You’re not in the mood for sex tonight. You blame stress, weariness, and a lack of sleep, but the truth behind your libido loss may be concealed behind what’s on your dinner plate. Both testosterone and estrogen play essential roles in men’s and women’s bodies, so an imbalance can increase or decrease sex drive. According to research, what you eat might significantly influence your hormone levels. We’ve all heard of aphrodisiacs, but the list of foods below has quite the opposite effect. So, before you eat, take a peek.
1. Processed Foods
Most nutrients in whole meals are removed during processing, including those vital to your urge for hanky panky. For example, when whole wheat is milled into white flour, it loses almost three-quarters of its zinc content, which is crucial for men’s libido and reproduction. Consuming refined grains can result in insulin resistance, the final stage before diabetes. Diabetes, in turn, can hasten artery constriction, raising your risk of heart disease and ED.
2. Diet Soda
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin have been linked to everything from brain tumors and depression to epilepsy. In one study, women who drank two or more diet sodas a day were found to have three times the rate of low sexual desire compared to those who didn’t drink these diet beverages.
3. Alcohol
Drinking isn’t just a libido killer for the immediate future; it’s a permanent (and destructive) fixture in the bedroom. Here are some ways liquor can make you less than sexy: Alcohol depresses the central nervous system and slows down the brain, heart, and overall circulation. A slow heartbeat means less blood flow—including blood flow to the genitals. Also, alcohol interferes with the synthesis of testosterone, which plays a significant role in sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and erectile function.
4. Soy
Most of us are familiar with the idea that soy is a healthy food. That’s why you can find it in all sorts of things, including energy bars and veggie burgers. But soy is so much less than the sum of its parts. If you’re looking to rev your engine, you’ll want to avoid it. In test-tube studies, soy isoflavones (the active ingredients in soy) have been shown to reduce the body’s production of testosterone, sperm count, and sperm motility and increase the rate of testosterone and estrogen breakdown. There are also plenty of anecdotal reports that soy can seriously screw with men’s libido, not in a good way.
5. Drugs
Marijuana, in particular, can decrease your testosterone levels and contribute to erectile dysfunction in men. According to one study, men who use marijuana have lower sperm counts and fewer active sperm. They also have lower testosterone levels. So if you’re looking and thinking of knocking boots, you might want to think twice.
Final Thoughts
If you want to turn up your sex drive, you need to turn off these food saboteurs and choose the foods that can turn your engine to the redline. Start by choosing whole over-processed. Minimize your intake of highly processed foods. These tend to be made from refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. Try to consume most of your calories from vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and whole grains.
If you’re looking for a facility in Tampa, FL, that offers hormone tests for men, Infinity Medical Institute is what you’re searching for! We provide hormone tests and natural hormone replacement treatment plans for men and women who use only bio-natural hormones, identical to the body’s natural chemistry. Schedule your free consultation with us today!
