Introduction
After attaining the age of 30, men tend to experience a decline in sex drive due to a reduction in the production of testosterone in the body. Testosterone is the hormone that boosts up sexual desire, sperm production, and bone density in the male body. These hormones are at their peak at 30 years of age and start declining after that.
This may cause men not to perform sexually as well as they could, and consequently may fall prey to depression and destroy intimate relationships. It is widespread for men to think and do something about it. Everyone wonders whether taking testosterone supplements and therapy are any help. Well, read on to know more.
Role of Testosterones
Testosterone is an important hormone which occurs in both men and women from birth, but usually associated with a man’s libido. In females, it merely plays a small part in sexual drive and physical strength. On the other hand, in males, the hormone is responsible for various things:
- Stimulating the beginning of sexual development
- Maintain sexual and physical health throughout the life
- Keeping bone and muscle mass
- Storage of fat
- Uninterrupted production of red blood cells
After the age of 30, men usually face a decline in testosterone levels in the body, commonly referred as low T. Some of the common symptoms of a drastic reduction in testosterone levels are difficulty in achieving an erection, continued increase in body fat, a decrease in strength of the muscles, loss of hairs on the body, disturbance in sleep, fatigue, depression and swelling and tenderness of the breasts.
Other causes of declining sex drive
Besides lower testosterone production in the body, there are some of the other possible reasons which may lead to a lower sex drive in men. Psychological factors like anxiety, depression, stress, problems in relationships, and alike contribute significantly to low libido in men. Whereas, some of the physical causes of decreased sex drive in men may include:
- Sometimes doctors prescribe medications that harm sexual desires. Examples of such drugs are opiates, beta-blockers, or antidepressants.
- Being overweight when seen from the perspective of age and height also leads to lower sex drive.
- Suffering from other chronic diseases is also a cause.
To solve your problem, reach a doctor. He may help you find out the cause of low libido. You may be advised either some supplements or may be recommended to take counseling if the reason turns out to be psychological.
Add testosterone to your body.
The condition where a body cannot produce enough testosterone on its own is known as hypogonadism. There are some traditional testosterone replacement therapies, which include injections, implants, and gels. They work effectively to add testosterone to your body. On the other hand, some herbs and supplements help your organization make testosterone and ease the symptoms of low T.
But, only a medical professional can guide you through the usage and dosage of such herbs and supplements. Some of them may cause unintended side effects, while others may interact negatively with your ongoing medications. A study proved that testosterone gels cause an increase in heart problems and the supplements tend to increase the chances of a heart attack. Some other complications may include sleep apnea, acne, and testicular shrinkage and enlarged breasts.
Most Popular Testosterone Boosters
Here is a breakdown of some of the most popular and proven supplements that can increase your T levels.
- Tribulus Terrestris: It is the #1 selling supplement that will increase your libido, but it has no such impact on testosterone. Studies show that it can protect the body from stress and increases confidence and desire.
- D- Aspartic Acid: Supplementing D- AA continuously for 12 days can increase your testosterone levels up to 42%. It starts showing its effect on the body only within a week of its consumption. People report significantly increases libido as well as testicle size. But it also has a downside, after a month of its use, T levels return to normal, which is a brief period to affect muscle growth and development. Also, it works wonders for infertile men, but on the other hand, it does not affect athletes and those men who have normal levels of testosterone.
- Magnesium and Zinc: Both of them are a part of the ZMA formula and are the most recommended supplements for athletes as they lose these minerals while exercising and through sweat. If you have a testosterone deficiency, magnesium and zinc supplements will take the T level to normal baseline, but not above that.
- Maca: It is usually marketed as a ‘non-hormonal’ libido enhancer. Women in the phase of post- menopause and the other young ones who are avoiding interactions with contraceptives rely on maca. It never shows results after a single dose. You will have to intake it for a prolonged period to see the results.
- Vitamin D: As per research, men who are overweight and take vitamin D tend to experience an increase in testosterone levels. It has made its way into a variety of dietary supplements. Similar to magnesium and zinc, it’s intake works for those who have a deficiency and bring the testosterone level up to the baseline and not any higher.
- Fenugreek: it is rich in 5- alpha-reductase inhibitors, which basically performs the function of preventing testosterone from converting into dihydrotestosterone. Thus, by decreasing the DTH, libido is increased as DTHs are known to lower libido. It may increase T levels, but does not impact muscle growth. But a drawback is that its consumption gives a maple syrup-like smell to urine and sweat.
Magic Pills
It is not that simple to go to a local market, buy a testosterone pill, and have your T levels go up. The truth is that such magical pills don’t even exist. At the same time, some of the supplements may be effective when your testosterone levels are already low. But, yet they can’t boost them up above a baseline level. Therefore, here are some straightforward basics that will help you keep your T levels high.
- Doing regular exercises, most importantly, heavy weight lifting.
- A good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining testosterone levels. At least take a deep sleep of about 6-8 hours.
- If you are heavy- built, try losing some weight. Don’t carry around too much fat, as it is the prime reason for a reduction in testosterone levels.
- Give attention to your diet. It should be well balanced and must incorporate every kind of nutrients. Make sure it is varied and full of leafy greens and animal fats.
Only an experienced medical professional can prescribe you pharmaceuticals if you do have a condition having low T. Otherwise, the steps, as mentioned above, are the way to go.
Conclusion
The question that arises is ‘Do Testosterone Supplements Work.’ The answer lies somewhere in between because some do and some don’t. An essential step in supplementation is research. In rat studies, single case studies, and petri- dish studies, it is easier to make grandiose claims that may not prove to be effectively working and don’t pan out in the actual human body.
