Decling libido issue

It's probably the food. I had the same problem, then I started researching everything that affects hormones. Avoid soy. All meat these days is treated with libido killing stuff. Meat and GMO potatoes affect me very strongly. Avoid processed foods if you can. But, one frozen pizza still doesn't hurt my libido, and that's the Digiorno chese stuffed crust. All others by Digiorno now have a "new bolder sauce" and they shut me down, sexually.

Eat red cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. I personally can't stand boiled cabbage, but it's pretty good cooked in a pan for about 10 minutes. Garlic and onions are also great testosterone/libido boosting foods. DO NOT start taking prescription testosterone unless you don't mind being castrated. There are better ways. Herbs like Tongkat Ali are very powerful testosterone boosters. most advice you'll find recommends cycling them 5 days on and 3 days off, but your body will get used to that. The best way is to have several types of testosterone boosting herbs and cycle them daily.

I hope that helps.

i think its natural for your libido to wain in your forties. I just turned 40 and have noticed over the past few years my libido s not as strong. I would still get checked though, it cant hurt. Also, ever since I became somewhat rewired if I look at something arousing I always feel it first in my prostate and hardly ever get an erection unless its something fantastic arousing, that is to say though that this is without any penile stimulation. Obviously I can get an erection if I stimulate myself but the beginning stirrings are always in my prostate.

Look into penis enlargement 😉
Proponents claim jelqing and other exercises stimulate bloodflow in your penis and hence better erections.
I recently downloaded a book from piratebay and how it's explained I think there might something to it. They even talked about not overdoing the kegels, how that can lead to premature ejaculation and other effects contrary to what you're trying to achieve, so I'm starting this (again). This time only 1 minute of kegels every other day and then slowly build it up. And the good thing about pe is some even claim less is more.
Since I've started I definitely feel hornier. During the day I don't get a lot of erections but I think that's due to 'training' myself not to have embarrassing erections. And at night when I wake up I definitely have more erections than I used to have so the indications are good and I'm possibly already growing longer and thicker.

I would bet that it's the strenuous exercise that helped you. I'm 55, and I experience that as well. For me, 2 hours of hard core tennis works every time. Hardons like a 25 year old. Cycle classes are not bad, but the high level aerobic and an aerobics really work for me.

Whatever that outdoor activity was that you did, you should do it again.

@Wandering_Smoke

I typically eat very healthy, little to no soy, all meat is local, hormone free, fed naturally, free range and such. I eat little to no processed foods in my diet. Sautéed cabbage rocks! I also love garlics and onions. Thank you for the herb suggestion, I'll look into that.

@ineverknew

I don't feel this is the case. There is plenty of posts I've read online of older men who retain their libido till a ripe old age. Yes some do decline or lose it, but not all. And formerly having a fairly high libido it is concerning for me.

@dribbler

I suspect you're right. But the problem is I can't sustain all day work outs like that all the time. I figured my current regular work outs were enough, but perhaps not. Maybe I need to get more cardio in. Most of what I'm doing now is anaerobic.

Make sure to include squats as part of your exercise routine. Also, core exercises are very good. Tennis covers that for me, but in a related discussion today there is a mention of Pilates. See the post about core exercise on the discussion page today. Good luck!

I am experiencing something similar. I am 43 and have been having similar issues. It seems cyclical to me. Right now I am in a phase where I am having involuntarily erections every morning. Later in the month, I'll probably be back to none. I have read that one of the best ways to increase natural testosterone production is to build muscle mass. Building muscle naturally increases your bodies need for testosterone. Unfortunately in my case, my problem is genetic. I will be seeing a hormone doctor in January and maybe be in a genetics research project as well. I feel you @Love_is.

@Love_is You're welcome.
Reading again here gave me another idea. How often do you exercise outside? It might be as simple as getting more vitamin D from sun exposure. I personally don't get out enough so I use a UVB bulb for reptiles, to get extra vitamin D. I know that vitamin/mineral supplements are popular right now but I wouldn't take them. Especially not zinc.

Low libido and measured testosterone led me to aneros originally 1.5 years ago. At that time I rejected testosterone replacement and tried Viagra, diet, exercise, supplements, etc. Nothing helped. The Viagra wore off.

Viagra did give me longer orgasms and a sense of what was possible erotically, gave me 4 hours to explore my arousal before I ejaculated. That made me curious about longer orgasms and I found aneros by googling this.

Since then I've gradually discovered new erotic places in my body and states in my mind as I've rewired. Now when I'm aroused sexually or emotionally I feel it in my chest first then in my ass or prostate then last in my penis. I gradually became more interested in sex and aware of it all around me. I began to have sex again for the first time in many years recently.

My doctors gradually eliminated most of my meds like antidepressants, blood pressure diabetes and glaucoma. The antidepressants seem to have the most negative effects on libido.

I've got a book called Vital Man, Natural Health Care for Men at midlife by Stephen Buhner. It confirms that eating clean food is important. Any fruits except grapefruit. Any vegetable except legumes. Olive oil or flax in small amounts. Any seasoning except salt. Green and herbal teas, no coffee or alcohol. Wild fish, organic chicken, wild or organic meats only once or twice a week. Sprouted grain bread. Never use aluminum cookware. Maple syrup for sweetener. Green drinks.

That's for general health. For low libido and testosterone, he recommends natural androgen replacement rather than testosterone replacement: pine pollen, davids lily flower, panax ginseng tincture, nettleroot, tribulus, pregnenolone, androstenedione, 4-andiol, DHEA, zinc, celery juice, oatmeal, corn, and pine nuts in food. I've never heard of some of these. Seek out erotic stimulation. Avoid licorice, black cohosh, hops, anti-inflammatory meds, antibiotics, antifungal, statins, antidepressants, antipsychotics, some heart and BP meds and calcium channel blockers.

I haven't tried his suggestions but it's good to know about them. I wish you good health love_is. 🙂

@Love_is. Though it is absolutely true (and truer for some of us) that libido and all that goes with it may slack off after 40, or 50 or 60, or..., a sudden change in your status calls for a proper evaluation. If your physician is going to do a proper "work-up", he (for simplicity sake I am using the masculine) will of course check your blood testosterone levels (including "bio-available" or "free" testosterone). He should also check the pituitary hormones that are responsible for proper testicular function (FSH and LH) to see if the problem is more central (at the base of the brain). He may also at that time check your Prolactin hormone level, it's also a pituitary hormone that, if elevated, could seriously interfere with normal sexual function (but if it is elevated, it would often have additional manifestations). Finally, as I have noted in another posting this past week, you should be checked for "varicose veins of the testes", called "Varicocele". (See Alex_xxx's thread about possible relation between Prostate Cancer and prostate stimulation, where I discuss Varicocele). Though this entity is more often thought of as a cause of male infertility, it may also seriously affect testosterone levels. Whatever you do, as was rightly pointed out by "Wandering smoke", do NOT start with testosterone patches or injections. That will seriously affect your life in many ways and in the long run (when you stop) may cause you very serious consequences. ALSO, if any physician or "friend" tells you that you just have to live with it, without investigating the above possible TREATABLE causes, be polite, but just go to someone else. Lack of testosterone in the body has many more deleterious effects on us than just libido. Testosterone is crucial for maintaining muscle health, mental acuity, and just plain "feeling of wellness". I cannot vouch for the dietary advice that "euphemistic" and others have given, but there are definitely connections between soy related estrogenic effects, estrogen like effects of some of the very, very common food and cosmetic additives and male impotence and infertility. Those dietary recommendations don't appear extreme or "off the wall", but may be difficult to adhere to for some, and as you replied, you seem to be complying with several of the recommendations already. Wishing you good health and hope that you and your health professional can get to the cause and correct it. Keep us posted, if you are willing.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I've got a lot to research and consider here.

As an update. I think a lot of this was in my head in terms of depressive and anxiety issues at the time. I since have a new girlfriend and am not having much problems. She claims I have the libido of a teenager for being a forty something year old guy! 😀

good to hear, Love_is. Hope that the New year brings you lots of love. BTW: Get some sunshine. The winter can do that to you (depression).

@Love_is, I have heard of many cases where in changing partners depressed male has an epiphany. It happen to a local politician who has never looked back.
It seems as if some relationships or lack thereof can have a depressing influence. Some monogamous relations where the couple communicate and the female has an inkling of a male's basic needs the relationship lasts well. But often the male dies a bit inside, takes to alcohol, or get hit with the black dog. Not all couple are good not all new relationships work. I know one woman who divorced her husband because she caught him masturbating, So in some ways the cards are stacked against males.
Wish you every blessing in your awakening.

You shouldn't rely on a female to get you out of a depressed mindset Love_ is, if you do you'll just be setting yourself up for disaster when the holiday season is over and she has no use for you anymore

following Ehm's path, get a Bathmate! Really increases feeling, and the ladies will love the new you as well!