Post 50men's health erectile dysfunctionHealth Post50

Low Sex Drive Could Be A Cause, Not Effect, Of Low Testosterone In Older Men

Low Sex Drive? Don't Blame Low T
Open Image Modal
By 

Huff/Post 50 Editor, The Huffington Post

|
Open Image Modal
Upset Man Holding Newspaper, Sitting on Bed

Lower testosterone levels are often said to cause the steady decline in sex drive as we age, but a new study says it may be the other way around.

Researchers from The University of Sydney followed the sexual habits of over 1,700 men ages 70 and up who were part of the Concord Health and Ageing In Men Study. The men were asked to report the frequency of their erections and intercourse, as well as how their sex drive compared to when they were 50. They also looked at the mens' levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone that helps create strong bones and muscles, healthy sperm, and is also thought to help maintain a healthy sex drive, according to the NIH.

They followed up two years later and found that low baseline levels of testosterone didn't really predict lowered desire or sexual activity in the future. However, a decline in testosterone was strongly related to having less sex and less desire for sex.

"In older men, decreased sexual activity and desire may be a cause -- not an effect -- of low circulating testosterone level," lead author Benjamin Hsu said in a statement.

While low testosterone often is associated with lowered sex drive, there are many other factors that can play a part in desire. Environmental factors like stress, lack of sleep and even depression have been known to lower a man's libido.

So does the study simply mean that when it comes to sexuality, you either use it or lose it? It's not quite that simple. Researchers say it's still unclear whether there are other age-related factors at play here which may be to blame for lower testosterone.

Like Us On Facebook |
Follow Us On Twitter |

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

5 Reasons You're Not Having Sex
It's Not That Entertaining(01 of05)
Open Image Modal
The main reason people don't have sex is because it isn't rewarding. Not wanting sex that isn't enjoyable isn't a "dysfunction" -- it's common sense.There are dozens of reasons sex becomes unenjoyable. Some couples (or one partner) gets stuck on intercourse, deriding everything else as "foreplay" or "just fooling around." Some people get too focused on orgasm -- a mere few seconds in a 15-minute or 30-minute enterprise that should be enjoyable on its own. When orgasm is the only thing that's appealing, people race through sex to get the "good part."You may recall how much you used to enjoy kissing; perhaps you still yearn for it. In many long-term couples, sex no longer involves kissing, and so they don't get sufficiently aroused. Kissing is actually the most intimate sexual activity. Yes, really -- after all, most of us have had intercourse when we've been upset with someone, but have you every passionately kissed someone you were angry with? No, no one does that. (credit:Alamy)
You Feel Bad(02 of05)
Open Image Modal
Pleasure can be a big part of sex, but it's hard to feel pleasure when you're angry, sad, or hurt. Intimacy can also be a big part of sex, and it's hard to create it or feel it when you're focused on performance, or when you feel guilty, ashamed, or anxious.When couples quarrel once or twice every week, or they feel distant from Monday to Thursday, they're rarely both in a playful mood at the same time. And even if you start sex when you're short-tempered, or feeling misunderstood or alone, all it takes is one little frustration -- your partner leans on your hair, or gets a foot cramp, or accidentally tickles you -- and you're throwing up your hands and snarling "look, just forget it." (credit:Alamy)
Sex Hurts(03 of05)
Open Image Modal
Sex can hurt when a woman isn't aroused enough. Or because the two of you don't use (enough) lube. Or because you have an unresolved medical issue.Sometimes the sex itself is pain-free, but you hurt afterwards -- you're sore, or you typically get a bladder infection or a herpes outbreak, or you're allergic to his semen. And sometimes there's pain during or after sex because your back, neck, knees, or hips aren't as limber and forgiving as they used to be. As a result, sex becomes unappealing regardless of the number or size of orgasms you can have. (credit:Alamy)
Your Partner's Not That Enthusiastic(04 of05)
Open Image Modal
One of the things most people want from sex is to feel special. Many people also want to feel desired. When we're with a partner who acts bored, even if he's technically proficient, it's hard to feel special or desired. And when we have to talk someone into sex over and over, their skill as a lover becomes less important, and their lack of interest becomes more important.A partner's enthusiasm is arousing. A partner's apathy is deadening. If your partner claims he thinks about you and your body and sex, but that he just forgets to mention it during a typical week, let him know how problematic this is. Talking about each other's body periodically is part of a couple's mental hygiene. (credit:Alamy)
You Still Haven't Settled Into A Routine(05 of05)
Open Image Modal
Yes, routine has an important role in sex.When you and your partner go out to dinner, you have a routine. You know he likes spicy food. He knows you like wine, not beer. You know he hates noisy cafes with tiny tables. He knows you won't eat shrimp no matter how it's prepared.After a few months as a couple, you accept these things about each other, and find restaurants where you can both get what you want. If you're still quarreling about "why can't we go to an oyster bar?" or "so the tables are tiny--it's not noisy, it's trendy!" every dinner out is a potential battle. And so you stop looking forward to going downtown.It's the same with sex. While you don't want to do the exact same thing every time you have sex, you want to establish which things are on the menu and which things aren't. If after a year as lovers you still have to say "I've told you a million times, no biting my shoulder," or "just once, can't you get the lube before I ask for it," sex becomes a battleground for power struggles, rather than a playground for cooperation.Yes, there are lots of reasons people don't have sex. And the most important antidote to those reasons is conversation. Communication. Asking questions. Talking less about what you don't want -- and more about what you do want. That's the best Valentine's Day present of all. (credit:Alamy)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip