not overweight and have no other serious health concerns, if you have low or virtually no sexual desire, you’re not considered healthy according to TCM theory. 

Most people lose sexual desire as they age. But thankfully, if you want to restore some of that youthful desire, TCM may help.  

How TCM Explains Low Libido

Before we explore TCM solutions for libido support, let’s find out what traditional eastern medicine philosophy says is the root cause for plummeting sexual desire…

According to TCM theory, virtually non-existent libido is the result of the following:

• Poor circulation/Deficiency in the Heart channel 
• Kidney deficiency
• Blood deficiency
• Lung deficiency

Of these factors, arguably it’s the Kidney system that is most impactful on libido. That’s because this organ system governs the body’s vitality or essence (in TCM, this is called “Jing”). It’s important to note that the Kidney system not only includes the physical kidneys of western anatomy but also the sexual organs and the adrenal glands. 

One thing that TCM and western medicine agree on is that excessive stress places a heavy burden on the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands, which rest on top of the physical kidneys, secrete hormones that impact the immune system, metabolism and sexual function. 

Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to TCM and libido support is that using Chinese herbs doesn’t directly impact sexual desire. Rather, what high-quality Chinese herbal formulas for libido do is restore the body’s internal Yin/Yang balance. This in turn restores the body’s Jing or vitality. And when vitality is restored, libido is reignited. 

Want A Healthy Libido? Nourish Your Brain!

As the saying goes, the brain is the most erotic organ. Our complex brain, all three pounds of it, accounts for just two percent of our total body weight but uses a disproportionate 20% of the oxygen and blood in your body. And if your job requires deep thinking, that percentage can be much higher. 

Where is this fact going in regards to TCM and libido? Well, in TCM, the marrow, which is produced by the Kidney system, flows to the brain. This is why in TCM theory, the brain is the sea of the marrow and the kidneys give rise to the marrow. 

So if you want a healthy libido, you need adequate marrow flowing to the brain. If marrow flows smoothly to the brain, there is good vitality. And having vitality sparks the brain towards desire and arousal. 

But in order to have a healthy sexual imagination, you also need abundant Qi and Blood flowing to the brain as well. (This article will not focus on poor sexual performance, but if this is the case, it’s usually a sign of weak, deficient Kidneys.)

4 Ways TCM Supports Libido

So let’s recap what you have to do in order to reignite your sexual desire:

• Tonify (strengthen) Kidney organ system
• Replenish Jing
• Balance Yin and Yang energies

As for balancing Yin/Yang energy, of course, there are anatomical differences between male and female sexual wellness. In general, men need robust tonification of Yang (warming) energy. However, if Yin energy is deficient, the adrenal glands along the Kidney meridian can burn out, causing lower back discomfort. Therefore, a properly-balanced TCM formula for libido and sexual function not only supports the Yang but also the Yin. 

In addition to the above three prerequisites in TCM for libido support, for women, the key to rekindling desire is tonifying the Liver meridian. The Liver governs overall Qi flow as well as blood and bodily fluids in the circulatory system. A properly-functioning Liver organ system is critical for a healthy menstrual cycle and hormonal flow to the sex organs.  

Best TCM Libido Support Formulas

ActiveHerb.com carries several formulas for sexual wellnesssexual wellness.
Want to learn more about how TCM supports sexual wellness? Read Sexual Wellness In Chinese Medicine: It’s All In Your Kidneys, from the ActiveHerb.com TCM blog.