Sexual Vitality for Men


Sexual Vitality for Men

If you are reading this section, your sex drive may have shifted from high gear to neutral or low.  You may also have trouble getting and/or keeping an erection.  If you are a man over forty, your sexual concerns are most likely caused by dipping testosterone levels.  Testosterone is the sex hormone men need to, first, get in the mood and, then, to finish the act with a flourish rather than a fizzle. 

Testosterone levels peak in a man’s 20’s.  During these years, most young men take hard, long-lasting erections for granted and some lucky young men report enjoying up to six or eight orgasms a day. Sexual fantasies abound and, when a partner is not available, masturbation is a ready second.  Unfortunately, testosterone levels begin a slow downhill slide as early as age 30, dropping 1 percent a year on average.  By early 40’s, testosterone deficiency can compromise both desire and performance.  Levels decline even more rapidly after 50.  An 80 year old man will typically have only 20 to 50 percent of the level of testosterone he had at his peak.  As the years go by, this gradual decline in testosterone levels is the biochemical reason why former between-the-sheets enthusiasts shift from enjoying sex several times a week to going through the motions a few times a year. 

Not only is testosterone vital for sustaining proper erectile function and libido, it is also involved in building muscle, burning fat, energy level, mood and bone density.  Testosterone deficiency can lead to weight gain or obesity, loss of stamina and lean muscle mass, depression and anxiety and an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.  Unlike menopause, a man’s drop in testosterone is so gradual that symptoms of andropause are frequently ignored or attributed to “getting older.” 

Men also experience an age-related decline in DHEA production.  According to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, which investigated sexual function and activity in men aged 40 to 70, incidence of ED increased as DHEA levels declined.  Stress is also a factor.  When you experience chronic stress, your adrenals strain to maintain high cortisol levels and lose the capacity to produce DHEA in sufficient amounts. When levels of DHEA are less than optimal, whether as a result of age-related decline or stressed-out adrenal glands, your sexuality is biochemically compromised. 

Weight related estrogen dominance is also a sex life saboteur for men.  The more body fat you have, the higher your levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SBGH).  SBGH binds to testosterone like velcro.  The more testosterone bound to SHBG, the less available to stimulate desire.  Body fat makes this chain of events even more sexually damning.

 

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