Scientists from Pennsylvania State University have linked differences in sexual desire between men and women to the interaction between testosterone and cortisol. there was work published in the journal Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology.
Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays an important role in the body. Produced primarily in the testicles, it stimulates the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, but also regulates sex drive, bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, strength and a number of other physiological characteristics.
Testosterone levels are associated with a variety of complex psychological behaviors, including sexual desire. The researchers hypothesized that another hormone, cortisol, interacts with testosterone to regulate behavior. It is assumed that cortisol softens, modifies the effect of testosterone on human behavior and psychological processes.
Researchers recruited 831 study participants (646 women). They completed a demographic questionnaire and also completed a sexual desire assessment. The researchers also took saliva samples to determine testosterone and cortisol levels.
The results showed that the interaction between testosterone and cortisol levels in a person predicted sexual desire in women. This effect was weaker in women using hormonal contraceptives.