When it comes to how sex over 50 for men, all interested parties seem to focus on erections -- or, more specifically, the increased difficulty to get and/or maintain an erection that goes with age.
But sex for men over 50 changes in other ways besides a higher likelihood of dealing with erectile dysfunction, according to certified sex and relationship expert Joe Kort.
"Men have their own midlife crisis," Kort said. "They're bodies, their hair, their erections... their masculinity is starting to change. It's really about their virility as a man. Some of it is that they want to feel more like a man. They have to wrestle with their own masculinity."
Kort spoke with Huff/Post50 about three ways sex changes for men over 50. Have you experienced these differences? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section or via Twitter @HuffPost50.
1. Men feel closer to their sexual partners.
The common stereotype of men being distant after having sex is based on biology, Korte said. While men and women have the same levels of oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone" that is responsible for bonding to partners and children, men have more testosterone, which is a hormonal distancer, Korte explained.
"Men's testosterone starts dropping in the 40s and really starts lowering in their 50s," he said. But because their oxytocin levels remain the same, men over 50 find themselves attaching more to their partners after sex, a complete 180 from how men typically feel after intercourse, he said.
"They're shocked themselves at how much they can attach," Korte said. This attachment bore out in a 2012 study where monogamous men who received a nasal spray of oxytocin were more likely to keep their distance from an attractive female and avoid sending romantic interest signals compared to single men.
2. Men become more open to expressing their sexuality in different ways.
Women tend to be more open about their sexual fantasies, going beyond the mechanics of sex to explore different scenarios and ways to express intimacy, Kort said. But that changes for men over 50.
"They have a fluidity with what they want sexually, because their erections can't work," meaning they have to find new ways to be sexual, he said. "They're doing things, wanting things because they aren't so rigid." (No pun intended.)
Men over 50 become more vocal about their sexual fantasies, and begin to broaden their ideas of what turns them on, considering "even fantasies they wouldn't have imagined before," Kort told Huff/Post50.
"The defenses aren't as strong anymore," he said. "Maybe they're more bored with their fantasies, [maybe] it doesn't get them to the edge like it used to. [But] they're more open-minded to different things because they're older."
3. Men become driven by fear.
Call it little red Corvette syndrome -- but when men hit 50, that desire for a new, younger model becomes overwhelming, Kort said.
"There is research that supports you're looking for someone who can bear your children," he said. "So there is some biology behind it. Women have it too, but it's not as prominent.
"They really start wanting the ideal that they always wanted," Kort explained. "It's not an issue of right or wrong, they're just panicked. Internally, they get scared and they act on it because their time is running out. [They think], 'I'm never going to attract a woman like this again, and I want it'."
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.