Many factors affect men’s libido and vary widely from one man to the next. Low libido can often be corrected with testosterone therapy.
Testosterone levels decrease with age, leading to several symptoms, including erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle mass, and poor mood. Testosterone replacement therapy can improve libido and restore a positive sense of well-being.
How Testosterone Works
Testosterone is an essential sex hormone for both men and women. It’s made in the testicles, interacting with nuclear receptors in DNA to encourage tissue growth and protein synthesis. This includes muscle growth and sperm production. It also helps to reduce body fat, increase bone density, and stimulate the production of LH and FSH in the hypothalamus.
Testosterone levels peak at about age 20 and then decline gradually with aging. Men with low testosterone may experience decreased libido or a lowered sense of sexual desire.
Many of our patients with low libido find that the symptoms improve with testosterone therapy Denver. A few large clinical trials have shown that testosterone increases libido in men.
Libido
Testosterone plays a significant role in sexual desire and function. In several mammalian species, chemical or physical castration reduces testosterone levels and significantly impairs libido. However, these effects can be reversed with exogenous testosterone administration.
Several studies, including the most extensive placebo-controlled study of older men, demonstrate that TTH improves libido. This improvement is most pronounced in hypogonadal men with low levels at baseline, and the progress is maintained after normalization of serum testosterone. In addition, TTH has also been shown to improve erectile dysfunction in these patients, mainly when they are unresponsive to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors.
In women, the root cause of lowered libido is unclear. Still, it often relates to medical conditions such as thyroid conditions, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, or obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment of these conditions may restore libido, as will psychological approaches such as psychosexual counseling. Talk therapy provides a safe space to discuss feelings of diminished libido, identify the personal experiences that may affect intimacy, and find healthy pathways toward re-establishing desire.
Erectile Dysfunction
Testosterone is an essential sex hormone for men. It binds to proteins called androgen receptors throughout the body and brain, which help control many vital functions, including libido, strength, and energy. If you don’t have enough testosterone, you can develop hypogonadism, which causes symptoms such as low libido and weak erections.
While the erectile dysfunction associated with low testosterone is often seen as the main problem for most people, the fact is that the condition can affect other areas of your life, too, including your relationship. Testosterone therapy can improve libido, increase sexual desire, and even strengthen erections.
Testosterone therapy (TRT) can be given through injections, gel, or patches, which are absorbed into the skin. These are all convenient and easy to use. The injection method may be preferred as it has been found to deliver more consistent hormone levels throughout the day. However, this method requires a doctor’s care and regular blood tests to check for the adequacy of the drug.
Sexual Performance
Men who receive testosterone therapy can expect to experience increased sexual desire, physical performance, a sense of well-being, and improved mood. Testosterone acts as three different hormones: it binds to the androgen receptor directly, can act as dihydrotestosterone when converted by 5-alpha-reductase, and can act as estrogen after being converted by aromatase.
The TTrials and other RCTs have shown that testosterone treatment normalizes blood levels of this hormone and improves sexual function and feelings of well-being in older men. These improvements include spontaneous sexual thoughts, attentiveness to erotic cues, and duration and frequency of nocturnal penile erections.
In addition to testosterone therapy, a healthcare professional in Denver may recommend other treatments to help enhance libido and sexual performance. These include exercise, a healthy diet, psychosexual counseling, and other therapies. A therapist can provide a safe place to discuss the medical conditions and emotional issues that can lead to low libido. Identifying the factors that contribute to low libido can help patients find ways to start feeling better about themselves and their relationships.
