A new study published today in the journal Neuroscience found that cannabidiol (CBD) increased sexual motivation and restored sexual behavior in male rats experiencing sexual inhibition, while repeated CBD treatment did not negatively affect sexual performance in sexually active animals.
The study was conducted by researchers from Mexico’s Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav) and the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery. The research involved 128 adult male rats and examined how different doses of CBD affected sexual activity, motivation and behavior following repeated administration.
Researchers conducted several experiments involving sexually experienced rats, including animals exhibiting normal sexual activity and others experiencing sexual inhibition after repeated mating. CBD was administered orally at doses ranging from 15 to 90 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Among sexually active rats, a single 15 mg/kg dose significantly shortened the time required to begin mounting and intercourse-related behavior. Doses of 15 and 60 mg/kg also increased the number of ejaculations recorded during a one-hour observation period, although higher doses did not consistently produce stronger effects.
The most notable findings involved sexually inhibited rats. At a dose of 30 mg/kg, CBD restored sexual behavior in 100% of treated animals, with all eight rats in the group exhibiting mounting, intromission and ejaculation. Additionally, 87.5% resumed sexual activity after ejaculating, a significant improvement compared to untreated animals.
A separate experiment measuring sexual motivation found that CBD-treated, sexually inhibited rats spent significantly more time near sexually receptive females. Their female-preference score increased to 0.69, compared to 0.50 among untreated animals, indicating a measurable increase in sexual motivation.
Researchers also examined whether repeated CBD administration affected sexual performance. Rats received daily doses of either 15 or 60 mg/kg for 14 days, with additional observations conducted after treatment ended. The researchers found no evidence that repeated CBD exposure impaired sexual behavior in otherwise sexually active animals.
The findings suggest that CBD’s effects on male sexual behavior depend on both dosage and the animal’s existing level of sexual activity. Lower doses generally produced more favorable effects, while higher doses sometimes showed reduced benefits.
Although the research involved rats rather than humans, the results identify sexual motivation as another biological function potentially influenced by CBD, providing a basis for further investigation into its effects on sexual behavior and dysfunction.
