What Every Adult Needs to Know about Low Testosterone Levels and Sex Drive
What we will tell you here regarding low testosterone levels and sex drive might change what happens in your bedroom.
Whether you are male or female, listen carefully – testosterone drives your passion, thoughts, and fantasies about sex.
Medical science knows the following to be true: testosterone = sex hormone!
Without enough testosterone in your bloodstream, you will likely have a low libido. Your sex drive may wane or disappear entirely. Feelings of sexual desire will decrease. It will take longer for you to become aroused – if at all. Sexual dreams and fantasies will subside.
We know that testosterone and sex drive go together. It is often said that testosterone makes a man – a man. The hormone brings sexual desire to the forefront of a young man’s mind. Raging hormones during puberty bring sexual fantasy to life.
Testosterone sex effects and desire do not stop with males. Women with the lowest levels of testosterone also tend to have the least interest in sex.
The good news is that your sex life does not have to decline along with your testosterone levels. You can increase the amount of testosterone in your body and resume a pleasurable and active sex life.
Low Testosterone Levels and Male Sex Drive – Why You Have Lost Interest
No man ever wants to admit to losing interest in sex. What is even worse is discovering you have lost your fabled morning erections. By the time many men enter their fifties and sixties, they notice it taking longer to achieve an erection. Not only does arousal take longer, but maintaining a firm erection for an extended time becomes an arduous task. Blame it on increasingly lower levels of testosterone.
Now, testosterone and sex performance do not always go together. Just because a man has low testosterone does not mean he will suffer from erectile dysfunction. Nor does ED mean that a male has Low T.
Problems with erections have a lot to do with blood flow. If the blood vessels leading to the penis are damaged in any way, often due to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), dilation becomes a problem. The penis requires adequate blood flow to dilate for a firm erection.
Atherosclerosis is often due to:
- High LDL cholesterol levels
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
Low testosterone levels and sex drive decline have a lot to do with the brain. The hypothalamus gets the ball rolling for testosterone secretion. Hormones released by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland stimulate testosterone production.
Testosterone, in turn, sends signals back up to the brain. Not only do these signals tell the hypothalamus when it is time to release stimulating hormones, but testosterone also stimulates androgen receptors in the brain that turn on pleasure sensations.
Therefore, when you increase testosterone, increased sex drive typically follows.
Women Need Testosterone for a Healthy Sex Drive
Maintaining testosterone levels and sex drive go together like bread and butter – especially for menopausal women.
How does testosterone affect sex drive in women?
Just as with males, testosterone stimulates androgen receptors in the brain. It is the signals in the brain that will put you in the mood for sex.
Another issue involved in sexual desire for women is how sex makes them feel. As a woman ages, her level of vaginal lubrication declines. This, too, is caused by a reduction in testosterone production. Decreased sensitivity in the clitoris and vagina make intercourse less enjoyable.
For women with low testosterone levels and sex drive decline, a lack of intimacy can harm a relationship. Women are, by nature, physical beings. There is no reason why a robust sex life should disappear. Maintaining proper testosterone levels can make sex enjoyable for one’s entire life.
How to Improve Your Sex Drive with Testosterone Therapy
If low testosterone = low sex drive, then more testosterone = more sex drive.
So, how do you go about getting an increased testosterone sex drive boost?
You want to start out by contacting a hormone specialist to arrange for blood testing of crucial hormones that might be interfering with your sex drive. Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and growth hormone are some of the most likely culprits.
Once the blood test determines the problem, and if it is low testosterone, then the appropriately prescribed treatment can follow. Testosterone replacement therapy not only increases the amount of testosterone in your bloodstream, but it also stimulates your sex drive.
How does testosterone increase sex drive in men and women?
Testosterone replacement therapy helps provide an increased stimulus to the androgen receptors in your brain. Additionally, testosterone helps lower LDL cholesterol, improving blood flow to both male and female sexual organs. The results are increased feelings of desire and arousal.
For further information about low testosterone levels and sex drive, or to arrange for blood testing near you, please contact HT Medical Center for a free and confidential consultation.