DENVER, Colo. -- How is your love life?

It is a simple question that causes many people to pause, giggle, stutter or blush.

Doctors say at some point in time everyone loses libido, and when that happens it can cause problems for both partners.

"It's very common," said sex therapist Marne Wine.

"We're all multi-tasking all the time and we don't have time to take care of ourselves or our partner," said Dr. Maggie Wierman.

So, can sex drive be salvaged?

"Oh, absolutely! I've had couples come in that haven't had sex for years. But, they love each other. They have fun together," said Wine.

"Particularly for women, but also for men, relationship issues would be the first thing to address," said Wierman.

Relationship issues are No. 1 on the list of the top five sex drive killers.

Both Wierman and Wine said solving relationship issues is the starting point for kickstarting your sex drive.

"That's what sex therapy offers -- a place to dig inside of ourselves, look at our lives, look at the intimacy in our relationships and evaluate, 'Is this what I want?'" said Wine.

The experts said emotional issues are often at the root of sexual dysfunction and can be worked out through counseling.

Depression is No. 2 on their list.

"At least 25 percent of all women with decreased hypoactive sexual desire disorder have an underlying depression or severe anxiety," said Wierman.

Depression affects both men and women and can be treated with therapy, but often medication is the preferred course of treatment.

"In the medications we prescribe, some of the most common ones to cause sexual dysfunction are some of the mood stabilizers, the anti-depressants, can actually, in certain people, worsen sexual libido," said Wierman.

That is why medications make the list as the the third sex drive killer.

The patient and their doctor need to become sex detectives to narrow down which medications may be to blame and whether or not they can be changed. Things people use to self-medicate also kill libido.

"Excess smoking, nicotine can decrease sex drive. Alcohol, in particular, decreases sex drive," said Wierman.

No. 4 on the list is hormones.

"Low estrogen levels will decrease a woman's sex drive, and low testosterone levels in men," said Wierman.

She said it is not just sex hormones that affect sex drive.

Prolactin levels in women and thyroid levels in both men and women are other hormones that can lower sex drive. Levels can be checked through a simple blood test.

Doctors can also help with No. 5 on the list -- physical issues like pelvic pain, hardening of the arteries, diabetes or the effects of cancer surgeries.

"Some are fixable. Some aren't fixable," said Wierman.

But for many couples, there are several causes.

Each one needs to be tweaked, said Wierman, to get their sex life back in balance.

For more information on Marne Wine, go to BTID.com.

For more info on Dr. Wierman, go to UCHSC.edu.