Reproductive & Sexual Health
Female Frigidity (Low Sexual Response)
Address female frigidity with damiana (used traditionally, though evidence is limited and it does not work like a hormone), wild yam, gotu kola, Siberian ginseng, B complex and vitamin E (400 IU), zinc (30 mg), and healthy fats from avocados, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, and wheat germ.
Also known as: female sexual dysfunction, hypoactive sexual desire, low libido in women, female arousal disorder, frigidity
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Primarily psychological: guilt, fear, depression, low self-esteem, relational conflict, earlier negative experiences.; Physical causes: inadequate stimulation, insufficient lubrication, nutritional deficiency (especially B complex, vitamin E, zinc), low estrogen.; Underlying infections or disease can cause painful intercourse..
First thing to try: Damiana: Place an eyedropperful of damiana extract under the tongue 1-2 hours before intercourse.
See a doctor if: See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🙏 Begin with prayer
Prayer is the first remedy, not the last resort. Whether you are facing this yourself, caring for someone who is, or simply reading to understand — here is a simple prayer you are welcome to make your own, in your name or in theirs:
Dear God, this part of my life feels distant and difficult, and it touches my marriage in ways that are hard to talk about. Give me wisdom to understand what my body and heart need, and courage to be honest with my husband about what I need. Heal what is worn or wounded in me, in Your time, and bless our patience with each other along the way. In Jesus' name, Amen.
“Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.”— Jeremiah 33:6
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Primarily psychological: guilt, fear, depression, low self-esteem, relational conflict, earlier negative experiences.
- Physical causes: inadequate stimulation, insufficient lubrication, nutritional deficiency (especially B complex, vitamin E, zinc), low estrogen.
- Underlying infections or disease can cause painful intercourse.
Change what you can
- Damiana: Place an eyedropperful of damiana extract under the tongue 1-2 hours before intercourse.
- Contains alkaloids which, like testosterone, directly stimulate nerves.
- May require several days before a full effect is noticed.
- Wild yam: Contains a natural steroid that may help.
- Take for 2 weeks, stop for 2 weeks, then repeat.
- Nutrition: B complex and vitamin E (400 IU) correct vitaminA natural substance your body needs in small amounts to stay healthy, like vitamin C or D. More → deficiencies that cause lowered estrogen levels and poor lubrication.
- Take zinc (30 mg) and copper (3 mg) daily.
- Healthy fats: Eat eggs fresh from the hen, alfalfa, olive oil, pumpkin seeds and other seeds, nuts, soy oil, avocados, and wheat.
- Flaxseed oil.
- Lecithin.
- Other helpful herbs: Gotu kola, Siberian ginseng, saw palmetto, sarsaparilla.
- Lubrication: Extra lubrication may help reduce pain if dryness is an issue.
🌿 Overview
Female frigidity (absence of sexual desire or inability to experience pleasure in sexual intercourse) is most often of psychological origin — rooted in guilt, fear, depression, or relational conflict. However, nutritional deficiency can lower estrogen levels and reduce lubrication, making physical causes also important to address. The herbs damiana and wild yam are particularly effective natural interventions.
'Frigidity' is an outdated and unhelpful term; what it referred to — persistent difficulty with sexual desire, arousal, or satisfaction that causes distress — is now understood compassionately as a common and treatable concern with many possible contributors. These include physical factors (hormonal changes, menopause, medications, pain, fatigue, and health conditions) and, very importantly, emotional and relational ones (stress, anxiety, low mood, past experiences, and relationship dynamics).
Because the causes are varied and often intertwined, a supportive, non-judgmental, whole-person approach helps most: addressing stress, sleep, and general health, open communication with a partner, allowing time and reducing pressure, and treating any physical contributors like vaginal dryness or medication side effects. There is no shame in the topic. When concerns are persistent or distressing, talking with a doctor (to check for physical and hormonal causes and review medications) and, where helpful, a counselor or sex therapist can be genuinely effective, so professional support is worth seeking rather than enduring difficulty in silence.
Common signs
- Absence or significant reduction of sexual desire.
- Inability to find pleasure in intercourse.
- Inability to reach orgasm.
- In some cases, intercourse may be painful due to inadequate lubrication or underlying infection.
🌿 Assist nature: remedies & protocols
With the cause being addressed, these are the actual things people do for this — ranked by the community. Vote ▲ on what helped you and ▼ on what didn't, and open How to do it for the steps. Each shows two quick signals: Evidence (how much science backs it) and Gentleness (how safe and in keeping with whole, natural health).
This is the safest and most foundational starting point, since low sexual desire often has psychological or relational roots that communication and, if needed, counseling address directly.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Since low sexual desire often has psychological and relational roots such as stress, past experiences, or communication gaps, learning about sexual health and talking openly with a partner can address root causes that no supplement can fix alone.
- Set aside calm, private time to talk openly with your partner about needs, concerns, and any worries without pressure.
- Learn together about how desire and arousal typically work, using trusted health sources.
- Keep a simple journal noting stress, mood, and any patterns related to changes in desire.
- Consider whether pain, past trauma, or relationship conflict may be part of the picture, and address these directly or with professional support.
- Revisit the conversation regularly rather than treating it as a one-time discussion.
20-30 minutes per conversation · Weekly or as needed
Caution: If pain during intercourse is the main issue, see a doctor to rule out infection, vaginal atrophy, or other physical causes before assuming the cause is only psychological or relational. A history of sexual trauma needs professional counseling support rather than self-directed communication alone.
Comments & experiences ▾
A direct, gentle comfort measure to use alongside communication and, if needed, medical evaluation for underlying causes of dryness or pain.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Inadequate lubrication can make intimacy physically uncomfortable or painful, which over time can reduce desire, so directly addressing dryness with a good lubricant removes one common physical barrier.
- Use a water-based lubricant generously during intimacy to reduce friction and discomfort.
- If dryness is an ongoing issue rather than just during intimacy, use a vaginal moisturizer regularly.
- Take time for unhurried physical closeness, since adequate arousal time supports natural lubrication as well.
- Talk with your partner about what feels comfortable so adjustments can be made together.
- See a doctor if dryness or discomfort continues despite these measures, since a medical cause may need evaluation.
As needed · As needed during intimacy; daily if using a moisturizer for ongoing dryness
Caution: Persistent pain despite good lubrication should be evaluated by a doctor to rule out infection, vaginal atrophy, or other physical causes. Avoid oil-based lubricants with latex condoms, since oil can weaken latex.
Comments & experiences ▾
A gentle supportive nutrition plan to use alongside open communication and, if needed, medical or counseling support.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: B vitamins, vitamin E, and zinc all play roles in normal hormone production and nerve signaling, so correcting shortfalls through diet may offer general support for sexual health as part of a broader plan.
- Include whole grains and lean protein sources such as eggs regularly for B vitamins.
- Add zinc-rich foods like nuts, seeds, and legumes to meals.
- Include healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, and pumpkin seeds daily.
- Add a source of vitamin E, such as nuts or seeds, regularly.
- Give this nutrition pattern several weeks, since it works gradually alongside communication and any needed counseling.
Ongoing daily eating pattern · Every day
Caution: Nutrition changes alone are unlikely to resolve low sexual desire if the main causes are relational, psychological, or due to an untreated medical condition. Do not take high-dose zinc supplements without medical guidance, since excess zinc can interfere with copper absorption.
Comments & experiences ▾
★ = Remy Recommended — hover the star to see why.
How the numbers work: a weighted voting system — trusted published sources cast endorsement votes for each protocol, and your ▲/▼ adds to them.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your female frigidity (low sexual response) — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🍃 Supporting foods & habits
The gentle, everyday foods and supports that help in the background — secondary to the active remedies above. Vote on what helped you.
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Whole-food diet: Fresh fruit and vegetable juice, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes. Flaxseed oil and lecithin. Pumpkin seeds. Avocados. Nuts. Wheat germ. No meat. B-vitamin-rich foods.
⚖️ Good to know
- If painful intercourse is the primary symptom, rule out vaginal infection, atrophic vaginitis, endometriosis, or structural causes with a gynecological evaluation before assuming the cause is psychological.
- If frigidity is primarily rooted in relational conflict or past trauma, counseling or therapy is often the most important intervention alongside nutritional support.
- Damiana has only limited, low-quality evidence and does not act like a hormone despite some marketing claims; it has mild stimulant effects, so start with a small amount and avoid it in pregnancy.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Low sexual desire/response is evaluated for physical and emotional causes and treated supportively.
Commonly offered
- Evaluating contributors (hormones, medications, pain, relationship, mood)–
- Treating physical causes (vaginal dryness, thyroid, depression)–
- Counseling/sex therapy–
- Reviewing medications that lower libido (e.g., some antidepressants)–
Worth knowing
- Pain with intercourse has treatable causes — get evaluated.
- It's common and not a character flaw.
- Address mood, stress, and relationship factors too.
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
🌿 Deeper natural detail
Curated links coming for this one.
💬 Ask Remy about Female Frigidity (Low Sexual Response)
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