A Recent Study Shows That Low Male Sex Drive is Associated with Increased Risk of Early Death
In a recent study, scientists found that men with a low sex drive were almost twice (1.82 times) as likely to suffer an early death. While these scientists believe sex to have its own health benefits, they do not believe that sex itself has life-saving properties. Instead, these researchers have found that a low sex drive is often a symptom of more serious health problems that can increase the risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular issues, obesity and poor lifestyle habits.
In this study of nearly 9,000 men (and more than 12,000 women), researchers found that men with a low libido were often older, had diabetes and were likely to drink more and smoke. Scientists do acknowledge that sex can support cardiovascular health, improved sleep, enhanced immune function and a reduced risk of depression and anxiety. However, they also know that way more research would be needed to define the role of sex in preventive health care.
Rather, this study defined a lack of sex drive (libido) in men as a marker or a smaller piece of a larger puzzle. Most of the men in this study with a low sex drive shared a lot of the many health issues associated with aging. Discover how these various conditions intertwine as symptoms of the low levels of testosterone that men experience throughout the aging process.
Aging and Low Testosterone
For the most part, testosterone production peaks in males at about the age of 20. After that, testosterone production decreases at an average of 1 percent (and as much as 2-3 percent) each year. This decrease in testosterone levels can vary from one adult male to another, but it has been estimated that 20 percent of men over the age of 60 have low testosterone levels (a condition known as hypogonadism).
A low sex drive is just one of the many symptoms that men with low testosterone can experience. Here are just some of the other negative health impacts of low testosterone in men:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Increased body fat
- Fatigue
- Muscle loss and decrease in strength
- Memory loss and difficulty focusing
- Depressed mood
- Increased stress
- Sleep loss
Low Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is not only a possible symptom of low testosterone, but it is also a primary cause of low sex drive in men. Other possible causes of low sex drive include depression, stress, fatigue and obesity. If those conditions sound familiar, that is because they are also symptoms of low testosterone.
These conditions can often feed off one another. In fact, 79 percent of men with ED are considered to be obese, classified by a BMI at or greater than 30.
Low Testosterone and Obesity
At the same time, there is an inverse and bidirectional relationship between low testosterone and obesity. That means that those two conditions are both cause and effect for one another while also exacerbating each other.. Research has shown testosterone replacement therapy to be an effective way to address unexpected weight gain when used in tandem with healthy lifestyle choices and habits.
Low Testosterone and Cardiovascular Issues
Low testosterone levels have also been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular issues and a wide array of chronic medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease (CAD), metabolic syndrome and hypertension (high blood pressure). Obesity can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease; that is just one more way that low testosterone can be a risk factor for cardiovascular issues.
Erectile Dysfunction and Heart Disease
There is also a very strong connection between ED and heart disease. Erectile dysfunction is so closely linked to blood flow that it is actually a risk factor for heart disease. On the other side of the relationship, conditions like diabetes and vascular diseases (such as hypertension and high cholesterol) often lead to ED. All of these conditions have a circuitous relationship to one another with low testosterone levels rotating around each condition furthering the negative impact.
Optimize Overall Health with EVEXIAS Health Solutions
Clearly, ED and low sex drive are entrenched in so many more aspects of overall health than sexual health alone. A low sex drive is an indicator of both current and future health issues that can seriously impact overall health and increase the risk of mortality.
The highly-trained partner practitioners of EVEXIAS Health Solutions have the tools and expertise to help you optimize your health and address certain conditions from the root of the issue. They can analyze a measurement of your hormone levels and help curate a plan that works best for you. From high quality nutraceuticals and lifestyle management assistance to more advanced therapies like peptide therapy and the EvexiPEL method of hormone pellet therapy, EVEXIAS Health Solutions offers everything you need to support and enhance your overall health and wellness.
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