Decreasing Libido, Lower Fertility

Love life consumes a lot of energy, and during this time, one consumes less food. This could also be called “anorexia of the lovers”. Therefore, it is beneficial if this energy-consuming love program similarly is switched off during an acute activation of the immune system. This shutdown program has been positively selected for acute inflammatory events. The shutdown is part of the Sickness behavior. However, in the case of chronic inflammation, the program is disadvantageous because it severely affects reproductive success and libido. During aging, fertility in women and men decreases significantly. In women, this coincides with the reduction of the ovarial reserve, in men with the steadily decreasing production of sex hormones. Decreasing libido is the age-related consequence.