If you’re a man in mid life experiencing reduced sexual desire you’re not alone. Surveys show as many as 25% of men experience reduced sex drive and low sex drive affects one in three marriages. When low sex drive is mentioned, the spouse with the problem is usually categorized as the wife. However, there are many husbands who aren’t interested in sex with their wives. And there is plenty you can do to boost low libido and restore normal desire.

Low Sex Drive More Common Than You Think

Men find it hard to admit to or talk about low sex drive because being sexual is so much part of being a man. But low sex drive is a more common problem than you might think. Declining testosterone levels as a natural consequence of aging, plus stress from work and family demands can add up to sexual burn out. Sexual therapists report increasing numbers of men who experience low libido – and it’s often made worse because people find it so difficult to talk about. § Complaints about low desire are the No 1 problem brought to sex therapists.

Low Libido – You Don’t Have to Put Up With It

Whether lack of desire originates with husband or wife, the end result is the same. There is a lack of physical contact, which is experienced by the other partner as the ultimate rejection. Many couples think they are the only ones with the problem. They feel as though nothing can be done about it. But low libido is a problem that’s actually increased with the stresses of modern life – and sex is such a vital part of our lives no one should accept it’s “all over”. So if anyone tells you that a declining sex drive is something that you just have to put up with as you get older – they’re wrong.

Low Libido – What You Can Do About It If anyone tells you that low libido is something that you just have to put up with as you get older – they’re wrong. Thousands of men and women are discovering the benefits of natural sex boosters like tribulus terrestris, horny goat weed, maca, muira puama, and ginseng. Modern science and traditional medicine have joined forces to show how popular natural sex boosters work. Many of the active ingredients in traditional herbs have been investigated to work out just what it is in the herb which gives the good results. Those ingredients, in the form pure measurable active extracts, are now available in dietary supplement capsule which are easy to take and don’t cost a lot. However do not expect these natural products to work as quickly as pharmaceuticals, Natural sex boosters work a little slower, and while they may take a few days to work, they often provide additional benefits such as boosting libido and enhancing sensations.

Low Libido – Five Steps to Boost Desire Just Do It – frequent sex helps jump start desire.

§ Tailor activity to hormonal highs: Men’s testosterone, a primary hormone responsible for sexual desire, peaks at 7 to 8 in the morning.

§ Don’t bury your head in the sand. Ignoring the problem isn’t healthy. You need to get help.

§ Talk about what you need. § Don’t keep score. Stop the blame game. It’s a couple problem that requires change from both of you.

Low Libido Is NOT Impotence Low libido is the same as low sex drive – but not the same thing as impotence or erectile dysfunction. Impotence or ED is wanting to have sex but not being able to carry through on the desire. Low libido is having little desire for sex even if you are capable of achieving erections. Causes of Low Libido in Men The causes ofLow Libido in men are physical and psychological.

Physical Causes of Low Libido

§ Alcoholism – most common § Drug abuse – cocaine and marijuana § Obesity – common

§ Diabetes or other “major” disease

§ Prescribed drugs, particularly Proscar, a tablet used for prostate problems

§ Low testosterone levels

§ Thyroid disease Psychological Causes of Low Libido

§ Depression – most common § Stress and overwork

§ Performance anxiety § Latent gayness § Serious relationship problems What Can You Do About Low Libido in Men

§ Check hormone levels

§ Have a health examination

§ Get testosterone supplementation if necessary § Consider supplements

§ Lose weight

§ Exercise

§ Control stress § Stop smoking

Check Hormone Levels

Men should have testosterone, DHEA and other androgen levels checked whenever there is any noticeable reduction in sex drive.

Have a Health Examination

Low sex drive may be the result of a thyroid condition,diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure or other major illness. You should also discuss what other medications you are taking, because some anti depressants, tranquilizers and antihypertensive drugs as well as illegal drugs like marijuana and cocaine can reduce sex drive.

Get Testosterone Supplementation if Needed For

Men, lifting testosterone levels can make a big difference in restoring libido and sex drive to normal levels. Testosterone is available in pill or patch form, or can be accessed by taking herbal formulas like proprietary supplement Herbal Ignite, containing Tribulus Terrestris.

Consider Supplements to Help Low Libido

Increasingly herbs which have been used traditionally by ancient peoples for thousands of years are being identified in modern science as useful for sexual enhancement.

Herb Name                         Herb Information

Avena Sativa                     Wild oats. Helps with stress, has been used to help nicotine withdrawal,                                                 improves sex drive.

Tribulus terrestris            Stimulates the body to produce more testosterone rather than introducing a                                             synthetic form.

Damiana                             This South America shrub has a testosterone-like effect and has long been                                                associated with increasing male potency.

Gingko Biloba                     Used in the East for thousands of years. Research has shown it improves                                                depression, circulation and blood flow to the brain.

Horny Goat Weed                A popular herb for improving sexual function.

Yohimbe                               A hormone stimulant that increases libido and blood flow to erectile tissue                                                Not available only in some regions because of the side effects which can                                                   include anxiety, panic attacks, and hallucinations, elevated blood                                                                   pressure  heart rate and headaches.

Zinc                                        An essential mineral for prostate gland function and the reproductive    
health. Do not take more than 100mg a day.

Saw palmetto                       Excellent herb for prostate health, sexual functioning and desire.

Guarana                               South American shrub used as a stimulant.

Ginseng                               Used throughout the Far East as a general tonic to give extra energy and                                                    strength. Beneficial for people with diabetes.

Lose Weight to Help Improve Low Libido Easier said than done for sure, but the uncomfortable reality is big bellied men have flagging libido. Men with a 42 inch (106 cm) waist are more than twice as likely to have erectile problems andLow Libidothan those with smaller girths, according to a study of 2000 men aged 51 to 88. According to Larrian Gillespie MD author of The Gladiator Diet “for men, losing as little as ten pounds can have a dramatic effect on sex drive.” As the balance of body fat reduces, the more free circulating testosterone there is available to fuel sex drive.

The Gladiator Diet is based on a diet that should be 40% protein, 35% carbohydrates and 25% fats taken in six small meals a day.

§ Forget low carb fad diets. Only a diet that includes protein and carbs produces enough serotonin “the male hormone of bliss” according to Jed Diamond, author of The Irritable Male Syndrome – Managing the 4 Key Causes of Male Depression and Aggression.www.menalive.com

§ Alcohol gives serotonin a temporary bump but then dramatically lowers it, so it pays to go easy on booze.

§ To maximize testosterone, Diamond says, stay away from coffee, licorice and diet sweeteners.

Exercise to help Improve Low Libido Research shows inactive men are more likely to suffer Erectile Dysfunctionthan men who exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

Five Essential Habits for Stress Control

§ Develop your relaxation skills § Pay attention to physical health

§ Become a time management expert

§ Exercise regularly

§ Prioritize commitments and responsibilities

Check out these stress tests for a range of tests you can take to learn more about your own stress levels and ability to cope. Or try the free stress test at Stress Canada and find out whether you are a Speed Freak, a Loner or a Drifter – three of five stress types identified in research.

Stop Smoking to Help Improve Low Libido

Smoking can lower testosterone and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, aneurysms, and hypertension because of elevated cholesterol levels. You can also add impotency to that group, as elevated cholesterol clogs the sensitive small blood vessels responsible for trapping blood in the penis during an erection.

Don’t Put Up with Low Libido

You don’t have to be the one staying up watching TV, waiting for your partner to go to bed first, hoping she’ll (or he) will be asleep before you get to bed. You don’t have to put up with the guilt of feeling you can’t respond and that you can’t talk about it either. Many men take years to admit there is a problem and get around to doing something about it. Consult your health practitioner, research possible dietary supplements on the web, or talk to your pharmacist, and take action for a fuller and more enjoyable sex life.

One of the drugs that you may have heard of is “ecstasy,” which is the street name for MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). This drug causes hallucinations and also acts as a stimulant. Used by many children much in the way that people used LSD in the sixties, the effects of using MDMA are much the same as those caused by amphetamines and cocaine. These include sleeplessness, confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and drug cravings. It also causes muscle tension, profuse sweating, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Usually found in a white pill form, this drug is also known as “Adam” and “XTC.” If you suspect that your child is taking “ecstasy,” you should talk to him and explain the dangers involved in using this particular drug. If a user ceases to abuse MDMA, there are no withdrawal symptoms that are known to accompany some other substances.

While many parents know what cocaine is, many do not realize that crack is also a form of this drug. Powdered cocaine is mixed with water and baking soda and heat is applied, leaving a rock of purified cocaine. This crack rock is then smoked, giving a more intense “buzz” than regular cocaine can give. Due to the activity of smoking as compare to snorting this drug, the effects of crack last for a much shorter amount of time.

The symptoms of crack use are much the same as they are for regular cocaine. These side effects include hyperactivity, increased heart rate, and higher blood pressure. Due to cocaine’s effect on the appetite, excessive use can lead to serious malnutrition and a substantial weight loss. Long term or large quantity use can lead to a heart attack, stroke, seizures, respiratory failure, and even death. As the addiction to crack is mostly psychological, there are no physical withdrawal symptoms when the user quits.

Prescription drug abuse is also becoming a growing problem among America’s youth. One such drug is oxycontin, a pill that is used as a painkiller. Also known as “hillbilly heroin,” young people tend to smash the capsules, allowing them to snort or swallow a more potent dosage of the drug than the time-released capsule will allow. The resulting “high” is compared to the buzz that people receive when doing heroin, thus the nickname. Many drug centers are reporting large numbers of cases of oxycontin addiction in young people, many of which had no legal prescription for the drug.

The symptoms of this drug include euphoria and may be accompanied by stomach and bowel problems. It can also cause respiratory problems and organ failure when used over a long period of time. When a long time user is taking off the medication, they will experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those of other addictive drugs, such as heroin. If you think that your child is abusing oxycontin, you should confront him immediately. If he experiences withdrawal symptoms, you should seek medical help as he may become very ill and disoriented.

These are just a few of the many drugs that seem to be becoming a problem with today’s youth. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s possible drug usage, you should talk to a doctor or other health professional to make sure that you have all the information that you will need to help your child overcome his drug dependency.

Marijuana today is not what it was even a couple of decades ago, and parents may be underestimating the threat that marijuana poses to today’s teens.

The potency of marijuana has increased many-fold in the last couple of decades alone, and it is as much as 6 times as strong as the marijuana of the 60’s and 70’s. With increased potency unfortunately comes an increased risk for social and health problems and addiction, and with addiction, the inevitable need to detox off of the drug.

Addictions professionals now recognize marijuana as an addictive drug, and there is a documented syndrome of withdrawal symptoms that occur when marijuana addicts try to break free from their habit. The intensity of these marijuana withdrawal symptoms may not be as great as with drugs like heroin, and they may not be as dangerous as a detox off of alcohol; but they are real, they are unpleasant, and they do pose a threat to recovery.

What are the symptoms of marijuana withdrawal?

Marijuana withdrawal symptoms can include insomnia, irritability, aggression, nausea, a lack of appetite, headaches and very strong cravings for the drug. So strong are the cravings and so uncomfortable are the withdrawal symptoms, that many people cannot get past the initial few days of intense withdrawal, and use marijuana again if only to make the symptoms of withdrawal go away.

Marijuana abuse and addiction is the number one reason for a teen entry into drug treatment or drug rehab, and so strong is today’s pot, that many thousands of kids have developed addictions strong enough to require residential treatment, and untold more thousands have developed as yet untreated addictions.

Heavy marijuana use brings an increased risk of present and future psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety and psychosis, is linked to certain cancers, is linked to developmental delays, and is strongly and negatively linked to academic performance.

How to beat an addiction to marijuana

The reality is that an occasional joint is very unlikely to do much damage, and many people can use marijuana recreationally at this occasional level. But when recreational use becomes regular abuse, and possibly addiction, the detrimental impacts of marijuana on quality of life and potential become very evident( The problems of marijuana addiction).

Many thousands of kids (and adults) need drug treatment each year for assistance bettering an addiction to marijuana, if someone you love is having difficulty reducing their usage or quitting altogether, there are programs and therapies available, and these can be very helpful for anyone committed to quitting.

It is not unusual for anyone to need professional help when dealing with an addiction, and with marijuana addiction, as with any dependency, it is unlikely to go away on its own; and the sooner it’s dealt with, the better the ultimate prognosis.