Sexual Health

Any mature person knows that a fulfilling sexual relationship depends on many emotional as well as physical and hormonal factors.  A good sex life and a happy emotional partnership tend to enhance each other. That means it's worth preserving or developing the emotional elements of your relationship with your partner — especially during the midlife years, when both of you are experiencing changes in your bodies and probably in your lives.

Loss of sexual desire can occur  men and women at any age. But it's a common complaint, along with hot flashes and insomnia, heard from women who are going through perimenopause, the years prior to menopause. (See symptoms) These changes affect all aspects of man’s life. Male menopause is thus a psychological, interpersonal, social and spiritual dimension. Men have reported having as many premenstrual type symptoms as women do (reduced or increased energy, irritability, and other negative moods, black pain, sleeplessness, headaches, confusion, etc.) (See male symptoms)

Your overall sexual health is important to your well being.

Your sexual functioning is controlled in large part by your sex glands that release the sex hormones, androgen in males and estrogen and progesterone in females. And for the normal functioning of these glands Vitamin B is needed. Vitamins A, C and E are also instrumental in aiding the functioning of these glands.

Since your brain chemistry is also involved in your sexual performance, it’s important that the chemical messengers or ‘neurotransmitters’ as they are called be kept healthy. Once again, the B vitamins play a vital role in maintaining function of the brain's neurotransmitters. And since most neurotransmitters are composed mostly of amino acids, the building blocks of protein, eating foods that contain protein and using supplements is important. Vitamin C and magnesium help manufacture neurotransmitters, and the trace mineral selenium helps protect neurotransmitters from damage. (see vitamins&minerals)

The ability to enjoy an active, satisfying sex life does not normally diminish with age. Most men and women can continue to be sexually active well into their 70s and some will never lack desire or capacity even into their 80s and 90s. Yes! A few changes do occur and there may be some slowing in response, but use vitamins and minerals, and a regular exercise regimen can help a lot, too.    In fact, sex gets better, more wholesome and safe with age in some ways, for one thing, women no longer  need contraception.