So I developed orthorexia in response to chronic health issues in 2022. Lost my period for 7 months, during which time I had zero libido and was sex-repulsed.
Was able to increase calories somewhat and period returned early 2023. Was probably eating around 1500 calories daily at this point.
Increased to 2000 by spring and had a few months of 2500 later on in the year. Pre-illness I used to eat about 2500 calories a day, but due to having developed Crohn's Disease it's been hard to eat that much.
Throughout 2023 my libido was no longer zero, but still relatively low iirc.
Beginning of 2024 my libido fully returned to normal levels, and I continued on 2000 calories a day.
Libido was very healthy until spring of 2025 when I a) increased the dosage of a medication which seemed to negatively affect my hormones, and b) was diagnosed with genetically high cholesterol and had to halve my fat intake, meaning I've been back to eating only 1500 calories a day since early March.
Since then my libido has gradually decreased to the point where it's now very low.
I stopped taking the medication a month ago and that has made some difference (and I understand might take some time for the hormonal effect it was having to wear off).
But it's only now occurred to me that the drop in calories could be having an effect. Even though 1500 calories isn't awfully low, it's much lower than would be ideal for me, and since it previously took about 8 months of eating 2000-2500 calories daily for my libido to return to normal post period loss, it seems possible that dropping back down to 1500 could be in part the culprit.
Does anyone have any insight? Could the drop in calories have tanked my libido even though it's not super low and it felt like my body had recovered from the period of malnutrition? Any similar experiences?
Thank you x