When we think of men’s sex drive, one usually follows this thinking with the idea of that testosterone is the component for all that sexual desire. But according to a new study that isn’t exactly the case. Actually, testosterone may not increase a man's desire to have sex at all.
The study by Harvard Medical School examined the sex lives of 300 men over the age 60 and the effects that testosterone supplements had on their desire and intimacy with their partner. Half of the men were given the supplements and the other half were given placebo for three years. At the end of the three years, the scientists found that there was little difference in either group when it came to sex drive, intimacy or even erectile function. The only difference was that the men who received the supplements reported that intercourse satisfaction had improved, but not so much to warrant some life altering realization that testosterone supplements make a man’s sex life far superior than it was before.
According to a urology specialist, who was not part of the study, “testosterone is not the fountain of youth,” when it comes to a man’s desire for sex. But while testosterone may not “fix” a man’s libido, there are things that can help. Here are seven things that actually do rev up a man’s sex drive.
1. Sleeping More
Sleep is always a major factor when it comes to keeping a sex drive in motion, so getting more of it is necessary. A 2011 study found that testosterone levels in men drop by up to 10 to 15 percent after a week of getting only five hours of sleep every night. Testosterone supplements may not be the key to sexual desire, but keeping what testosterone a man already has in check is definitely important.
2. Going To The Beach
If you load up on sunscreen, sun is everyone’s friend thanks to all that vitamin D. A 2011 study found that vitamin D aids in increasing testosterone levels in men. Even in the dead of winter, getting some sun every day is important to sexual health, and depression, too, of course.
3. Giving Up The Sauce
Who doesn’t love a drink (or five) after a long day’s work?
According to psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Epstein, while some men cite stress as a reason their libido is on the low side, the reality is that that comes secondary to what’s being put in their body, and one of those things is alcohol. While any woman who’s tried to have drunken sex with a guy knows that drinking can make a man’s body unable to perform, long-term alcohol abuse can also make a man’s sex drive fade into the night.
4. Growing A Beard
While I’m of the thinking that all men look better with beards, the truth is that shaving cream isn’t always the healthiest thing for a man to put on his face. If he doesn’t read the chemicals that are in there, he could be lathering up with parabens and phthalates that can mess with the hormones responsible for a man wanting to get his sexy times. These nasty toxins can also be found in lotion, perfumes, sunscreens, and plastic bottles that aren’t free of BPA.
5. Doing Something Scary
Studies have found a direct correlation between adrenaline and arousal. When people do something that gives them a jolt of fear, their sex drive gets a little kick, as their heart races. Whether a man chooses to watch The Shining or skydives, the after effect can lead to immediate desire, especially after the latter, because he’s going to be really happy he’s still alive and will probably want to celebrate.
6. Having Sex
According to Dr. Louanne Cole Weston, sometimes the best way to get a man’s sex drive up is by him just stepping up to the plate and doing it. Weston calls this the “coffee syndrome.” She compares it to someone initially passing up on coffee at a dinner party, but changing their mind once they smell the coffee being drunk by others: “The whiff of coffee in the air makes you want it. Sometimes the feeling of sex in the air, if you’re doing something to pleasure your partner, can make you turn the corner and want it yourself.”
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Images: Silvia Viñuales /Flickr; (7) Giphy
