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Peak Sexual Performance at Any Age
In this article:
- Is sex and sexual performance really all that important ?
- Balancing the hormonal levels can often profoundly influence the sexual function and drive in both men and in women.
In order to perform sexually, one needs first to be able to do so physically. It is also very helpful to want to participate in sexual activity (known as "libido").
The physical ability to engage in sexual activity is frequently determined by the condition of the organs involved, such as the ability to have an erection in the male and the condition of the vaginal lining and muscles surrounding the vagina and pelvis in the female. The genital/sexual areas in both men and women are affected by blood supply and hormonal levels, which determine thickness and moistness of the tissues, and, to some degree the tone of the surrounding muscles and function and sensitivity of the nerves in those areas. All those factors are also affected by your general health and conditioning.
In men, a well functioning blood supply and autonomic nervous system are absolutely necessary for good sexual function. Without the blood supply and the normally functioning nerves, there is no erection. Hormone levels, particularly testosterone, play a critical role in sexual function. Testosterone also plays an important role in the production of the desire for sexual activity (libido), as well as in the ability of the male to function. One of the most common causes for erectile dysfunction (ED) is atherosclerosis, causing a reduction in the blood flow so necessary for erection to occur. Diabetic neuropathies can also play an important part in ED. It is not at all unusual to have ED after prostate surgery. As a man ages, his testosterone levels drop after about 40 year old, and his estrogen levels increase, tending to decrease libido and impairing sexual function. Psychological factors can also play a part, such as depression, fear of inability to perform adequately, guilt, or other conscious or subconscious factors. So the man gets sent (usually) or voluntarily goes (not as likely) to visit his physician concerning "his problem".
Women also experience similar kinds of sexual dysfunction, often secondary to the same reasons, but it is just not as obvious to her sexual partner as a man's problem is to his sexual partner. A woman can "fake it" if she has to. There are no immediately obvious physical signs that the average man is tuned in to that will tell him what has happened.
Women will often go without treatment. A woman often has to be asked by her physician first, before she will talk about her difficulty with sexual function. A woman's sexual performance is also affected by her hormonal levels. Estradiol, testosterone, and DHEA all play important roles in the physical substrate and ability to participate comfortably in sexual activity. They also play very important roles in sexual desire. Just as in men, psychological factors can also be important in the desire for sex.
By bringing the hormonal levels back into the normal balanced ranges, we can often profoundly influence the sexual function and drive in both men and in women.
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