Livin’ Libido Loca: CBD For Increased Sex Drive

Gone are the days of faking it to get it over with, because who the f’ has time for that? Like we said, IT’S 2019! There are a myriad of ways that cannabidiol can improve your sex life — particularly if you’re a woman. From easing tension and helping you open up to amping up the pleasure, and even providing serious relief from pain, inflammation, and disease, the green boom is hitting your bedroom in the best way. 

Girl Relax, Let’s Go Slow

As you’re likely well aware, CBD is like mother nature’s Xanax. If anxiety, trauma, or nervousness is keeping you from feeling fabulous between the sheets, skip the liquid courage and opt for cannabis. The anxiolytic properties (read: anti-anxiety) will help you get that “three sheets to the wind” kind of carefree attitude without compromising your mental clarity or presence. 

Think: the happy and relaxed way you feel while you’re drunk, without the sloppiness or memory loss. You can fully be present, but a more relaxed version of yourself. 

Dr. Felice Gersh, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist based in Irvine, California told Huffington Post that “CBD oil can reduce sexual and negative self-images relating to one’s appearance or sexual appeal,” and mentioned that “Feeling less self-conscious about your body or your performance can help you to relax and enjoy the whole experience.”

Livin’ Libido Loca

If it’s libido you’re seeking, cannabidiol may be the solution. However, this seems (so far) to only be true for women. Sorry, boys. “Women appear to benefit from strains of marijuana with high CBD content and have reported increased sexual libido,” said Endoca, citing a study a study at the University of Texas. “The opposite appears to be true for men.”

When it comes to CBD lubricant, Foria Wellness founder Kiana Reeves told Svn Space that “Many [Foria lubricant users] are experiencing an increase in their own arousal capacity — meaning more blood flow to the genitals and more natural lubrication.” So a little bit really does go a long way.

She also noted that libido is affected and either enhanced or impaired by a myriad of things — “Hormones, stress levels, emotional wellbeing, and our environment all have a huge impact on how we experience our desire for sex and intimacy,” said Reeves. “That said, CBD has been shown to be incredibly effective in helping with stress and anxiety, both of which impact the nervous system and signal the body to produce excess amounts of the stress hormone cortisol.” Less stress = more libido.

Because not only does cortisol ruin your immune function, waistline, and life, but it’s the hormonal equivalent of a cold shower. “The secretion of cortisol can suppress the production of other libido-enhancing hormones and funnel your body’s resources into managing the stress,” said Reeves. “Using CBD to help nourish the endocannabinoid system and support the nervous system to have a healthier response to stress can significantly reignite a person’s libido.”

Baby Don’t Hurt Me No More

On the whole, cannabis can help with pain and inflammation. CBD and/or THC lubricant has been a solution to a myriad of sexual problems involving pain — from general pain and inflammation to severe diseases like lichen sclerosus.

For example, the reviews for Foria Awaken are f*cking insane (no pun intended). Women (and men!) are claiming it “saved my sex life,” and “saved my marriage,” — many of them describing awful, graphic experience with vaginal surgery, pelvic floor dysfunction, lichen sclerosus, and terrible pain they experienced during intimacy. Some women described emotional blocks from trauma that impeded them from experiencing an orgasm, only to be blown away by Foria’s Awaken lubricant. “We are getting consistent feedback that CBD is helping with a wide variety of pelvic pain conditions including endometriosis, vulvodynia, vaginismus, dryness, and even issues associated with menopause,” said Reeves.

“Awaken has allowed me to have a regular sex life with my husband again,” a reviewer named Erica Hal wrote. Another reviewer named Meghan claimed that “For the first time sex is pain-free.” One named Mea called it “a miracle product,”  saying “I was able to enjoy intimate time with my husband for the first time in over a year!!!!” And one of our favorites, 64-year-old Jo Ellen who’s been married for 45 years said, “It has definitely put a spring in our step.” You go, Jo Ellen.

Fun fact: “The majority of women experience painful sex at some point in their lifetime,” said Reeves. “CBD relaxes muscle tension and increases circulation of blood to the tissues, while also modulating overactive inflammation and pain signaling — the resulting wave of relief, relaxation, and enhanced blood flow can heighten one’s genital sensation and levels of arousal.”

And sexual health and pain don’t just come down to . . . well, painful sex. PMS can take a serious toll, too. “Sexual wellness also includes not being knocked out by menstrual cramps every month,” said Reeves. She cited the development of CBD suppositories that — if used on the first day of your period or a day before — can “do wonders for melting cramps and soothing pain,” she said. “Customers with endometriosis have been using these throughout the month as a localized pain reliever, and customers who deal with sexual pain have been using the suppositories as a pre-sex muscle relaxer and pain-soother”

It’s Such a Sweet Sensation

Even if you don’t have pain and may not necessarily need a “spring in your step,” there are women the world over singing the praises of this glorious sexual enhancement — particularly an editor at PopSugar who tried Foria’s Awaken and said Foria’s lubricant “taught me what ‘mind-blowing’ really means.”

“We have two years of feedback about our product Awaken [editor’s note: see above reviews] that suggests it is useful in helping people find deeper levels or pleasure, increased sensation, and access to orgasm,” said Reeves. It’s why people are returning for more bottles of Awaken over and over. And over.

Of note (here comes the buzzkill): there’s not a ton of research just yet on CBD for sex. As Reeves puts it, you can essentially use deductive reasoning: it’s been proven as an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving anxiolytic, and that can be applied to a number of settings. In her own words, “We can extrapolate that some of CBD's primary benefits — shown in various clinical studies — could also be helpful in the bedroom and beyond.”