At The American Center for Biological Medicine we are wearing blue in celebration of Men’s Health Month! As temperatures in Scottsdale rise during June, we want to address some likewise hot health topics related to this month’s theme Better in Health, Better in Bed.
Us health nuts out there understand that achieving health and balance in life is no simple task. It is complex, but rewarding. When you achieve a sense of well-being in one area of your life it can reverberate out into your career, your fitness ventures, and, yes, the bedroom.
If you are searching around for answers about why your partner has a low sex drive, we can help. We went to hormone optimization and endocrine health expert Naturopathic Medical Doctor Michael Major to see what a low libido, or sexual drive, might be a symptom of and how to address this issue effectively.
Typically, what is the primary cause of a low libido in men?
Dr. Major says the reason that libido has historically been more of a critique of women than of men has to do with testosterone. He explains that testosterone is an anabolic hormone, which means that it is a building-up molecule that affects every cell in the body. This is why men tend to have greater stature, greater muscle mass, and often a stronger libido. Dr. Major continues, “When we are stressed and improperly nourished, testosterone production is one of the first things to decline. Over the past few decades men’s testosterone levels have indeed been declining.” He says that even though men may have a passion for their significant others, their libido is often not present to act on this passion due to low testosterone levels. So what can be done?
How can hormone therapy increase his sex drive?
Dr. Major says by optimizing hormone levels through bioidentical testosterone therapy, numerous functions in the body are likewise optimized–including an increased sex drive. This may sound like an intimidating process, but hormone therapy is relatively simple for the patient. Dr. Major explains the process saying that bioidentical testosterone is safely administered via intramuscular injections once every seven days.
What other treatment options are available?
Other forms of testosterone therapy include topical creams and subcutaneous pellets. However, intramuscular injections are arguably the safest and most logical form of testosterone therapy–providing the most rapid results.
What are the benefits of hormone therapy and why would you recommend it?
Dr. Major says that physiological signs and symptoms resulting from low testosterone levels begin subsiding within a matter of days with the use of bioidentical testosterone therapy. Often this balancing of hormone levels also results in improved sleep, decreased tension and anxiety, increased mental clarity, improved body mass index (i.e., muscle gain and fat loss), and, of-course, increased libido.