As you begin to age, natural testosterone levels decline. Many authorities suggest testosterone levels do not begin to drop until you’re 40, but others suggest it may happen a few years sooner. Regardless, you will see a 1% drop every year once it begins. (1) That will ultimately affect your ability to build or maintain muscle mass, it will encourage fat gain, and your sex drive will drop. So what can you do for your natural levels of testosterone & your sexual health? Keep reading and find out!

Factors That Affect Sex Drive

Several factors besides dropping testosterone levels can have an impact on sex drive. These include stress, medications you might be taking, and your lifestyle. 

Supplements That Can Help Increase Testosterone & Sex Drive

To promote optimal testosterone production regardless of age, you should try to keep stress under control, read the side effects of any medications you’re taking so you can have a conversation with your doctor about other options, and make sure you’re leading a healthy lifestyle. If you’re reading this article, no doubt you’re a bodybuilder or other athlete who eats clean and stays reasonably lean. It’s also important to fully recover between workouts and get a good night’s sleep every night. With all that in mind, the next step is taking the right supplements, including:

Maca

Also called Peruvian ginseng, maca is a popular testosterone-boosting supplement. Like most herbs, it’s been used in traditional medicines for a long time. Studies suggest that maca can help promote testosterone production and increase sex drive. (1, 2, 3) 

Fadogia

Here’s another popular herb that’s common in test-boosting formulas. It’s a Nigerian shrub that has been historically used for medicinal purposes. Several studies have demonstrated that it is an effective test booster which in turn enhances sex drive. (4, 5)

Tongkat Ali

Also called longjack, this is an herb from Southeast Asia that’s been used for an extended amount of time in the traditional medicine of the area. It’s a popular testosterone-enhancing supplement that’s been shown to increase sex drive and treat ED. (6, 7)

Fenugreek

This is a plant that grows as high as 3 feet. Its history is in Chinese and alternative medicine. You can also find it in the spice aisle of your local grocery store. Plus, you can consume fenugreek, and it has a nutty flavor along with a good nutrient profile. As you can see, it’s an herb with a wide variety of uses. Of course, it’s also a common test booster that has been shown to increase testosterone and boost sexual function. (8, 9, 10)

L -Citrulline 

Of course, this is one of the most popular and effective nitric oxide boosters on the market. The fact that it increases blood flow suggests that it improves erection hardness and can help mild cases of ED. (11)

DHEA 

While this article is geared toward men, DHEA is believed to increase sex drive in both women and men. It is a precursor to testosterone. Naturally speaking, DHEA is a hormone that, like testosterone, declines as you age. The body can convert DHEA into either testosterone or estrogen. As a supplement, DHEA can help increase testosterone levels and, as noted, improve sexual desire. (12)

Yohimbine

Yohimbine is the active ingredient in yohimbe bark, a West African medicinal herb. It’s a common thermogenic and has a history of use as a sex drive enhancer. It’s thought to improve ED by blocking receptors that inhibit erections. Finally, it may also stimulate nitric oxide production. (13, 14)

Zinc

This is an essential mineral that can improve sex drive in men and women. It supports testosterone production, especially as part of ZMA, which is zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. This combination also supports sleep. (15)

 

While this list covers a lot of supplements that can help, it’s not all-inclusive. Any testosterone-boosting supplement will have a positive impact on sex drive. 

Check These Out!

We have an entire section of supplements devoted to sexual performance. Of course, we also have a wide selection of testosterone boosters. If your sex drive isn’t quite what you want it to be, stop by illpumpyouup.com, check out the sections mentioned above, and watch your sex drive soar!

References:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667031322001075#sec0037
2. Zhang, Y., Zhou, F. & Ge, F. Effects of combined extracts of Lepidium meyenii and Allium tuberosum Rottl. on erectile dysfunction. BMC Complement Altern Med 19, 135 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2542-4
3. Alcalde, A. M., & Rabasa, J. (2020). Does Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improve seminal quality? Andrologia, 52(10), e13755. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.13755
4. Kotta, S., Ansari, S. H., & Ali, J. (2013). Exploring scientifically proven herbal aphrodisiacs. Pharmacognosy reviews, 7(13), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.112832
5. Yakubu, M. T., Akanji, M. A., & Oladiji, A. T. (2005). Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats. Asian journal of andrology, 7(4), 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7262.2005.00052.x
6. Bhat, R., & Karim, A. A. (2010). Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia Jack): a review on its ethnobotany and pharmacological importance. Fitoterapia, 81(7), 669–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2010.04.006
7. Tambi, M. I., Imran, M. K., & Henkel, R. R. (2012). Standardized water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia, Tongkat ali, as testosterone booster for managing men with late-onset hypogonadism. Andrologia, 44 Suppl 1, 226–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01168.x
8. Ahmad, A., Alghamdi, S. S., Mahmood, K., & Afzal, M. (2016). Fenugreek a multipurpose crop: Potentialities and improvements. Saudi journal of biological sciences, 23(2), 300–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2015.09.015
9. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171324/nutrient
10. Steels, E., Rao, A., & Vitetta, L. (2011). Physiological aspects of male libido enhanced by standardized Trigonella foenum-graecum extract and mineral formulation. Phytotherapy research: PTR, 25(9), 1294–1300. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.3360
11. Cormio, L., De Siati, M., Lorusso, F., Selvaggio, O., Mirabella, L., Sanguedolce, F., & Carrieri, G. (2011). Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction. Urology, 77(1), 119–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2010.08.028
12. El-Sakka A. I. (2018). Dehydroepiandrosterone and Erectile Function: A Review. The world journal of men’s health, 36(3), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.180005
13. Corazza, O., Martinotti, G., Santacroce, R., Chillemi, E., Di Giannantonio, M., Schifano, F., & Cellek, S. (2014). Sexual enhancement products for sale online: raising awareness of the psychoactive effects of yohimbine, maca, horny goat weed, and Ginkgo biloba. BioMed research international, 2014, 841798. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/841798
14. Ernst, E., & Pittler, M. H. (1998). Yohimbine for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. The Journal of Urology, 159(2), 433–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-5347(01)63942-9
15. Besong, E. E., Akhigbe, T. M., Ashonibare, P. J., Oladipo, A. A., Obimma, J. N., Hamed, M. A., Adeyemi, D. H., & Akhigbe, R. E. (2023). Zinc improves sexual performance and erectile function by preventing penile oxidative injury and upregulating circulating testosterone in lead-exposed rats. Redox report: communications in free radical research, 28(1), 2225675. https://doi.org/10.1080/13510002.2023.2225675