Increase your performance - Wellness & Lifestyle - relationship between exercise and libido

American Fitness, Jan-Feb, 2004

Is your libido not what it used to be? Maybe you need to reboot your sex drive. "Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, the body's feel-good hormones," says psychologist and sex therapist Howard Devore. "Sex hormones, especially testosterone, also increase within one hour after a workout. Testosterone is the only real aphrodisiac. Exercise is the best natural way to stimulate testosterone levels." Testosterone is not just a male hormone. Women produce it also and need it for sexual arousal. The type of exercise you do doesn't matter. Working out at the gym, biking or jogging around the block are all good.

Other libido enhancers include drinking at least two liters of water per day and limiting alcohol and caffeine intake. If you don't drink enough water, you begin to dehydrate and normal glandular function, including testosterone production, becomes disrupted. A number of conditions are also associated with dehydration, ranging from itchy skin and bad breath to constipation and headaches, none of which benefit a person's sex life.

Alcohol is a depressant and reduces testosterone levels in men. According to a Duke University Medical Center study, regular moderate male drinkers experienced reduced capacity for penile erection, semen production and sperm counts. Consuming even small amounts of alcohol interferes with a man's ability to control premature ejaculation and can result in fewer or no orgasms and decreased orgasm quality.

Caffeine raises blood pressure, a condition associated with infertility in men and decreased libido in both sexes. Caffeine also places stress on the adrenal glands, which are important to the creation of most hormones. Medical studies show regular caffeine intake decreases testosterone production. It also increases muscle tension, making it hard to relax. This is detrimental since a state of relaxation is very important to a satisfactory sexual experience. Lastly, caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and can impede the penis' ability to fill with blood, resulting in soft or no erections.