What Is Low Testosterone?


Do you feel “off” but don’t really know why?

Is your libido quickly dwindling?

Are you gaining weight around your midsection and losing muscle mass?

Are you feeling fatigued, low on energy, irritable, and anxious?

Do you just not feel like yourself?  

When patients come to me reporting a sense of just not feeling right but can’t explain why it’s often linked to low testosterone.

Low testosterone is incredibly common. 1 in 4 men over the age of 30 suffers from low testosterone that is severe enough to impact their daily lives.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about low testosterone start to finish, so you can start to take back control of your sexual and overall wellbeing.  

What is testosterone?

Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced in the testes (for males), and in small amounts in female ovaries. A small amount of testosterone is also produced in the adrenal glands in both men and women. Testosterone production is regulated by the pituitary glands and hypothalamus (area of the brain that controls the pituitary).  It’s a hormone, so it’s part of the endocrine system.


Although women have testosterone, it’s considered the essential male hormone. Testosterone is what makes men masculine. It’s the hormone that makes you go through all the puberty changes: grow body and facial hair, develop larger genitals, take an interest in sex, and even start to develop muscles.

We’re introduced to testosterone at puberty, but it persists with us throughout life. Without testosterone, men quickly and drastically lose their health.

Testosterone is responsible for:

  •     Sex drive
  •     Energy levels
  •     Strength and muscle mass
  •     Balanced weight
  •     Brain health
  •     Bone health
  •     Heart health
  •     Mood and confidence

What is low T?  

Low testosterone, also referred to as hypogonadism or testosterone deficiency (TD), is the term used to describe testosterone levels that are lower than the typical range. However, the “normal” range for testosterone is variable dependent upon the doctor you’re talking to. Some consider low testosterone to be below 300 ng/dL, while others say it’s below 250 ng/dL.

Either way, if you have testosterone that’s on the lower end of the spectrum it could be impacting your daily life.

What are the symptoms of low T?

Every man with low T will experience it differently. Some will show severe symptoms, while others just don’t “feel well.” Below are the main symptoms of low testosterone that deserve a second consideration when talking to your doctor.

1. Low sex drive

One of the most common symptoms of low T is a reduced libido or sex drive. If you’re finding that you’re not interested in sex as much as you used to be, even in situations where you want to be sexually interested, you could be dealing with low T.

Testosterone is the hormone responsible for sex drive. High testosterone can make you feel like you’re about to pounce on your partner any chance you get. Low testosterone can impact your ability to even get excited about intercourse. Low T may even impact your masturbation habits because you’re thinking about sex less frequently.

Even with all of the other symptoms of low testosterone, low sex drive tends to be the biggest concern for most men. It’s common to feel less excited or passionate when your sex drive dwindles. Don’t worry, though. Sex drive is one of the first things to reverse when you start to bring your testosterone back up to normal levels!

2. Lethargy

Feeling a little sluggish lately? Can’t keep your energy up throughout the day? Sleeping more or taking naps?

Testosterone is necessary for alertness and energy. It’s the primary hormone that motivates us to get up and out of bed. In fact, testosterone levels naturally rise in the morning as part of your body’s natural alarm clock.

Thus, low T often causes tiredness, lethargy, low energy, and reduced motivation. In fact, low testosterone has even been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.

3. Loss of muscle mass

Testosterone is a “steroid hormone,” so it’s responsible for giving men those strong, lean muscles. When testosterone is low, muscle mass can quickly dwindle and your once Superman-like strength starts to decline. That’s because there isn’t enough of the “steroid” testosterone to keep the muscles strong.

Worse yet, low T makes it hard to workout properly to regain the strength and muscle you’ve lost. This makes it a double whammy that can kill your lean muscle.

In reverse, the more testosterone your produce, the easier it is for your body to create muscle. One study found that treating with testosterone therapy showed a 27% increase in muscle protein synthesis (the creation of muscles).

Muscle is more than just a hot bod. You need muscle for daily function. It’s also a critical aspect of metabolism and fat burning.  

4. Increased body fat

Along with losing muscle mass, low T is correlated with higher levels of body fat. Testosterone plays a role in maintaining weight, likely because of its role in muscle production and metabolism.

Research shows that men with high testosterone are often leaner, while those with low testosterone generally have a higher body fat percentage.

Fat caused by low T especially shows up in the gut. One study found a 22% increase in fat around the abdominals when men had low (nearly zero) levels of testosterone.  

This is not only troublesome for confidence issues and body image. A larger waistline also increases the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. This is especially true because low testosterone causes visceral fat to collect around the organs. There can be serious impacts of testosterone-related weight gain.

5. Erectile dysfunction

Testosterone is the hormone that triggers the release of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is what helps relax the penile muscles and dilate the blood vessels to allow blood to flow into the penis.

Without nitric oxide, the penis can’t get ready to have an erection. And without testosterone, there’s no nitric oxide. That means that low T can make it nearly impossible to get and keep an erection.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) has a number of causes. However, you can have a good idea your ED is linked to low T if your “spontaneous” erections—like while sleeping—don’t occur as much. This is because there isn’t enough nitric oxide to open up the blood vessels.

If you’re still getting spontaneous erections but having trouble when you want to have sex, then your ED could be caused by an underlying health disorder or psychological concern like stress or performance anxiety.

It’s important to note that low testosterone is not always the cause of erectile dysfunction, and not all men with low T will experience ED. The two are correlated, but there is no proven causal relationship yet.

6. Poor mood


Depression, anxiety, irritability and other mood concerns are often linked to low testosterone as well. This is because testosterone plays an important role in confidence and mood. Research has shown that men (and women) with higher testosterone levels are more likely to be confident and successful, while those with lower testosterone are more self-conscious and stressed.

One study found that men with low T showed more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction. They also reported a lower quality of life in general.

Another study discovered that testosterone therapy was able to decrease these negative emotions like anger, irritability, and nervousness. This shows promise that low T can reverse major symptoms.

Most men don’t realize this symptom in themselves. If your friends or family say that you aren’t acting like yourself, don’t take it personally. It may be a mood change related to low T, which you should discuss with your doctor.

7. Cognitive decline

A number of men with low T often report “brain fog” or memory loss. They’ll also report a loss of focus and productivity, and they can’t seem to pinpoint the cause. That’s because testosterone plays a significant role in cognitive brain function, especially for memory.

One study of men ages 70+ found that lower testosterone levels were closely related to cognitive decline. In fact, they even found an almost proportional relationship between the two. The lower the T levels, the worse the cognitive decline.

Testosterone levels naturally lower with age. This could play a major role in the decline of cognitive function, especially in older males.

Other symptoms

Although less common, the following symptoms are possible with low T, especially in men suffering from severely low levels.

  •     Reduced ability to orgasm
  •     Loss or reduction of body hair
  •     Size reduction of testes
  •     Male breast enlargement
  •     Sweating
  •     Sleep disturbances
  •     Osteoporosis
  •     Anemia
  •     Infertility

What causes low T?

So we know what low T feels like, but where does it come from?


There are a number of reasons your body might have lower testosterone levels.

One of the most common causes of low T is simply aging. As we get older, our systems start to slow down—including the endocrine system. The body can’t produce hormones at the same rate it used to, and it gets progressively slower each year.

There are three “types” of low T that are categorized based on the cause of the endocrine imbalance.

Primary low T or hypogonadism occurs when the testes aren’t able to produce testosterone. This is usually due to some sort of injury or failure of the organ, like scrotal or testicle injuries, undescended testicles, or mumps. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy, especially for prostate cancer, can also damage these organs and cause testosterone production to slow down.

Secondary hypogonadism occurs when there is an injury or malfunction of the pituitary gland, which is the gland that regulates testosterone and other hormones.

Tertiary hypogonadism occurs when there’s a dysfunction in the hypothalamus, which is the gland in the brain that controls both the pituitary and adrenal glands.

Secondary and tertiary low T are often caused by injuries near the gland or hypothalamus, such as local tumors, gland malformations, or inflammation due to diseases like HIV or tuberculosis. Chemotherapy near either spot can also create a dysfunction.

Anabolic steroids have an impact on testosterone production because they interfere with the pituitary and adrenal glands. Decreased blood flow to the brain can also cause the hypothalamus to stop sending T signals.

Along with these “types” of testosterone deficiencies, there are other potential causes of low T as well:

Hormonal

  •     Cortisol steal
  •     High estrogen
  •     Low zinc
  •     Low vitamin D

Lifestyle

  •     Drug abuse
  •     Lack of sleep
  •     Low nutrient/vitamin diet
  •     Obesity
  •     Sedentary lifestyle
  •     Smoking
  •     Stress

Serious diseases

  •     Diabetes
  •     Heart disease
  •     High blood pressure
  •     Renal disease

 

How do I know if I have low T?

If you think you might be dealing with symptoms of low T, it’s time to visit your doctor. Physicians will run a blood test that will check total and free testosterone levels. The “normal” male range for testosterone is around 280 to 1,100 ng/dL, though some doctors consider anything below 300 to be “low.”

Most doctors will do a testosterone blood test in the morning. This is when testosterone levels are naturally highest. Doctors want to see your level at its peak, so they can best judge the severity of the problem.

One of the best parts of a low T blood test is that it can also test your blood for other diseases at the same time. Go to the doctor and get your blood drawn just once, and they can do a full workup to check your testosterone, cholesterol, hormones, HCG, and other disease risks.

Check out 7 Testosterone Booting Myths No One Will Tell You About.

 

What are the treatments for low testosterone?

Your doctor will first try to understand the cause of your low T to best determine treatment. If you have low testosterone due to an underlying disease (heart disease, obesity, diabetes) or treatment (like chemo or radiation), your doctor will likely want to address those concerns first. Treating the underlying cause will help boost your testosterone in turn.

If you’re suffering from low T due to aging or without a clear-cut cause, then your doctor will likely recommend you start with natural treatment options first. Other ways to boost your testosterone naturally and effectively include:

  •     Healthy dieting
  •     High intensity interval training
  •     Intermittent fasting
  •     Probiotics
  •     Sex
  •     Sleep therapy
  •     Stress reduction
  •     Vitamin supplementation
  •     Weight loss
  •     Yoga

Read: 13 Ways To Increase Testosterone Naturally

If you’re still not seeing success with lifestyle changes, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is an option. These options help artificially raise your testosterone to give your body more free-floating and usable testosterone. TRT alternatives include skin patches, gels, injections, and implants.

In the short-term, these options can work well to get you back on track. However, testosterone replacement therapy comes with a number of side effects and risks that shouldn’t be ignored. Learn more about TRT risks here, and talk to your doctor about any concerns you have before starting treatment.

Conclusion

If you think you may be suffering from low T, visit your doctor for a definitive test. The good news is that most men can easily and successfully raise their testosterone levels with lifestyle changes and therapy options.  

You don’t have to feel like this forever.

In fact, you can start feeling better RIGHT NOW

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Are These Medications Killing Your Sex Life?

Most medications come with several side effects, ranging from mild dry mouth to severe life-threatening diseases. For most men, some of the worst—and the most common—are adverse sexual effects.

Some sexual side effects of medications can include erectile dysfunction, impotence, low testosterone, and even low sperm count or infertility. This is because certain medications impact hormone levels, nerve function, and blood circulation, all of which are an important part of sexual health.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is typically not a disease in its own right. Instead, it is usually a symptom or side effect of another underlying condition, like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, which is why most men with erectile dysfunction are also on prescription medications to treat these conditions.

Erectile dysfunction has been linked as a side effect of numerous diseases along with the medications that treat those diseases.


What medications can cause erectile dysfunction and other sexual dysfunction?

What can you do to treat both your condition and your erectile dysfunction in a healthy way?

1. Blood pressure medications

Use

Blood pressure medications are used to treat high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a serious condition as it damages blood vessels and causes arteries to harden and narrow. This can limit blood flow throughout the body, including to the heart (heart disease) and penis (erectile dysfunction).

Men with high blood pressure often have ED because the blood can’t properly flow to the veins in the penis.

Impact

Men with erectile dysfunction are 38% more likely to have high blood pressure than those without erectile dysfunction; the reverse is also true. There is a direct link between blood pressure and sexual function.

Healthy blood pressure is necessary for an erection. In order to achieve an erection, blood needs to flow into the penis to make it “hard.” If the blood pressure is too high, the arteries in and around the penis become narrowed and damaged, which prevent blood from filling up inside the penis.

Diuretics, a type of blood pressure medication, interfere with blood flow to the sex organs. They also increase the body’s excretion of zinc. Men need zinc in order to produce testosterone and diuretics can decrease the body’s concentrations of free-floating zinc.

Beta-blockers are blood pressure medications that interfere with nerve impulses. This means that the brain-penis connection is severed making sexual arousal nearly impossible. Beta-blockers also reduce testosterone levels, which lowers libido and sexual interest.

There is also an indirect link between blood pressure medications and lifestyle. Lifestyle factors like eating unhealthy foods, not exercising, and smoking can cause men to take medication for high blood pressure which may also lead to sexual dysfunction. This is also directly linked to chronic inflammation in the body, which is at the heart of nearly all major diseases.

Types

  • Atenolol (Tenormin)
  • Bethanidine
  • Bumetanide (Bumex)
  • Captopril (Capoten)
  • Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
  • Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
  • Clonidine (Catapres)
  • Enalapril (Vasotec)
  • Furosemide (Lasix)
  • Guanabenz (Wytensin)
  • Guanethidine (Ismelin)
  • Guanfacine (Tenex)
  • Haloperidol (Haldol)
  • Hydralazine (Apresoline)
  • Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix)
  • Labetalol (Normodyne)
  • Nethyldopa (Aldomet)
  • Metoprolol (Lopressor)
  • Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
  • Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline)
  • Phentolamine (Regitine)
  • Prazosin (Minipress)
  • Propranolol (Inderal)
  • Reserpine (Serpasil)
  • Spironolactone (Aldactone)
  • Triamterene (Maxzide)
  • Verapamil (Calan)

Note that some blood pressure meds have more side effects than others. The medications that are least likely to cause adverse sexual effects are ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers. Talk to your doctor about switching your blood pressure medication if you’re experiencing any form of sexual dysfunction.

2. Antihistamine

Use

Antihistamines are most commonly used to treat allergies. You’ve likely taken Benadryl if you got a bad bug bite or Claritin or Zyrtec for the springtime sniffles. Antihistamines are also used to manage nausea, relax muscles, and induce sleep.

Impact

Experts don’t know exactly how antihistamines impact the sexual system, but it may be due to their impact on the nervous system. Antihistamines are used to reduce the body’s natural response to foreign bodies. 

When you have an allergic reaction to something—like pollen or a bee sting—your body releases a surge of histamines and white blood cells to “fight off” that unknown object. Antihistamines minimize this response, which often reduces the redness and itchiness in your system. But it can also depress your body’s natural immune response.

Histamines are used as a transmitter in the brain and spine, so suppressing this transmission may impact the brain’s ability to send signals to the penis to gain an erection.

Studies have also shown that histamines actually play an important role in erections. Histamines activate the H2 and H3 receptors, which help signal the penis to have an erection.

Types

  • Cimetidine (Tagamet)
  • Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
  • Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
  • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
  • Doxylamine (Unisom)
  • Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
  • Meclizine (Antivert)
  • Nizatidine (Axid)
  • Promethazine (Phenergan)
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
  • Ranitidine (Zantac)

3. H2 blockers

Use

H2 blockers, also called histamine H2-receptor antagonists, are used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Common uses include treatment of GERD, gastric ulcers, peptic ulcers, heartburn, and esophagitis.

Impact

Like antihistamines, H2 blockers deactivate the H2 receptors that are necessary for an erection.

Research has found that they may cause impotence and male breast enlargement if taken at high doses for a long period of time. This is likely because they impact the endocrine system and interrupt the H2 signaling process (as discussed above with antihistamines).

Types

  • Famotidine (Pepcid)
  • Cimetidine (Tagamet)
  • Nizatidine (Axid)
  • Ranitidine (Zantac)

4. Antidepressants

Use

Antidepressants are prescription drugs used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Some doctors prescribe antidepressants as a means of smoking cessation. Low doses of antidepressant medications have also been used to treat chronic pain, menstrual cramps, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Impact

Antidepressants influence the function of neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Serotonin and dopamine are the “happy” hormones, but they also play an important role in libido and sexual satisfaction.

Antidepressants suppress these hormones, which in turn suppresses the body’s ability to get “excited” by sexual stimuli.

These hormones are also used as signals between nerve cells. With minimized signals, the brain has trouble alerting the nerves in the penis. This means that the penis doesn’t know it needs to have an erection. Even stimulating the nerve endings on the penis wouldn’t be able to signal the brain that it’s time to have sex. This inability for the brain and penis to interact is a direct cause of erectile dysfunction.


Overall, studies have shown that antidepressants—especially SSRIs—cause decreased sexual desire and excitement, diminished or delayed orgasm, and erectile dysfunction. There are also some cases of painful ejaculation, penile numbness, and spontaneous erection.

This proves that antidepressants have a direct influence on sexual function—even if the reason is still unclear.

It’s important to note that sexual dysfunction is often psychological. Depression and anxiety are known causes of erectile dysfunction. Thus, men on antidepressants may still have that psychological roadblock that is causing their erectile dysfunction, even while on medication.

 One study found that sexual side effects were actually worse when patients did not adhere to their depressive disorders. This suggests that for some individuals, depression and anxiety are a greater cause of sexual dysfunction than the antidepressants themselves.

Note: The same effect occurs with antipsychotic medications.

Types

  • Amitriptyline (Elavil)
  • Amoxapine (Asendin)
  • Buspirone (Buspar)
  • Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
  • Clomipramine (Anafranil)
  • Clorazepate (Tranxene)
  • Desipramine (Norpramin)
  • Diazepam (Valium)
  • Doxepin (Sinequan)
  • Fluoxetine (Proxac)
  • Fluphenazine (Prolixin)
  • Imipramine (Tofranil)
  • Isocarboxazid 9Marplan)
  • Lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Meprobamate (Equanil)
  • Mesoridazine (Serentil)
  • Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
  • Oxazepam (Serax)
  • Phenelzine (Nardil)
  • Phenytoin (Dilantin)
  • Sertraline (Zoloft)
  • Thioridazine (Mellaril)
  • Thiothixene (Navene)
  • Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
  • Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)

5. Statins/fibrates

Use

Statins and fibrates are used to treat high cholesterol. They’re often used in conjunction to help lower cholesterol, especially for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Impact

Statins and fibrates are medications that inhibit the production of cholesterol, which happens to be the building block of testosterone and other hormones.

Statins are known to cause rhabdomyolysis, which breaks down muscle tissue and releases protein into the bloodstream, which can impact blood flow and sexual function.

One study found that statins and fibrates, which lower lipids, were significantly related to the incidence of erectile dysfunction cases.

Types

  • Fenofibrate (Tricor, Fibricor, Lofibra)
  • Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
  • Pravastatin (Pravachol)
  • Simvastatin (Zocor)
  • Lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev)

6. Benzodiazepines & anticonvulsants

Use

Also known as tranquilizers, benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, agitation, muscle spasms, and are sometimes used to prevent seizures.

Anticonvulsants are drugs specifically used to control seizures for those with epilepsy. They may also treat certain types of chronic pain like migraines or neuropathic pain.

Impact

Both benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants have muscle-relaxant properties, which lessen sexual interest and sensation. They also interfere with the production of testosterone, often leading to low T levels, which impact one’s sex drive, as well as, the ability to have orgasms.

Some research suggests that newer anticonvulsants, like gabapentin and topiramate may have fewer side effects.

Types 

  • Xanax
  • Ativan
  • Valium
  • Librium
  • Gabapentin (Neurontin)
  • Topiramate (Topamax)

7. Recreational drugs

Use

Recreational drugs are used for recreational purposes… I do not recommend the use of recreational drugs.

Impact

Most recreational drugs (and alcohol) decrease the arousal response to stimuli in the brain, which removes the mental part of getting an erection. If your brain doesn’t respond to the idea or arousal of sex, then it isn’t able to send signals to the penis to have an erection. Painkillers like morphine, oxycodone, and codeine also have similar effects.
Moreover, recreational drugs impact your genetic expression. They can cause methylation on key DNA groups, which can “turn off” healthy genes that stop disease progression and “turn on” unhealthy genes that unleash genetic disorders. Learn more about the epigenetics of drugs here.

Types

  • Amphetamines
  • Barbiturates
  • Cocaine
  • Marijuana
  • Heroin
  • Nicotine

How to stop sexual side effects?

The good news is that most of these adverse sexual side effects are reversible after you stop taking the medication. If you’re suffering from impotence, low libido, infertility, or other sexual dysfunction, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about possibly changing your prescription or approaching your condition with a more natural remedy.


But isn’t taking a medication for your heart more important than a healthy sex life?
Actually, no. A healthy sex drive is a predictor for overall health. Your sex organs are one of the first to stop working when your body is going through some sort of “shock,” like disease or infection. Your essential organs start taking all of the blood and nutrients, so none is left for your sex organs.

Thus, if you have a healthy sex life, it’s likely that your other organs are working in tip-top shape.

Plus, sex is a great method of exercise. It can help burn calories, clear out your arteries, build muscle, boost the immune system and keep your body in shape to ward off disease.

Don’t settle.

There are a number of ways to try to improve your health condition before resorting to heavy medications or therapies. For instance, if you’re currently taking statins and fibrates for high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about instead taking a mixture of vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin B6.

Check out the 7 supplements every man should take for optimal health here. One of the supplements I recommend for every man, especially those over 40, is a probiotic pill.

Moreover, changes in lifestyle have been shown to have an impact on cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart health, blood pressure, depression, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, and other conditions that typically require ED-inducing medication. 

Lifestyle changes can influence your epigenetic expression. Therefore, if you can alter your genes to be healthy and immune to disease, you won’t have to take any of the above medications that have ED-causing side effects. Learn more about how you can change your genes and risk for disease below with our Epigenetics Series.

Never stop taking a medication without first consulting your doctor.

Conclusion

There are a number of disorders that can cause erectile dysfunction, and a number of medications for those disorders can also cause ED.

Thankfully, sexual dysfunction is rarely permanent. You can change your pillbox—and your disorders—with certain lifestyle changes.

Check out our Male 90X program to start reducing your risk for disease and prescription meds.

If you don’t want to be on drugs with nasty side effects, it’s time to take control of your health.

Sign up for Male 90X’s genetic-based report and private consult to get started and own your health!

You should always talk to your doctor about any and all potential side effects of your medication before starting a regimen. You should also talk to a doctor before stopping any medications to try other avenues.

Ready to take the next steps?

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Does BPA Cause Sexual Problems?


BPA, a chemical rampant in everyday American life, is directly linked to short-term and long-term sexual dysfunction.

But what is BPA and how is it linked to sexual disorders?

And what can you do about it?

What is sexual dysfunction?

Before we get into BPA, let’s first discuss the definition of sexual dysfunction.

“Sexual dysfunction” is an overarching term that encompasses a number of sexual problems that deviate from an individual’s personal norm. This means that a man’s sexual behaviors have changed in some way.

These dysfunctions can include:

  • Erectile dysfunction: inability to get or sustain an erection long enough to have satisfactory sex
  • Low libido: minimized interest in sex, often caused by low testosterone
  • Premature ejaculation: reaching orgasm too quickly for satisfaction
  • Delayed or inhibited ejaculation: reaching orgasm too slowly or not at all

The causes of sexual dysfunction are varied. Causes include:  low testosterone levels, prescription drugs, blood vessel or nerve disorders, depression, stress or anxiety, relationship concerns, performance anxiety, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse, and even a lack of sleep.

The cause of sexual dysfunction that we’re talking about today is chemicals in the environment—like BPA.


Chemicals impact your body’s natural and healthy functioning. In many cases, chemicals can mimic certain hormones, which disrupts the endocrine system.

These chemicals can also damage the cells in your body. This damage can create sexual problems as a result of decreased blood flow or blocked nerve impulses. Cellular damage is also a leading cause of disease, cancer, and aging.

What is BPA?

The chemical we’re going to focus on is BPA, aka bisphenol A. BPA is a chemical that mimics estrogen in the body. It’s a major component in hard plastics, like polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.

You’ll find BPA in a number of plastics and canned food linings. This includes baby bottles and reusable plastic storage containers.


I’m focusing this discussion on BPA because it’s proven to damage sexual function…

But it’s also one of the most common chemicals in our society.

In fact, an EWG survey found that the four leading producers of liquid infant formula line their cans with BPA. They also found that 20 out of 28 brands of canned foods and drinks use BPA in their products.

BPA is so common that it’s been detected in 93% of the American population (through a urine test). Nearly all of Americans test positive for low-level BPA contamination.

Most Americans consume BPA through their food and drink. The chemicals are released from the plastics and cans by penetrating the food or drink, which humans then consume.  

Thus, people have started looking to the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the chemical.

But the FDA has still maintained that BPA is safe at certain levels—despite nearly 100 academic studies saying otherwise. This initial research has shown a variety of negative effects of BPA, including infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early-onset puberty, diabetes, and even cancer.

That’s right—they found a link between BPA and cancer.

However, the FDA stated that those studies, which were performed on animals, did not translate to a human population.

So one set of researchers set out to prove the results in humans.

What links BPA and sexual dysfunction?

The study followed 634 male workers across four factories in China. Researchers compared one group exposed to BPA in the air and one that had no exposure. The study persisted for five years.

Researchers found three shocking discoveries:

  1. Men exposed to BPA were 4x as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. They also had reduced sexual desire and diminished sexual satisfaction.
  2. Men exposed to BPA were 7x as likely to have difficulty with ejaculation, even if they didn’t have ED.
  3. The above two effects happened after just months on the job, not years.

How does BPA affect sexual dysfunction?

Researchers were not 100% sure that BPA was the cause of the sexual dysfunction. However, the way BPA interacts with the body can give us some ideas about the link between the two.

BPA is a synthetic form of estrogen. This means that it mimics estrogen in the body. When you consume BPA, your body’s estrogen receptors start ringing off the hook, so the body thinks it has more estrogen than it actually does.

When there’s an excess of estrogen, the body stops producing testosterone. This creates a dangerous imbalance of hormones.

Estrogen and testosterone are both necessary for proper functioning. You need an appropriate balance of E and T. But “balance” depends on your gender. For women, that balance means more estrogen, and for men, that balance means more testosterone.

In women, estrogen dominance can cause serious health problems, like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and breast cancer.

In men, estrogen dominance can kill your interest in sex and overall motivation and drive. High E levels lead to low testosterone, low libido, erectile dysfunction, behavioral changes, anxiety, stress, weight gain, muscle loss, and a number of other side effects. It can even give you man-boobs.

Men need strong levels of testosterone in order to have all of those “manly” features, like lean muscle and hair growth. Testosterone is also necessary for a strong sex drive and fertility.

BPA functions like estrogen. When you consume BPA, you’re basically ingesting more estrogen, which suppresses the production of testosterone. This throws off the hormonal balance in the body and inhibits testosterone.

This can throw your body into a state of estrogen dominance, which leads to a number of sexual dysfunctions, including low testosterone, erectile dysfunction, low sperm motility, low sperm count, delayed ejaculation, and more. It can even lead to psychological concerns like stress, depression, and performance anxiety.

Is there a safe level of BPA?

Still, some experts are concerned that this human study doesn’t paint the whole picture of BPA and sexual dysfunction.


It’s important to note that researchers of the study were able to prove a correlational relationship—but not a causal one. 

Moreover, the study only looked at high levels of exposure in a factory setting. There could be a difference between intense periods of high exposure and continuous, low-level exposure, which is what the average American experiences.

Thus, some people still argue that low levels of BPA are not dangerous. Some of these people are unfortunately part of the FDA.

Nevertheless, groups are still fighting the use of BPA in our foods and drinks. The American Medical Association Board of Delegates, which is a highly credible group of academics, wrote:

“Even infinitesimally low levels of exposure—indeed, any level of exposure at all—[to BPA] may cause endocrine or reproductive abnormalities, particularly if exposure occurs during a critical developmental window. Surprisingly, low doses may even exert more potent effects than higher doses.”

My thoughts?

If we see such a heavy effect in high doses, there are likely effects in small doses as well.

Putting any sort of artificial chemical in your body is not ideal. Chemicals disrupt the endocrine system and damage cells, which can have long-term effects.

Anything that pretends to be a hormone and interrupts your natural hormone balance is a no-no for me. In these cases, chemical-induced low testosterone and erectile dysfunction can be avoided.

What about phthalates?

I’m glad you asked.

BPA is often used in hard plastics, but phthalates are a type of chemical used to soften plastics. You’ll often find these in toys, shower curtains, wallpaper, and personal care products. They’re also found in detergents and some food packaging.

Studies have shown similar concerns with phthalates as BPA. One study found that multiple types of phthalates were associated with reduced testosterone in both females and males. This was especially true for women ages 40-60 (menopausal age) and boys 6-12 years old (puberty age). There were significant reductions in T within adult men ages 40-60 as well.

This indicates that phthalates and BPA may have a more intense effect during critical hormonal periods, like puberty and menopause. It can also worsen with age, as testosterone levels naturally start to decline.

Not only do phthalates impact testosterone, but they alter fertility as well. Another study found phthalates in much higher concentrations in infertile men than fertile men. They concluded that exposure to phthalates may concern testicular and Leydig cell function, which is the basis of healthy fertility and virility.

What can you do about these chemicals?

Unfortunately, BPA doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. While we wait for more studies (and the FDA), it’s time to take control of your own health.

You may not be able to completely get rid of BPA by yourself—but minimizing your exposure is a start.

1. Choose organic, whole foods.


The best way to avoid BPA is to reduce your consumption of foods in cans or plastics. If 20 out of 28 major canning companies use BPA, any consumption of canned foods is likely exposing you to this chemical.

Plus, canned foods are usually incredibly high in sodium. Sodium also packs on the pounds, lowers your testosterone, and kills your sex drive.

It’s best to avoid canned foods altogether if possible. Instead, opt for organic, whole foods. This reduces your exposure to environmental contaminants in general, from BPA to pesticides to GMOs.

2. Look for “BPA-free” labels.

Not all canned foods and plastics use BPA. There are a number of companies moving away from BPA to protect their customers (and to market to a health-conscious consumer).

You can look for “BPA-free” labels on your cans and plastics. They will usually display their health certifications as well.

However, it’s important to note that the FDA doesn’t regulate BPA, which means it doesn’t regulate the labeling of BPA-free. Not all labeled items will be 100% free of BPA.

3. Store your food in glass or ceramic.


Don’t store your foods in plastic containers. A number of plastic containers also have BPA. If you store your food in plastic, the BPA can seep out of the lining and into the food that you’ll consume. This is especially important to note for your kids’ lunch boxes.

Using glass and ceramic can help you avoid BPA. These are an environmentally friendly and health-conscious way to minimize exposure to contaminants—and reduce your waste and environmental impact!

4. Don’t heat plastic.

Never put plastic containers in the microwave. Don’t cook with plastic. Don’t even leave plastic out in the sun for too long.

Heating up plastic actually releases chemicals inside, including BPA and phthalates. The chemicals in the plastic then transfer to the food inside. 

5. Avoid bottled water.

Bottled water is often subjected to unstable environmental conditions. It can be stored in hot warehouses, which causes a release of chemicals into the water.

Water is the most essential aspect of health. You want your water to be pure and clear for optimal health. You don’t want to fill up on BPA in your hydration.

6. Detox.


Going through a detox helps your body get rid of any chemicals, pollutants, or gunk that may be hanging around. Frequent detoxes can help keep your organs and cells clean, clear, and functioning at their peak.

There are a number of different detox plans out there. Try a variety to see which works best for your body. You’ll know which one’s best based on how you feel.

I usually recommend a detox that includes a period of intermittent fasting in association with raw, organic foods. I also recommend you drink your body weight (in ounces) in water to help flush out those toxins. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you want 90 ounces of water.

7. Probiotics.

Now that you’ve detoxed, it’s time to fill your body with goodness. Probiotics are natural “good bacteria” that help fight off foreign bodies, including chemicals and disease.

Learn more about the amazing benefits of probiotics here.

Conclusion

Be aware of what you’re putting in your body and how it’s impacting your hormone levels.

BPA is directly linked to male sexual problems. Despite efforts to get it removed from our cans and plastics, BPA is still very much a part of our daily lives in America.

But you can preserve your sexual and overall health by acknowledging the concerns of BPA.

With prevention and detox, you can safeguard against BPA.

Looking for a proven method of detox and revitalization?

Check out our G1 Performance Health program!

This genetic-based report and analysis, along with a private consultation will get you started on controlling your health and wellness for optimal wellbeing.

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Do you want to have the best health you’ve ever had?

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Testosterone: 10 Crazy And Surprising Effects


Testosterone is a necessary hormone involved in health, reproduction, and behavior. Men and women both require testosterone (T) for sex drive, bone strength, muscle maintenance, and more. T levels drastically impact physical, emotional, and mental health.

So what are the effects of testosterone?

Below you’ll find the 10 ways the big T impacts your health, wellness, and even your psychology and behavior.

1. Testosterone increases sex drive

The most common effect of T is sex drive. Testosterone is the key hormone in controlling libido in both men and women. Men produce nearly ten times as much testosterone as women, which is why men generally have a stronger sex drive than women.

That’s also why low libido and low levels T often go hand-in-hand. If you aren’t interested in having sex like you used to, low testosterone levels could be to blame.


But having a strong sex drive and high T levels is actually a predictor of good health.

Our bodies are programmed to have sex. Our evolutionary biology tells us to have sex in order to procreate (to keep the human race alive). You’ve likely heard of the biological theory that men must “spread their seed.”

High levels of testosterone create that hormonal urge to “sow your wild seeds.”

So sex drive is an essential part of our biological processes.

But it’s not the most essential part. Your body first needs to survive in order for you to procreate. Thus, your body will take care of survival before focusing on sex.

Thus, if you don’t have a strong sex drive, it could be because your body is in a state of “survival mode.” Your body is focused on other, more essential processes before it can think about sex.

If you have a disease or illness, your body will shut down the baby-making process to first fend off the sickness. For example, think about the last time you had the flu. You likely had a lowered sex drive because your body was preoccupied with getting healthy.

So what does this all mean?

A low sex drive could be an indicator of low testosterone or another underlying health problem.

To raise your sex drive, you need to boost your testosterone. If you increase your T levels, you’ll feel more sexual and last longer in bed.

Keep in mind that “sex drive” is relative. Your low sex drive may be someone else’s high sex drive. If you feel you are less interested in sex than usual, you should get your levels checked.

2. Testosterone helps you attract women

Testosterone may actually make you more attractive to women (which can help quench that extensive sex drive).

This is partially because of the masculine-feminine dynamic. Estrogen gives women their feminine qualities, while testosterone causes more masculine qualities. An estrogenic woman is often attracted to a man with high T levels and vice versa. This makes for prime reproduction. In this case, opposites do attract.


However, the reason for this attraction actually goes beyond the masculine-feminine relationship. Researchers at Wayne State University studied two groups of men competing for the attention of an attractive woman. They found that men with higher levels of testosterone were more likely to “win the girl.” This was because men with higher T levels were more assertive, controlled the conversation, had more confidence and demonstrated a stronger self-image.

Basically, it can give you the confidence and suaveness you need to talk to a woman in a bar. Low T leads to low confidence and less luck with the ladies.

3. Testosterone makes you more competitive


Studies show that testosterone levels rise when partaking in any sort of competition. This isn’t just a slight rise in T levels. Competition causes such a spike in testosterone that it can actually result in aggressive and antisocial behaviors.

Have you ever met a guy who gets too intense about boys’ night poker? He may just have higher levels of competition-related testosterone!

Testosterone levels also increase after winning and decrease after losing. That may be an explanation for the gloating winner and a sore loser.

Interestingly, one study found that even watching competition impacts testosterone levels. Researchers compared men watching the Brazil-Italy World Cup match. After Brazil won, they found that Brazil fans’ testosterone levels increased and Italy fans’ levels fell.

4. Testosterone makes you more honest.

A 2012 study looked at how T impacts competition and honesty. They found something surprising—testosterone actually makes you more honest, even when in a competitive atmosphere.


They gave 46 men a testosterone gel and 45 a placebo. All participants rolled a dice in private and reported their numbers. They were told they would receive money based on their roll, with a higher roll paying out more cash.

The researchers found that men who received a testosterone gel actually self-reported the numbers more honestly.

They attributed this honesty to self-image. Testosterone increases one’s personal sense of pride. Cheating or lying could damage that self-image. Participants with higher testosterone were less willing to risk damaging their pride or to appear as a liar or cheat.

5. Testosterone makes you less fiscally responsible

In the previous study, men were more likely to value their pride over money. But the two may be linked.

Testosterone also makes men more interested in financial gain. It’s possible that testosterone makes men more interested in money because money contributes to a greater sense of pride.

In fact, this financial desire actually makes those with high testosterone levels more willing to take financial risks. One study found that men with higher levels had a greater willingness to invest more money and make riskier investment decisions. This might be a source of jealousy for those who have never quite managed to pluck up the courage to make their investment dreams come true, but there are plenty of resources available to help you trust in your own judgement, such as this Facebook page for Perpetual Assets which offers advice to those who lack confidence in investment.

6. Testosterone can make you more money


The reverse is true as well. Financial gain can actually increase your T levels.

One study looked at stock traders’ testosterone levels. Researchers found that the traders’ T levels increased on days where they made an above-average profit on their trades.

This implies that financial gain raises T levels. This may have something to do with a financial gain equating to a competitive win and a boost in self-image, as discussed above.

Interestingly, though, the reverse may be true as well. Higher testosterone may also make you more money.

The study also found that men with higher T levels in the morning had above average profits in the afternoon. They were more likely to make more money on days they had higher testosterone levels.

The reason for this isn’t completely clear. It’s likely because testosterone makes you more competitive and willing to take risks, both of which are important traits for stock traders.

Nevertheless, this can be risky business. After making a good trade, testosterone levels rise. But this testosterone can cause men to make riskier financial decisions. These hormones create a “gambling feedback”: a good trade occurs, testosterone rises, and testosterone creates poorer decision-making skills.

Basically, testosterone is more likely to make you willing to “risk it all”—which can make you lose it all or win it all.

7. Testosterone makes you think you’re right

“No honey, I’m right because I have more testosterone than you.”

That’s not necessarily the best way to win an argument—but it’s how testosterone affects the brain. A study of 243 men found that higher levels lead to greater confidence in answers—even when incorrect.

The men were either given a testosterone gel or placebo and then they were instructed to do a cognitive reflection test. Researchers found that those men given testosterone answered 20% fewer questions correctly—but were more likely to be convinced they were right. These men also gave their incorrect answers quicker and their correct answers slower than the placebo group.


This implies that T has two effects. It slows down cognitive processing and increases confidence levels.

If you have high testosterone, you’re more likely to think you’re right. If you have low T, you may have greater uncertainty and anxiety with decision-making skills.

8. Testosterone makes you less emotional

Women are generally more emotional and empathetic than men—and that may be because of their high levels of estrogen. Testosterone, on the other hand, may reduce emotional behaviors and processing.

Research at Utrecht University looked at how testosterone impacted the brain. They showed female participants a series of photographs of eyes, and they were asked to identify the emotion. Researchers found that women given testosterone took longer to identify emotions and made more mistakes than those not given the hormone.

In fact, they found that even just one dose of the hormone was enough to alter the connections between the “emotion processing” parts of the brain.

Elevated levels minimized the ability of the brain to process and relate to emotional cues.

9. Testosterone makes you immortal

No, it doesn’t actually make you immortal. But it may help you live longer. Strong T levels improve health to help avoid serious health concerns and early death. For example, testosterone can help you lose weight, which minimizes obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Low testosterone, on the other hand, is linked to weight gain, loss of muscle mass, loss of bone density, heart disease, and even early death.


Testosterone is especially necessary to regulate insulin and glucose. Low T levels create an imbalance in glucose and insulin, which can lead to the accumulation of fat tissue. This fat increases estrogen and decreases testosterone, creating a negative cycle of low T and weight gain. Testosterone also plays an important role in combating metabolic syndrome.

Low T is also linked to chronic inflammation. This body-wide inflammation weakens the immune system and may be linked to asthma, allergies, diabetes, respiratory disease, Parkinson’s, ADD, Lupus, MS, migraines, and more. Raising testosterone can help minimize harmful inflammation.

Healthy levels of testosterone may:

Plus, testosterone boosts libido and sexual function. And more sex is linked to a longer lifespan! (This is likely because sex is a great form of physical exercise while helping to minimize stress and cortisol levels.)

10. Testosterone isn’t just a male hormone

Men have ten times more testosterone than women, but it’s an important hormone for females as well. Testosterone has the same health benefits for women as it does for men, like weight loss, improved bone density, and greater sex life.

In fact, women with higher T levels have more positive sexual experiences and are more likely to achieve orgasm. Too much testosterone, though, can become a health concern for women. It can lead to “manly” features like deeper voice, hair growth on body and face, and hair loss from the head.

Did you know that kissing actually transfers small amounts of T from the man to the woman? This helps excite the woman in preparation for sex. So, yes, kissing is an important part of foreplay, helping to increase your partner’s sex drive!

Bottom Line

Testosterone plays an important role in overall health and wellness—both inside and outside the bedroom. It’s linked to libido, muscle mass, mental clarity, cognitive ability, energy levels, and more.

Do you want to boost your testosterone andimprove your health? Check out our Male 90X program.

Click below to get started on boosting your T levels for ULTIMATE health and MAXIMUM potential!

Are Low Vitamin D Levels Linked To ED?


Studies have concluded that vitamin D deficiency and erectile dysfunction are strongly correlated. In fact, a study published in Dermato-endocrinology found that men with a vitamin D deficiency have a 30% greater prevalence of ED and an 80% greater prevalence of severe ED compared to men with optimal levels of vitamin D.

But why is this? What’s the link between vitamin D and the ability to have an erection?

More importantly, what can you do to ensure that a vitamin D deficiency isn’t killing your sex life?

What Is ED?

Erectile dysfunction, also called “impotence,” is when a man has difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection long enough to have satisfactory sexual intercourse. This could mean that the erection quickly fades or that he can’t have an erection at all.

Erectile dysfunction has a lot of moving parts. The causes of ED can be varied, which can make it difficult to treat in the long-term. ED can be neurological (brain), vascular (blood vessels), muscular, hormonal, and even psychological. Oftentimes, ED is a vascular problem caused by endothelial damage or inhibition of vasodilation. Basically, this means that the blood vessels are damaged and can’t properly transport blood to the penis (which is what gets the penis hard).  

ED is often a symptom of another underlying disease or concern, like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. In fact, erectile dysfunction is often one of the first and primary indicators of heart disease.

What Is A Vitamin D Deficiency (VDD)?


A “deficiency” of a vitamin means that your body doesn’t have the amount of that nutrient in the body for proper function. A vitamin D deficiency is usually classified as anything below 20 or 30 ng/mL. The Vitamin D Council recommends optimal vitamin D levels between 40 and 80 ng/mL.

Nearly three-quarters of all U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D. Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” scientists are realizing more and more just how important vitamin D is to overall health. In fact, research has shown that a deficit in vitamin D can be linked to a number of health concerns, from cancer to diabetes to bone loss to heart disease… to erectile dysfunction.

Vitamin D plays a role in the health of:

  • Bone
  • Immune system
  • Muscle function
  • Cardiovascular system
  • Respiratory system
  • Brain development

Did you know: Vitamin D is the only vitamin that your body produces. Your body can’t make other vitamins; it receives those vitamins from foods. But your body can make vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight.

Because of this unique aspect of vitamin D, it’s not always the easiest vitamin to give to our bodies. Eating more of a food won’t necessarily increase our vitamin D levels that much. The process of making vitamin D is a little more complex than other nutrients.

And that’s one reason why so many Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

Most people don’t show signs of vitamin D deficiency… though most people have it. Interestingly, a 2015 study found that 67% of 160 physicians studied had vitamin D deficiencies. Even doctors—who should be the best at watching their health—are deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) has become an epidemic.

How Are ED And VDD Linked?

A number of recent studies have proven that vitamin D deficiency and erectile dysfunction have some sort of correlation, independent of other risk factors. Researchers have concluded that “a significant proportion of ED patients have a vitamin D deficiency.” Ultimately, as researchers Sorenson and Grant wrote in their 2012 study: “We conclude that VDD contributes to ED.”

This study also found that low levels of vitamin D promoted endothelial dysfunction. Vitamin D has been shown to help improve endothelial function, while a deficiency in vitamin D contributes to endothelial dysfunction.

But what is endothelial dysfunction?

The endothelium is the inner lining of the blood vessels. This basically keeps your blood flowing smoothly and healthily. If there is endothelial dysfunction, there is an imbalance in the vessels, which restricts blood flow. This dysfunction can come from high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, plaque build-up, smoking, or other environmental factors.

In order for you to have an erection, your penis needs to fill up with blood to get “hard.” If your blood vessels aren’t working properly, blood can’t get down to your penis to fill it up. This can cause a vascular-related erectile dysfunction.

Vitamin D has been shown to promote endothelial function. In the opposite way, vitamin D deficiency can actually damage our endothelial system and injure our blood vessels. If your blood vessels are injured, they can’t do their job and get blood flowing to your penis to have an erection.

Moreover, damaged blood vessels can also lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, which we’ll discuss below.


Vitamin D also plays a role in nitric oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide is needed to relax the smooth muscles of the penis and open up the blood vessels to allow blood to flow into the penis. NO functions as a natural vasodilator that’s essential to gaining an erection.

Some studies suggest that vitamin D may regulate the synthase or production of nitric oxide. This means that vitamin D could play an integral role in boosting blood flow to the penis. In reverse, a deficiency in vitamin D could mean an inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis. Without NO, there’s no erection. If VDD prevents NO, then an erection is impossible.

How Are VDD And CVD Linked?

Moreover, as discussed, erectile dysfunction is often a symptom of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Risk factors that are associated with CVD are also associated with a high ED risk, like smoking and being overweight. If vitamin D deficiency contributes to erectile dysfunction, scientists have concluded that VDD may also be linked to cardiovascular disease.

Ultimately, vitamin D deficiency is closely associated to both erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

And you don’t want either of those health issues.

So it’s time to get rid of your vitamin D deficiency (because, like most people, you’re probably not getting the vitamin D you need).

How Do You Get The Vitamin D You Need?

As discussed earlier, vitamin D is a unique nutrient. Your body chemically creates vitamin D when it receives sunlight. (Yes, you’re like a plant going through photosynthesis!) In this way, obtaining a healthy amount of vitamin D means committing to lifestyle changes for the long haul.

But these changes are fun, if you ask me!

  1. Sunlight

The best way to increase your vitamin D is to get more sunlight. Exposing your skin to the sun is the fastest and most efficient method of vitamin D consumption.

This doesn’t mean you need to tan or burn in order to be healthy. In fact, you shouldn’t be tanning or burning, which can end up chemically altering your cells and causing long-term problems (like wrinkles and cancer). Rather, you only need a few minutes of unprotected sunlight in order to get your full daily dose of vitamin D. You should then apply sunscreen liberally to ensure you don’t do any long-term damage with the UV rays.


Yes, the doctor is telling you to get out and go surfing, go for a bike ride, or take a walk around the park in the middle of the workday!

A few variables will affect the amount of vitamin D you get from the sunlight:

  • Time of day: your skin can produce more vitamin D if you get sunlight exposure during the middle of the day
  • Location: the closer you are to the equator, the more UV rays you’ll receive, and the easier it will be for your body to produce vitamin D
  • Altitude: the closer you are to the sun, the more vitamin D you’ll make (sun is more intense on a mountain than on a beach, even if the temperature disagrees)
  • Exposure: the amount of skin you expose to the sun affects the amount of vitamin D you’ll produce
  • Skin color: pale skin can make vitamin D quicker than darker skin tones
  • Age: your body’s production of vitamin D naturally slows down as you age
  • Sunscreen: wearing sunscreen can block the UV rays that are transformed into vitamin D
  • Pollution: polluted or cloudy air will soak up more UV rays than non-polluted air, stealing some of your vitamin D potential
  • Glass: glass blocks UVB rays, which are the rays needed for vitamin D production

Generally, I don’t recommend tanning beds to get the vitamin D you need. Often, you need only a few minutes of exposure to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Most indoor tanning bed sessions can cause severe burns and tans with long-lasting consequences.

  1. Supplements

The second best way to get vitamin D is through supplementation. If you don’t live in a sunny area or you don’t want to expose yourself to UV rays, vitamin D supplements are usually a good option.

Different organizations and doctors have different ideas about the correct dosage of vitamin D supplements. The Vitamin D Council recommends about 5,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D daily; the Endocrine Society recommends about 1,500-2,000 IU per day; and the Food and Nutrition Board recommends 600 IU per day and 800 for seniors. The Food and Nutrition Board is the official recommendation by the U.S. government.

Ultimately, there isn’t a “right” answer just yet on how much you should be taking. But you should definitely not be taking more than 10,000 IU per day. The Food and Nutrition Board even says the maximum dosage should be 4,000 IU per day.


Generally, you should take vitamin D3 as opposed to vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is not vegetarian, so talk to your doctor if you do not want to take an animal-based product.

You can also take cod liver oil, which contains vitamin D. However, cod liver oil has higher amounts of vitamin A than D. Taking too much vitamin A can be dangerous, so it’s important to maintain a healthy balance when supplementing with cod liver oil.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble. If you take too much, your body can’t easily get rid of it. You don’t want to be swimming in vitamin D, as high doses may cause diseases like MS or prostate cancer. Learn more about the link between vitamin D and prostate cancer here.

Talk to your doctor before adding any supplements to your regimen.

  1. Diet

Although our bodies produce most of our vitamin D, you can still get small amounts of vitamin D with your diet. However, most scientists believe that eating vitamin D won’t provide enough of the vitamin to stay healthy.

Nevertheless, adding vitamin D foods to your diet can help supplement your anti-VDD efforts.

  • Salmon
  • Mackerel
  • Tuna
  • Sardines
  • Herring
  • Raw milk
  • Caviar
  • Oysters
  • Shrimp
  • Eggs
  • Mushrooms
  • Fortified cereal and oatmeal
  • Nutrient-Additive milk (cow and soy)
  • Fortified orange juice

  1. Workout

Working out won’t necessarily give you more vitamin D, but it can help you absorb more of the vitamin D you do get. Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells. This means that the more fat you have on your body, the more vitamin D will be pulled out of use. Thus, people with a high body mass index (over 30) often have lower blood levels of vitamin D.

If you are carrying some extra pounds, you could be sabotaging any vitamin D regimen you try to implement. Moreover, being overweight is also strongly linked to erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

If you want to lower your vitamin D deficiency and minimize your risk of ED and other serious diseases, it’s time to lose some of the weight.

Struggling to lose weight and feeling overwhelmed by health concerns? Learn about metabolic syndrome here.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin D deficiency is a common concern throughout the U.S. This deficiency can cause a number of serious health concerns, including erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

But thankfully, a deficiency is easily solvable—by adding more of that vitamin into your body! By getting more sunlight, adding vitamin D supplements, and changing your diet and exercise, you can lower your risk of vascular problems and ED in no time.

Are you ready to finally balance your health?

Are you ready to get back to that energetic vigor of your youth?

Of course, you are!

Sign up for the Male 90X program right now!

This genetic-based report and private consultation will get you started on the steps of total body transformation to realign every aspect of your health and wellness.

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9 Exercises To Beat ED And Have Better Sex


It’s time to get physical! If you want better “physical fun” in the bedroom, you need to improve your daily physical activity outside the bedroom as well.

Are you one of the 30 million men suffering from ED? If so, you may be feeling trapped or suffocated in your sex life. You can’t get or maintain an erection like you used to, which can hurt your confidence, your intimacy, and even your relationships. You might be feeling unfulfilled or unsatisfied. There may be a loss of intimacy between you and your partner. You may be falling into anxiety or depression, or you may have trouble getting your partner pregnant.

Many men think popping a blue pill will do the trick. In reality, these only mask the symptoms without getting to the root causes of your ED or related complications. Plus, they often have more side effects than benefits!

But thankfully, you can overcome ED in a natural and effective way… with exercise!

Why exercise for ED?

Exercise can help treat almost all causes of ED. This makes it the ideal addition to any ED treatment. I like to call this solution: “sexercise.”

ED has 8 main causes. Physical activity actually addresses each cause in some way or another.

1. Stress and anxiety

Stress and psychological problems is one of the most common causes of ED. Working out has been shown to lower stress, reduce cortisol levels, improve mood, and increase endorphins (the “happy” chemical in your brain). According to the American Psychological Association, exercise betters our body’s communication system between all of our organ processes and functions. The more sedentary we are, the less efficient our bodies are at communicating and responding to stress. In this way, exercise is crucial to both the body’s physical and mental reaction to stress.

2. Obesity

Obesity is a significant risk factor for erectile dysfunction. The only treatment that works to overcome obesity-related ED is weight loss. Exercise is crucial to any diet and weight loss plan. You need to stay active to burn calories, shed fat, build muscle, and maintain a normal body weight.

3. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol

Exercise improves heart health and improves oxygenated blood flow throughout the body. Benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular risk factors include: increase in insulin sensitivity, increase in good cholesterol, reduction in bad cholesterol, reduction in blood pressure, and reduction in body weight. Exercising regularly is the best way to take care of your heart and blood.

4. Relationship concerns

Communication problems in your relationship can cause erectile dysfunction. But research suggests that working out together can actually improve your overall relationship by increasing your happiness, boosting romantic attraction, enhancing support, and increasing emotional bond. Exercise also helps better overall health, which makes for a healthy relationship in tandem.

5. Confidence concerns

Men suffering from ED due to “performance anxiety” often have low self-confidence or a negative view of their body. Studies have shown that exercise can enhance attractiveness and increase energy levels, where participants rate themselves as higher on positive perception of self. Those men who were working out consistently considered themselves more desirable and were thus able to perform better sexually.

6.  Sleep deprivation

A lack of sleep—with regards to both quantity and quality— has been linked to erectile dysfunction. In fact, a 2016 survey found that 65% of men who came in with sleep apnea (a sleep disorder) also had symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Working out regularly can improve your quality of sleep and help you fall asleep faster. In fact, exercise is the most effective natural cure for insomnia.

7. Hormonal imbalance

There is a link between low testosterone and erectile dysfunction, though it still calls for further exploration. Nevertheless, we know that a severe imbalance of hormones—like too much cortisol and estrogen with low testosterone—can negatively impact sexual performance. Exercise has been shown to help balance out hormone production, raise testosterone, and lower cortisol and estrogen. Basically, exercise can help put your hormones in a sex-friendly state.

 

8. Nitric oxide

It’s also important to note the link between nitric oxide and exercise. Nitric oxide (NO) is the chemical that opens up the blood vessels (vasodilation) in the penis and relaxes the muscles in the pelvis. After an erection, your nitric oxide levels will naturally decrease to signal to your body that it’s time to stop having an erection. NO basically controls your erections; you need an appropriate amount of nitric oxide in order to have and maintain an erection for any period of time.

Almost every type of exercise is proven to increase the production of nitric oxide. This is because exercise forces the blood to pump harder, so the blood vessels must dilate to handle the pumping blood; this exercised-induced vasodilation then helps produce more nitric oxide. The reverse is true as well; nitric oxide can help improve physical endurance and performance. This helps create a positive cycle to quell erectile dysfunction symptoms.

Overall, exercise increases energy, tones muscle, and burns fat. This improvement in overall health can help combat the typical causes of erectile dysfunction. Study after study has proved that physical activity is linked to sexual vigor. Not only does it improve your erectile dysfunction, but it can also improve your flexibility, endurance, and performance in the bedroom…

So what are you waiting for?

Below you’ll find the 9 easiest exercises that will improve your ED symptoms and sexual health—and you can do them today! No equipment and no experience needed.

1. Kegels

Kegels aren’t just for women. These exercises are actually one of the best ways to regain your overall sexual health since they target the pelvic muscles. The pelvic muscles contract around the testes and base of the penis during sex, contributing to the “hardness” of the erection. Kegel exercises can strengthen two key muscles: the pubococcygeus (PC), which is the muscle that stops the flow of urine, and the perineal muscles, which is the muscle that supports erectile rigidity and ejaculation. Overall, the strength of these muscles impacts erections, sexual experience, ejaculation, and bladder.

Like all of our muscles—these pelvic muscles tend to get weaker with age. This weakness means the muscles can’t contract enough to help the penis “stand up” and have an erection, thus contributing to erectile dysfunction.

But all muscles strengthen when you use them. Think of lifting: the more often you curl a dumbbell, the more your bicep grows. The same is true of the pelvic muscles. The more you use them, the stronger they’ll bebe. Kegel exercises are like lifting but for your penis. The stronger your sex muscles, the better you can control your erections and sexual endurance.

Note: This also means that the more you have sex, the stronger your pelvic muscles; the stronger your pelvic muscles, the better your erections and sexual health. So, if you have just mild ED and can still have sex, this doctor says to do it… and do it often.

So how do you use Kegels to strengthen the pelvic muscles and get back in the game?

  1. You shouldn’t stop the flow of urine while peeing. This can cause infection and bladder problems. But stopping mid-flow onvr can help you get used to the feel of these muscles.
  2. You want to try to squeeze and tighten these pelvic muscles.
  3. Try not to tighten the surrounding muscles. Focus on the PC muscles. Be aware not to tighten your abs, butt, or thigh.
  4. Start with 5-second squeezes. Squeeze for five seconds, then relax.
  5. Do 10 to 20 reps of 5-second squeezes.
  6. As you get more comfortable, increase the length of the squeezing and number of reps.
  7. Be sure to breathe as normal. Don’t hold your breath.
  8. Do a set of reps two to three times per day.

The best part about Kegels is that you can do them anywhere at any time. You can do them while on the floor, in bed, during a commercial break, or even sitting at your desk at work.

Try it right now as you read the rest of this article!

2. Aerobic Exercise

A number of studies and reviews have concluded that aerobic exercise can help improve ED by boosting blood flow. When working out, your heart is pumping faster. This “clears out” your veins from buildup and blockages caused by obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease (which all contribute to by ED).


Furthermore, research presented in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that aerobic exercise of moderate intensity for 5 to 7 sessions per week for 12 weeks increased nitric oxide levels by 32%. Remember that nitric oxide is what pushes blood flow into the penis for an erection and relaxes the penile muscles to allow for stiffness.

A 1990 study reported that aerobic exercise overall:

  • Increases levels of sexual intimacy
  • Improves sexual function
  • Creates more satisfying orgasms
  • Boosts energy levels
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Improves muscle tone
  • Reduces body fat
  • Improves self-image
  • Betters sleep

What kind of aerobic exercise should you be doing? Anything that gets your heart rate up! This could be running, using the elliptical, rowing, swimming, or dancing. Even good, old-fashioned walking has significant health benefits. In fact, a Harvard study found that brisk walking 30 minutes per day had a 41% reduction in the risk for erectile dysfunction. I usually recommend avoiding biking, as that can bring with it other concerns for male sexual health.

Whatever aerobic exercise you choose—get sweaty and get your heart rate up!

3. Lifting & Squats

Aerobic exercise can help burn fat and improve ED symptoms, but you shouldn’t neglect your weight training as well. If you are also suffering from symptoms of low testosterone levels, I always recommend men with low T stick to high-intensity interval training. This is because HIIT weight lifting can drastically spike your testosterone levels in the short- and long-term. This, in turn, improves workout performance, burns fat, builds muscle, and heightens the libido.


Although low testosterone and erectile dysfunction are not the same, data suggests they are linked in some way. If you have low testosterone, you won’t have interest in sex; and not having sex means your penis goes unused, which can eventually weaken the pelvic muscles and cause ED. Furthermore, low libido can often cause psychological or relationship concerns that can exacerbate erectile dysfunction. ED is just one part of the equation of men’s sexual health.

Thus, it’s time to get lifting! Not only will it boost your testosterone, but HIIT weight training will also get your heart pumping (like aerobic exercise). Lifting can regulate your hormones, boost your metabolism, and improve weight loss efforts—all of which are vital to erectile function.

My favorite move is the squat. Squats are one of the best exercises because they work a number of large muscle groups at once. The more you’re working, the more benefits you’re getting. Squats are resistance exercises, performed in intervals, with high intensity—the perfect combo for boosting testosterone levels. Plus, squats improve blood flow to the pelvic region. The more blood flow near the penis, the easier it is to gain an erection.

 

4. Yoga

Yoga is one of my favorite cures for ED and sexual health. A study of a 12-week yoga program found “significant improvement” in sexual scores for men with an average age of 40. They had improvement in: erections, desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, ejaculatory control, partner synchronization, and orgasm.

Countless studies prove yoga has benefits relating back to a number underlying causes of ED. Overall, yoga can increase quality of life by enhancing muscular strength, improving cardiovascular function, improving sleep patterns, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and more. Relaxation is the key here; the intense relaxation that comes from yoga actually helps improve blood flow and oxygen circulation in the blood, which in turn improves organ function (like the sex organs and muscles).


Moreover, certain yoga poses boost blood flow to the penis and work those pelvic muscles. I like to think of these yoga poses as a “wake up call” to your penis, by stimulating the vessels and muscles around it.

Below you’ll find my favorite yoga poses for improved sexual health.

5. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

The “seated forward bend” is easy and comfortable, relaxing the pelvic muscles and promoting blood flow to the hips and penis. It’s also great for reducing stress in a pinch.


How to do:

  • Sit on a yoga mat or blanket with your legs in front of you.
  • Keep your upper body long and straight.
  • Lean forward from the hips, moving your chest towards your knees.
  • Lengthen your tailbone as you reach down towards your feet.
  • Reach as far as you can. Extend and grab your feet if possible. If not, go as far as you can for a comfortable stretch. You can also use a yoga strap around your feet for a deeper stretch.
  • Hold the post for 1 to 3 minutes and then release.

6. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

The “standing forward bend” or “intense forward-bending pose” helps with anxiety and stress, while also stimulating organs in the abdomen (including the sex organs). Tradition even says that this pose is so beneficial for sexual health that it can actually help with male and female infertility.


How to do:

  • Stand with your hands on your hips.
  • As you exhale, bend forward from the hips.
  • Keep your back straight as you bend forward. Lengthen the torso as you bend.
  • Keep your knees straight. A soft bend is okay for newbies.
  • Bring your fingers down towards the floor.
  • If you can’t reach your feet with your hands, cross your forearms and hold your elbows. You can swing gently.
  • Relax into the pose for 1 to 3 minutes.
  • As you inhale, focus on lengthening and straightening your spine. As you exhale, relax deeper and fuller into the stretch, letting gravity pull you down.
  • Avoid straining your neck or back. You should be able to nod your head yes and no while in the pose.

7. Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)

The “butterfly pose” or “bound angle pose” stretches the inner thighs and groin. It opens up the hips and pelvis in a way that stimulates the prostate gland, bladder, kidneys, and abdomen.


How to do:

  • Sit upright with your legs extended in front of you.
  • Bend one knee at a time while you exhale, pulling your heel inward towards your pelvis.
  • Drop both knees to either side. Press the bottoms of your feet together.
  • Use your first and second fingers to grab your big toes. You can also grab your ankles with your hands.
  • As you breathe, focus on straightening your torso. Imagine someone is pulling up a string that’s attached to your spine.
  • Stay in the pose for 1 to 5 minutes.

8. Janu Sirsana (Head-To-Knee Pose)

The head-to-knee pose helps with flexibility in the lower body while also relieving stress and improving blood flow in the groin.


How to do:

  • Sit on your mat or blanket with legs extended in front of you.
  • Bend in one knee, bringing the heel towards your pelvis.
  • Rest the sole of that foot against your other thigh.
  • Release your knee towards the floor. Support with a blanket if you need to.
  • As you inhale, raise both of your hands towards the sky.
  • As you exhale, hinge from the hips and bend towards your extended foot.
  • Try to bring your chin to your knee. If you can, clasp your hand around your foot. If you can’t, bend as far as you can and hold on to your shins.
  • Stay in this position for 1 to 3 minutes.
  • Inhale and raise your arms overhead to return to sitting.
  • Repeat with the other leg folded in for balance.

9. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

The “bow pose” stretches your muscles in the groin and thighs while energizing the reproductive areas. Plus, it’ll boost your flexibility—and may make an interesting sex position in the bedroom.


How to do:

  • Lay face down on your mat on your stomach. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
  • Bend your knees in towards your back, grabbing the front of your feet with your hands.
  • Raise your upper body and pull up on your legs at the same time. Your chest and knees should both be lifted off the floor, while your pelvis stays grounded.
  • Stay in the pose for 20 to 30 seconds. While posing, take a few deep breaths. The deeper the breath, the more it will stimulate your pelvis.
  • Exhale as you release from the pose.
  • Repeat two or three more times.

Bonus: Work out with your partner.

Getting your heart rate up together can help bring you closer to one another. Partners that work out together find that they have an improved sex life in the bedroom as well. This is likely due to improved self-confidence, regulated hormones, endorphin release, and all those great benefits from working out. But, more than that, couples that work out together connect on a physical level outside of the bedroom. This connection translates back into the bedroom nicely. This is especially true for yoga. One study found that “partner yoga may help couples who are struggling with sexual dysfunction.”

Bottom line

You can naturally overcome your erectile dysfunction and improve your sexual health… and it costs you nothing but your time and willingness! The above 9 exercises and poses will put you on a track of sexual health that will make you looking, feeling, and being the most vigorous you in years. Say goodbye to ED (and hello to exercise). 

5 Benefits Of Pomegranate For Your Sexual Health

Is pomegranate the ultimate solution to all of your “sex-drive” needs? What are the benefits of pomegranate?

What if I told you pomegranate could help all of your sexual health problems, from low testosterone and diminished libido to erectile dysfunction to even prostate cancer? This superfood is filled with antioxidants that have proven results to help both men and women have better sex lives. This fruit can increase testosterone levels, improve sperm quality, and increase sex drive and mood.

Pomegranate has three times more antioxidants than even red wine and green tea. Antioxidants are what improve blood circulation, decrease inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, and fight harmful free radicals that cause aging, illness, and cancer. Pomegranate antioxidants have even been known to help fight breast cancer.

If you’re looking to improve your sexual health, you need to add pomegranate to your daily lineup. From juice to seeds to supplement extracts, it’s easy to enhance your life with the wonders of pomegranate.

Let’s take a deep dive into the 5 benefits of pomegranates for your sexual and overall health.

1. Boosts testosterone

Testosterone is the “manly” hormone that controls your facial hair, deep voice, muscle growth, and even your sex drive. Low levels of testosterone can become a serious health problem leading to lowered energy, depression, diminished libido, weight gain, muscle loss, brain fog, and more. Women also need testosterone for their sex drive and regulation of estrogen levels.

By the way, low T means low libido… and low libido means a low desire for sex. If you have been losing your interest in sex recently, you may be suffering from low testosterone levels.

I always recommend increasing testosterone levels the natural way before resorting to costly (and often ineffective) testosterone replacement therapies. A daily intake of pomegranate is one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to improve your testosterone.

Firstly, pomegranate is shown to block estrogen production. The Beckman Research Institute in California reported that pomegranate is rich in ellagittanins (ET). ETs convert into compounds that are used to stop your androgens from turning into estrogens. Basically, ET helps lower the production of estrogen.

This is critical to testosterone levels. Too much estrogen can interfere with libido, hurt erectile health, and damage bone strength. Plus, estrogen actually blocks testosterone production. High levels of estrogen actually further diminish T levels to create an unhealthy imbalance of hormones that are destructive to male sexual health.

A study at the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland found that participants who were given one glass of pomegranate juice per day for two weeks had a 24% increase in testosterone on average. They also saw further results linked to improved testosterone, balanced hormones, and regulated mood:

  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Decline of stress levels
  • Increase in positive emotions, especially self-confidence
  • Heightened mood
  • Lowered feelings of shyness, fear, and sadness

2. Treats erectile dysfunction

It’s important to note that the Queen Margaret study found not only an increase in testosterone levels, but also an increase in positive emotions as well. Stress, anxiety, low self-confidence, and fear are all major causes of erectile dysfunction. This study demonstrated that pomegranate might be able to improve psychological concerns that could cause erectile dysfunction.

Furthermore, pomegranates help address three major causes of erectile dysfunction: restricted blood flow/high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.

Blood flow

You need proper blood flow in order for your penis to fill with blood and get “hard.” If you have high blood pressure, damaged arteries, or vascular problems, blood flow to the penis can be restricted, thus causing erectile dysfunction. Some studies show that pomegranate juice can reduce systolic blood pressure with “promising acute hypotensive properties.” This lowered blood pressure can help promote blood flow to the penis when it’s time for an erection.

Furthermore, a 2007 study found that drinking 100% pomegranate juice (POM Wonderful brand) actually helped manage erectile dysfunction. 50% of participants who drank the juice saw an improvement in their erections. They concluded that this was due to the high antioxidant content of pomegranates, which can stop free radicals from inhibiting blood flow to the penis.

Additionally, pomegranate is high in vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the production of nitric oxide (NO) by converting nitrites to nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide is the chemical that relaxes blood vessels and flexes muscles near and in the penis. This NO process prepares your penis for an erection. A 2005 Italian study found an increase in levels of nitric oxide and a decrease in oxidant damage in all blood vessels after consumption of pomegranate juice.

Heart disease

In a similar “vein,” heart-healthy pomegranates (filled with vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals) can open up your blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart disease is another cause of erectile dysfunction and lowered libido. Pomegranates can help lower cholesterol, remove arterial deposits (bad cholesterol), limit inflammation, and encourage blood flow—all lowering the risk of heart disease.

One study found that daily pomegranate seed oil for four weeks improved participants’ ratio of triglycerides to HDL, basically lowering bad deposits and raising good cholesterol. Researchers discovered that half a glass of pomegranate juice and three dates had enough antioxidants to help protect against heart attacks and strokes. A second study also showed that pomegranate juice could reduce bad cholesterol in those with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

Obesity

Being overweight can cause erectile dysfunction, lowered testosterone, imbalanced hormones, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Pomegranates also have been shown to help fight obesity by curbing hunger pains and improving satiation levels.

A 2016 study at Queen Margaret found that those participants who took a daily supplement of pomegranate had less desire to eat, were less hungry, and felt more satiated while eating than the placebo group. Researchers hypothesized that this was because of the fruit’s polyphenols (a specific type of antioxidant), which can act as an appetite suppressant.

Plus, pomegranates can help improve exercise performance, helping you lose weight and gain muscle at a faster rate. Pomegranate has a high amount of nitrates, which enhance blood flow throughout the body. This improved blood flow to the muscles can improve exercise performance, efficiency, and endurance. The better you workout, the more your body can burn off that extra flab. Regulated, healthy weight can reduce ED symptoms—and make you more energetic, happy, and productive!

3. Lowers risk of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer affects 11.6% of men at some point in their lives. What seems to be an inevitable disease is actually preventable—and maybe even with a delicious fruit like pomegranate! Recent research suggests, “pomegranate is likely to be valuable for treatment of some forms of human prostate cell life.”

One study looked at the reason why pomegranates may have this effect on prostate cancer. Data suggests that pomegranate extract down-regulates HR which sensitizes cells to DSBs, growth inhibition, and apoptosis.” Basically, pomegranate polyphenols help your cells kill themselves. “Apoptosis” is your body’s natural process where unhealthy cells self-destruct before spreading their “disease” to other cells. When damaged cells don’t self-destruct, they begin to breed and grow into tumors and cancers. Pomegranate extract helps keep this natural process of apoptosis functioning, so cancerous and damaged cells will continue to die off at an appropriate rate.

4. Improves sperm quality

A Turkish study found that rats that drank pomegranate juice had significant increases in healthy sperm. Generally, “healthy” sperm refers to the quantity, movement, structure, and fertility of the sperm. Healthy sperm is more likely to fertilize an egg and create a healthy embryo. If you and your partner are trying to get pregnant, it’s time to start glugging the pomegranate juice.

Turkish researchers also found an increased amount of natural antioxidants in sperm and blood, further demonstrating that pomegranate extract helps to send nutrients directly into the bloodstream to fight against damaging oxidation.

5. Other benefits of pomegranate

Pomegranate also has a number of health benefits that will make your overall wellness significantly better. For example, pomegranate’s ability to fight oxidative stress and minimize inflammation has been shown to fight rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, and swelling. It has also been shown to aid brain health, improve memory, and fight off signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

As we age, our body’s natural processes start to slow down. If you want to stay functioning with optimal health, you need to take care of your sexual, physical, emotional, and mental wellness in tandem. Pomegranates have proven benefits in all of these wellness facets.

How to consume

There are a number of ways to get your daily dose of pomegranate. Pomegranate juice and pomegranate supplements are a popular way to get a shot of healthy goodness.

But be careful. Steer clear of most store-bought pomegranate juice, which tends to be filled with sugar—and sugar can actually make your sexual health worse. If you’re going to buy store-bought, stick to all-natural 100% juice like POM Wonderful.

I like making pomegranate juice right at home, so I can control the taste and consistency myself. Here’s how:

  • Cut open a fresh, organic pomegranate.
  • Scoop out the seeds and place in a bowl filled with water.
  • The seeds will sink to the bottom, and their white goopy membrane will float to the top.
  • Strain the water, which will clean the seeds and remove the membrane.
  • Place the seeds in a blender and blend to a pulp.
  • Strain the seed mixture into a pulp.
  • Add water and agave sweetener to taste.
  • Eat the rest of the pomegranate or use in your cooking!

And don’t neglect pomegranate seeds! They burst in your mouth for a hydrating and sweet snack. If you have a midnight sweet tooth like me, pomegranate seeds are a deliciously healthy way to curb those cravings.

Bottom line

Get back to the sex life you want with boosted T, high libido, diminished erectile dysfunction, lowered risk of prostate cancer, improved sperm quality, higher energy, regulated weight, improved memory, fewer aches and pains, and so much more… all with pomegranates!

Adding pomegranates to your morning routine or midnight snack is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to boost your sexual health and wellness. In fact, you’ll start seeing most of the benefits of pomegranates in as little as four weeks.

What else can you do to upgrade your health? 

Well, you can flip the page on your calendar.

And you can renew your vitality and vigor with a Male 2.0 Consult! Sign up to start living your best life in now!

 

Tracy Gapin, MD FACS is a board-certified Urologist, Men’s Health Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.drtracygapin.com

8 Fun Ways To Naturally Increase Your Libido


Wouldn’t it be nice if it were fun to naturally increase your libido? Guess what? It can be!

Having a low sex drive and libido can be incredibly frustrating. No matter how much you want to have sex, your body still doesn’t want to have sex. A low libido can make you feel tired, anxious, stressed, and even emasculated. You need sex for a happy and healthy life.

But you don’t have to deal with a low libido. There are a number of ways to naturally increase your libido that will have you as horny as a teenager once again! (Well, maybe not that much.)

In this article, I’m focusing specifically on the easiest and most fun lifestyle changes that will help increase your libido. The conventional method of testosterone replacement therapy can work… but it’s not the ideal first solution for most men. There are other ways to start regaining your sexual vigor without costly, time-consuming, cumbersome therapies.

But first—what’s libido?

Libido 101

“Libido” is a fancy (medical) word for sex drive. Your libido is simply your desire to have sex. If your libido is high, you’re incredibly interested in sex. If it’s low, sex isn’t a priority or it may seem like a nuisance. Libido generally relates to a consistent pattern of sexual desire. Not wanting to have sex for one week does not mean you necessarily have a low libido; not wanting sex for two months may signal a concern.

If you’ve never suffered from low libido, you might be thinking, “There are people who don’t want to have sex?” But anyone who has experienced low libido will tell you just how frustrating and challenging it is. Men with low libido still usually want to have sex in theory, but their body doesn’t have the energy or physical desire for the act.

Despite the fact that libido is linked with the mental idea of “desire,” libido is actually not solely psychological. It’s also highly physiological, biological, emotional, and even social. And it’s important to note—for yourself and your partner—that libido often isn’t even linked to sexual arousal. You can be highly aroused by your partner and still not have the physical desire to have sex. This is because libido can be caused by stress, illness, anxiety, relationship concerns, low testosterone, and other unrelated concerns.

Low libido and ED

Before we discuss the causes of low libido, let’s get one thing straight: low libido is not the same as impotence or ED. You can have low sexual desire and still be able to get an erection, and you can have high libido and not be able to get an erection. Although research has shown there is a correlation between low testosterone and erectile dysfunction, the two do not seem to be causal. You can have one without the other.

This is important to keep in mind when treating your concerns. If you have low libido, erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra won’t help raise your libido. They won’t make you want to have sex more, and they won’t influence your testosterone levels. Even worse, these ED meds can actually have unpleasant side effects that might harm your sexual and psychological health, which can potentially reduce your libido further.

The reverse is also true. If you have erectile dysfunction, boosting your libido won’t necessarily solve those concerns. You could do all of the fun activities on this list, but you still won’t be able to attain an erection with ED. In that case, you’ll want to look for natural ways to address your ED.

Causes of low libido

Where does low libido come from? You should understand the basic causes to help treat your low libido appropriately.

1. Low testosterone

If your testosterone levels are below 350 ng/dL, you are likely feeling the symptoms of “low testosterone.” Testosterone is the key hormonal driver of libido. Testosterone is that “manly” hormone that makes you want to work out, have sex, eat hamburgers, and watch football. Well, that’s not true, but testosterone is the number one driver of sexual interest. In fact, even women need an appropriate amount of manly testosterone in order to be turned on for sex. That’s actually one of the reasons men and women kiss—the male’s saliva actually transfers testosterone to the female to get her ready for sex!

If your testosterone is low, you won’t feel that natural hormonal horniness. Instead, you’ll feel lethargic, anxious, depressed, and stressed. You may notice weight gain, brain fog, and a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. Low testosterone can influence your entire wellbeing—including your sexual prowess. Learn more about how to naturally increase your testosterone here

2. Psychological concerns

Anxiety and depression are key contributors to low libido. Depression causes you to lose interest in all of your normal activities, including the sex you once enjoyed. Moreover, medications for anxiety and depression often have side effects that can lower testosterone and libido levels.

Stress is also a key contributor in sexual desire. Stress creates cortisol, which kills testosterone levels. Cortisol both blocks the production of testosterone and binds to free-floating T, creating significantly reduced testosterone levels. This increase in cortisol and decrease in testosterone has been shown to directly influence sexual vigor, desire, and ability.

3. Weight 

If you’re holding extra weight, you’re also holding extra estrogen and cortisol. Excess estrogen stores fat and stops the production of testosterone. This leads to lowered testosterone levels, which, in turn, leads to more weight gain. This creates a vicious cycle of low T, low libido, and overweight unhappiness. If you’ve been racking on the pounds recently, you’ve likely also been met with a lowered sex drive.

4. Age

Testosterone levels naturally decrease as you age. Hormonal imbalances become more common as the number of candles on the birthday cake increases. Although low T levels are (sort of) a natural part of life, it doesn’t mean it’s not conquerable with the right lifestyle changes.

5.  Medications

Certain medications have side effects that can lower libido and testosterone. These include:

  •      Anti-depressants (SSRIs)
  •      Antipsychotics
  •      Beta-blockers
  •      Opioids
  •      Blood pressure medications
  •      Heart disease medications
  •      Diabetic treatments (insulin)

6. Prostate cancer treatments

Prostate cancer itself often doesn’t cause low libido, but its associated treatments and concerns can. Chemo and radiation for prostate cancer infiltrate the pelvis, which can often upset T levels. Surgery for prostate cancer can damage nearby nerves, which may have an influence on libido and impotence. Moreover, prostate cancer can create anxiety and depression in many patients, which can further lead to reduced sex drive and low libido.

7. Sleep problems

Studies have shown that sleep and testosterone are directly linked. One study found that sleep deficiencies influence low libido, and another found that sleep apnea may be a cause of lowered testosterone.

8. Unhealthy living

Other causes of low libido include:

  •      Smoking
  •      Alcohol abuse
  •      Drug abuse
  •      Inactivity or sedentary lifestyle

Now that you can better pinpoint where your low libido may be coming from, let’s get into my 8 favorite ways to boost libido in just a few days!

Naturally increase your libido

1. Have sex.

If you have a low libido but still have some desire to have sex, this is the best solution to bringing back your sex drive. Sex works wonders to address all of the causes of low libido and work to naturally increase your libido:

  •      Increases testosterone levels
  •      Boosts self-confidence
  •      Lowers stress
  •      Burns calories (sheds pounds)
  •      Helps you sleep
  •      Increases endorphins and dopamine
  •      Makes you feel 10 years younger

Sex is especially proven at boosting testosterone levels. A 1992 study found that both men and women had higher testosterone levels on nights of sexual activity than on nights of no sexual activity. Another study found that older men who have sex have higher testosterone and better health overall than those who don’t have sex.

Try having sex first thing in the morning. Testosterone levels and male libido are usually highest just after waking up. If you’re suffering from low libido, you may still be interested in having sex after waking up from a restful night’s sleep. Having sex in the morning will also put you on a good path for the rest of the day. You’ll have increased testosterone levels and lower stress that will boost your libido for the remainder of the day. Plus, you’ll walk into work with a glowing smile plastered across your face!

P.S. Don’t forget the foreplay. Foreplay before sex (or throughout the day) can help increase your (and your partner’s) libido. The more you talk about and think about having sex together, the higher your testosterone levels will rise. One study found that even the anticipation of sexual activity boosts testosterone production.

2. Sleep more.

Sex makes you sleepy, and it’s okay to revel in that rest! You need to sleep in order for your body to balance your hormones and produce testosterone. During sleep, your body also replenishes its energy, which contributes to a strong and lively libido. 


Studies have found that sleep deficiencies lead to low testosterone and diminished sex drive. Another study found that men who slept for at least 8 hours had T levels around 500-800 ng/dL, while those who slept only 4 had 200-300 ng/dL of testosterone. There is a direct correlation between hours slept and testosterone levels (and raising those testosterone levels works to naturally increase your libido).

So sleep more. How should you increase your sleep quantity and quality?

  •      Sleep in a cool, dark room.
  •      Turn off your phone and electronics 1 hour prior to sleep.
  •      Exercise and have sex. (Physical activity improves sleep quality.)
  •      Supplement with melatonin, the “sleep hormone.”
  •      Take power naps to increase your energy levels throughout the day.

3. Do something exciting with your partner.

Get your heart rate up with your partner outside of the bedroom as well. Studies show that people tend to feel more romantic and sexual after doing adrenaline-pumping experiences together. This is often deemed “misattribution of arousal,” but I like to call it “sexy fear.”

Basically, people tend to misplace the physiological response to fear as physiological sexual arousal. The two are very similar: shortness of breath, boost in blood pressure, inexplicable energy, high levels of adrenaline, etc.

This has been proven in a number of studies, like the suspension bridge study by Dutton and Aron. This study found that men who walked across a suspension bridge and were met with an attractive female researcher on the other side were more likely to call the woman after the study than those men who did not walk across the suspension bridge. Basically, the male participants attributed their fear from the suspension bridge as sexual arousal for the female on the safe side of the bridge.


Another study by Schachter and Singer found that if a person was physiologically aroused with epinephrine, they attributed that arousal to a recent memory. This demonstrates that people tend to misattribute their physiological feelings. That’s why so many heroes seem to fall in love at the end of an action-packed film, even though they know nothing about each other (well, and also because it’s Hollywood).

What does this mean for you? It simply means that if you and your partner do something exciting and heart-racing, it can help you two connect with a new form of arousal.

Get sweaty together outside of the bedroom to get your adrenaline and energy flowing—and you’ll start to redirect that energy back into the bedroom. You don’t have to jump out of a plane to see the same effects. Go for a walk, go to the gym, dance together, have a pillow fight, or watch a scary movie. If you’re short of breath and a little sweaty, you’re producing adrenaline that can raise your libido in tandem.

4. Do yoga.

Not sure what you should do together? Take a yoga class! Ancient tantric teachings used yoga as a way to heal sexual dysfunction and raise sexual energy. Yoga is a proven way to boost libido in a variety of ways. Firstly, yoga helps relieve stress. This lowers your cortisol levels—and we know that cortisol kills testosterone. This means that a stress-free yogi can have more free-floating testosterone and higher energy levels.

Yoga also helps increase self-esteem. It helps you overcome psychological and mental roadblocks that could be contributing to your low testosterone and libido. Plus, yoga can help burn calories and shed extra weight!

Yoga also increases flexibility and boosts circulation to the pelvis. Basically, yoga “enlivens” your pelvic area. It helps to align your pelvis and head along your spine, so your brain is better connected with your sexual organs. This helps wake up your penis and testes to produce more testosterone and have better blood flow. Some studies even suggest that yoga can treat premature ejaculation.

Oh, and by the way, yoga also helps enhance the female libido. Some women have even reported “orgasmic experiences” during yoga. So do yoga with your significant other as well! You’ll satisfy the #3 “do something exciting together” prescription while also boosting your sexual prowess.

5. Rub on some essential oils.


Massage each other with some libido-boosting essential oils. Sandalwood is often used in perfumes and colognes because it’s a natural aphrodisiac, known for attracting the sexual interest of anyone who smells it. It’s also used to balance and regulate hormone production. Cinnamon oil is another libido booster(use caution with this one – its a hot oil, so remember to dilute and don’t put it in sensitive areas), and it has also been considered a natural remedy for impotence because of its ability to open up the nitric oxide pathway that increases blood flow to the genitals. Other libido-happy essential oils include rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang.

Put a few drops of your favorite essential oil into your deodorant or lotion to improve your hormones and increase your libido throughout the day. You can also dilute these essences in your favorite massage oil for an added boost of sexiness. Even taking a whiff of the essential oil from the bottle can get you going!

6. Eat natural aphrodisiacs.

Diet plays an important role in your hormone levels; what you put in is what you get out. Aphrodisiacs are foods that boost sexual desire and horniness. These include figs, bananas, avocados, and oysters. You’ll also want to consume more vitamin C like oranges, red peppers, and guava; these help boost circulation and increase energy levels.

My favorite aphrodisiac is dark chocolate. There’s a good reason that chocolate is often considered a symbol of desire. Dark chocolate releases phenylethylamine and serotonin, which lift mood, regulate blood sugar, and boost libido. Plus, some studies show that even thinking dark chocolate is sexy can help increase sexual desire!


You should also try adding nutmeg and clove to your foods and drinks. (I love nutmeg in my coffee or tea.) Both have been proven to enhance sexual behavior and arousal in male animals. Just a bit of warming spices and you could be on your way to the bedroom!

And don’t forget to drink water. Dehydration can cause fatigue and lower energy, which dulls your sexual desire instantly. If your body isn’t getting the water it needs, it will start to shut off extraneous processes to focus on those organ functions that are most vital. The more water you drink, the better your sexual function.

7. Take supplements.

Taking supplements may not seem like a “fun” libido booster—but it’s an easy way to start having more fun in the bedroom ASAP. With just a few choice supplements, you can get your libido up and running in no time.

Ginkgo biloba helps improve blood flow to the genitals and can actually help overcome different sorts of sexual dysfunctions. In fact, ginkgo biloba has been shown to treat sexual dysfunction and low libido as caused by antidepressants especially. So, if your low libido or ED is a result of antidepressant medication side effects, a supplementation of ginkgo biloba may be able to get you back on the right track without changing your prescription lineup. Be sure to discuss with your doctor before beginning any new supplement treatment, though.

Furthermore, tribulus is a supplement used in traditional Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac, and maca root has been shown to increase sexual desire in both the short-term and the long-term.

Talk to your doctor about adding a supplemental plan to your libido-boosting regimen!

  1. Send each other pictures.

Hey, they don’t have to be dirty pictures! A study by Helen Fisher found that when a person looks at a photo of their loved one for 30 seconds or longer, their brain begins to produce dopamine. That dopamine then boosts libido. That’s right, staring at a picture of your significant other can get you going—even if it’s a picture of them in a parka!

Take more time to look at your partner (both in person and in pictures) and you’ll be able to re-ignite new, fiery passion for one another.

Bottom Line

Low libido is a biological, psychological, and social concern. It’s not easily treated, even with conventional testosterone replacement therapies. But you can boost your libido and your energy with a few fun and easy lifestyle changes. By taking the time to focus on your health and your relationship with your partner, you can start living the life you want. You can go back to that “can’t take our hands off of each other” feeling from the start of the relationship. Your libido just needs a little push.

If you want to get your health and your libido back in shape, there’s no better time to start than NOW! Sign up for our G1 Performance Health program to get a comprehensive plan for bettering your sexual and overall wellbeing for a total body transformation.

If you’ve read this article, you want to increase your libido. Now is the time. Sign up for G1 Performance Health!