However, doctors recently warn of another, comparatively unexpected side effect – a decrease in sexual appetite. These injections mimic the hormone GLP-1, which is released in the intestines after a meal and helps reduce appetite. However, according to experts, it also affects dopamine, a key substance associated with the feeling of reward.
“Sex, like food, is based on desire and reward. Many of the neural networks that control appetite and sex drive overlap. When we take GLP-1, we suppress the internal processes that force us to fulfill our evolutionary needs. By suppressing the pathways associated with food, we also affect the pathways that lead us to sex.” explained Dr. Ryan Sultan, assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University.
“These drugs likely dampen dopamine reward signals, thereby reducing appetite and other compulsive behaviors. This can indirectly affect mood, motivation and sexuality. In most cases, libido returns after stopping the drug, although the time and rate of return varies by individual.” is also reported by Dr. Bronwyn Holmes from the American Eden Clinic.
Research shows that the effect of GLP-1 can also affect brain centers associated with pleasure. “If you reduce dopamine activation, you also reduce natural peaks of desire, such as sexual desire,” Professor Kent Berridge from the University of Michigan stated earlier.
