Sex and drugs
Negative effects may include low libido, erection issues (in males), vaginal dryness (in females) and anorgasmia.
[3] Penile erection for men is a vascular event caused by the innervation of both autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic) and somatic nervous systems (sensory and motor).
[4] Sensory information is received from the genitals towards these nervous systems, in which neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline would be released to control erectile function.
[5] Vaginal dryness refers to the situation when the vagina lacks lubrication which leads to serious pain during sexual intercourse.
[6] The production of lubricants in the vagina are highly sensitive to changes in hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, that are also responsible for blood flow.
Many drugs, both legal and illegal, some sold online, have side effects that affect the user's sexual function.
[18] Drugs on the market provide both benefits and detrimental effects to the person, especially regarding sexual performance, depending on the use and dosage.
Psychoactive drugs refer to chemical substances that affect an individual's mental processes, such as emotions, cognition, perception, and consciousness.
It also causes a series of adverse effects on the body, including the brain and the liver, leading to health problems and sexual dysfunction.
The conditions under which the drinking occurs, laboratory research vs self-report studies from users, as well as the amounts of alcohol consumed, may all contribute to these controversial outcomes.
[29][30] Laboratory studies have demonstrated that while low blood alcohol levels have no effect on or slightly enhance sexual arousal and responsiveness in men, elevated blood alcohol levels result in decreased erectile responsiveness, decreased arousal, and impaired ability to ejaculate.
[29][30] Other laboratory research, on the other hand, found no significant influence of either low or high blood alcohol levels on measures of arousal.
[35] Each has slightly different effects on sexual functioning, but generally, it has been found that antidepressants can delay/decrease orgasms and cause females to have breast enlargement.
[36] Dapoxetine in particular takes advantage of the side effect of delayed orgasm and is approved specifically as a medication for the treatment of premature ejaculation rather than as an antidepressant.
[36] However, the decrease in depressive symptoms from antidepressants make it worth the sexual side effects for many people.
[37] Maca, a plant that grows in central Peru, aids with sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressant drugs for women.
[citation needed] 2C-B was first sold commercially in 5 mg pills as a purported aphrodisiac under the trade name "Erox", which was manufactured by the German pharmaceutical company Drittewelle.
One type is hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), which is used to supply menopausal women that lack estrogen and progesterone, increasing vaginal lubrication.
[50] In contrast, other data has shown that persistent cocaine use impairs sexual desire and the capacity of both men and females to achieve orgasm.
[51][52] Studies on cannabis and sex have shown that THC has been linked to improved sexual desire and function.
[53] Other research has found that long-term marijuana use lowers testosterone levels and other reproductive hormones, causing erectile dysfunction in males.
According to a survey conducted, 10% of college students at a big US institution reported using MDMA, with alcohol and marijuana being the most often used substances.
[56][57] MDMA has been shown to impair sexual performance, including erectile dysfunction and delayed orgasm,[58][59] as well as to suppress sex desire.
[63] Similar to the effects of psycho-stimulants, both men and women who use heroin report engaging in high-risk sexual practices.
Subjects typically report having several sexual partners, using condoms seldom or not at all, and having a high frequency of STI diagnosis.
[66] While Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, and avanafil are primarily known for treating erectile dysfunction, it also has a positive effect on libido.
[67] Flibanserin is a drug that is both a serotonin antagonist and agonist that treats hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) for premenopausal women.
The binding of flibanserin causes downstream release of dopamine and noradrenaline and reduces the production of serotonin, increasing sex drive.
This drug works by increasing estrogen in the body circulation, thereby enhancing lubrication production in the vaginal area.
[27] Drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly can lead to low libido due to a process called aromatisation.
