Health Tips

If you're older than 40 and your once-lively libido has taken a turn for the lazy, don't blame it on getting older.

Age can have an influence on your lack of sex drive, but a myriad of other factors -- both physical and psychological -- also play a role in whether you're in the mood for a romp or you prefer to pull a sack over your head and sleep for days.
Illness and conditions such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease can affect your sex drive. Prescription medications can also extinguish the fires of passion. Alcohol may put you in the mood, While some things may be out of your control, the secret to a healthy libido lies in what you do about those you can control.

If You Think You're Old, You Are

For starters, if you think you're old, you're going to feel old. And if your idea of old is being feeble and wrinkly, you're not going to want to have sex. Chances are no one is going to want to have sex with you, either. "A good diet and exercise program will help increase self-image, make people feel sexier and increase their libido," says Dr. Eric Honing, a Glendale, Ariz.-based physician specializing in anti-aging medicine. One particular area of interest that has been getting the attention of physicians who specialize in age-related conditions is the relationship between hormones and libido -- specifically bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, also known as BHRT.

Hormones: They're Not Just For Teenagers

Bioidentical hormone therapy consists of custom-mixed formulas containing various hormones that are said to be identical to those your body produces naturally. As people age, the hormones that regulate the sex drive decrease. Proponents of BHRT say that the therapy helps to restore a person's libido by replacing hormones that have diminished with age. "In men, testosterone levels begin to decline after age 28," Honing says. "These levels decline quicker with poor lifestyle decisions -- bad diet, lack of exercise, alcohol and too much stress. By increasing and restoring testosterone to youthful levels, a man's libido will improve." "As anti-aging physicians, our goal is to replace hormones to the levels they were at when patients were around 25 years old. When you replace and balance hormones to these levels, the libido improves," says Dr. Jennifer Landa, an AMA board certified doctor of obstetrics and gynecology and member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging. "Testosterone increases libido in women as well," Honing says. "We use a lot of testosterone cream vaginally because of the abundant testosterone receptors found in that area of the body. Not only does this help elevate testosterone levels, it also helps build and maintain muscles that will help strengthen the whole orgasmic experience." Linda Davis, 53, says that before therapy she was anxious, irritable and had "a very short fuse. My concentration decreased and I was very stressed at work. I was having difficulty achieving orgasm as well," she says. "In women, you have to balance and restore more hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone. Along with cortisol, once these hormones are restored, a woman's libido will return," Honing says. "I found that when I balanced a patient's ovarian hormones and treated their adrenal problems, many of their libido problems resolved and with fewer side effects than with any other therapy I tried," Landa says. "Women and men who were afraid and upset that they had lost all sex drive have been thrilled that their libido has been restored and their relationships rescued," says Honing.

Benefits Beyond Sex

Doctors say that restoring testosterone levels will also increase energy levels. "I was suffering from increased mental fog and lethargy. I no longer had the energy to exercise. I was tired with a capital T," says 52-year-old Ron Sinclair. "After therapy with Dr. Honing, my energy has greatly improved and the mental fog has cleared. I now have the energy to exercise for an hour at a time most days," he says. Laurie Jordan also went to see Dr. Landa while seeking relief from the symptoms of perimenopause -- low libido, tiredness, irritability and mild hot flashes. After just a few months of BHRT treatment, she noticed considerable changes, including increased libido. "Even my hot flashes disappeared," she says. "I just turned 50 and I feel better now than I did in my 40s. This has been life-altering for me." "Libido problems can be caused by adrenal hormone problems, thyroid problems and problems with levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The hormones all work together and the level of one hormone can affect any and all of the others. It is a very complicated balance that we are working to achieve," Landa says.

Know The Risks

BHRT therapy does carry some risk, however. Critics say some products are well-tested brands, but that is not the case for recipes made by a compounding pharmacist. Dr. Alicia Stanton, the chief medical officer for BodyLogicMD, a network of physicians specializing in natural bioidentical hormone therapy, offers some words of caution as well. "Bioidentical hormones are not a miracle cure. They simply help replace the hormones the body is not making in adequate amounts at any given time. The combination of balanced hormones, balanced nutrition, exercise and stress management are critical in maintaining optimal health," she says. Advocates, however, insist that if properly balanced and given under the care of a trained doctor, the therapy can be an ally in the war against aging and the problems now considered the inevitable results of getting older, including low libido. The say the regime is better than traditional methods. "Women and men who were afraid and upset that they had lost their sex drive, are thrilled that their libido has been restored and their relationship has been rescued," says Honing.