Many factors can contribute to a declining sex drive, including stress, medical conditions, hormonal changes and lifestyle choices, to name a few.
You might think, what’s the big deal, especially if you’re on the mature side. But a healthy sex life benefits brain health and may reduce problem blood pressure and heart disease risk.
Fortunately, there are simple strategies to reignite your passion and enhance your bedroom experience. One surprisingly effective method may be intermittent fasting, which recent research suggests could help improve sexual desire.
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A Surprising Discovery
Initially, researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases were not aiming to explore the effects of fasting on libido. Their focus was on understanding how fasting affected the offspring of male mice.
However, during their studies, they uncovered an unexpected finding: older male mice subjected to extended fasting periods exhibited a notable increase in sexual activity, resulting in a larger number of offspring compared to their younger counterparts.
When they tested younger males on a regimen of 24-hour intermittent fasting, these mice also demonstrated heightened sexual activity.
The Tryptophan-Serotonin Connection
What drove this increase in sex drive? The scientists made a crucial discovery linking lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin to fasting. Serotonin is typically associated with inhibiting sexual activity.
By reducing their food intake, particularly tryptophan — the amino acid precursor to serotonin — the male mice maintained lower serotonin levels, resulting in diminished regulatory restraint on sexual urges. Dr. Dan Ehninger, the lead researcher, explained that these mice were, in essence, sexually uninhibited.
The Fast Way to Boost Your Libido
The implications of these findings could extend to humans. If you’re looking to revive your sex life, intermittent fasting might be worth trying. If a complete 24-hour fast once or twice a week feels overwhelming, even shorter fasting windows could provide benefits. Research shows other fasting methods can enhance overall health and well-being, including:
- Reducing inflammation
- Promoting weight loss
- Lowering cancer risk
- Regulating blood sugar
For instance, consider adopting a daily eating window of eight hours followed by a 16-hour fast, or try a calorie-restricted plan of 500-600 calories for two non-consecutive days each week.
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Additional Libido Boosters
Fasting isn’t for everyone. Thankfully, there are other effective strategies to enhance a waning sex drive:
Regular Exercise: Engaging in physical activity not only boosts testosterone and energy levels but also helps shed excess weight, which can positively impact libido.
Nutrition: Certain foods and nutrients can also enhance sex drive and function. For example…
- Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli aid in combating estrogen dominance, which can further tip the scales that lower testosterone.
- When you consume L-citrulline from watermelon, your body converts it to the amino acid arginine, which helps boost testosterone. Arginine is helpful for men with ED because it improves the effect nitric oxide has in helping with erections.
- Beets and beet juice also help the body produce nitric oxide.
- The Mediterranean diet, featuring olive oil, could potentially lower the odds of ED by 40%.
- Other important nutrients to boost your sex life include omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
By combining intermittent fasting with regular exercise and a diet rich in libido-boosting foods, you can take proactive steps toward revitalizing your sex drive. Consider incorporating these practices into your daily life and observe how they affect your overall health and intimacy.
If you suspect medication or a health condition is affecting your sex life, be sure to check with your doctor.
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Sources:
Intermittent fasting increases sex drive in male mice: an approach for low libido in humans? – EurekAlert!
7+ longevity, weight loss and disease-fighting benefits of alternate-day fasting – Easy Health Options
The diet shown to help shrink cancer and decrease damage from chemo – Easy Health Options
The fast answer to beating type 2 diabetes – Easy Health Options
The fast way to douse disease-fueling inflammation – Easy Health Options
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