Men's Health Clinic NZ: Blog

Mental health - affects nearly everyone !

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:41:00 +1300

Mental Health

What a minefield - a subject that covers depression, anxiety, bi-polar, addictions and drug withdrawal and even insomnia.

Depression - a persistent low mood is a common disorder affecting most people in the world for varying periods of time.

Some people are naturally melancholic and negative while others are tied into depression by severe stress or grief.

The end result biochemically in the brain is low serotonin and or adrenalin – neotransmitters that make us feel happy and balanced.

This has been targeted by the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture a range of drugs such as SSRIs, SNARI, TCAs and other atypical drugs.

These have varying degrees of success based on the level of neurotransmitter chemicals present in the individual at the start of treatment. This is quite unique as there is no accurate pathology test to determine this.

So it becomes a guess on behalf of the administering practitioner. The results vary and side affects are common.

There is also the large issue of a withdrawal syndrome when the patient decides to stop the drug. This can be more unpleasant than the depression being treated. Some withdrawal symptoms are anxiety, electric shakes, sweating, insomnia, restlessness and rapid heart beat.

Clearly a more holistic approach to depression is required. A non drug approach is possible with the clever use of natural medicines.

1. Vitamin D – natural antidepressant that is free from the sun, enjoy it but be careful not to burn. Get your doctor to test your levels, aim to be above 100nmol/l. You may need a course of 12 x 50,000IU tablets.

2. 5HTP – converts into serotonin within 4 hours. The dose can vary from 50mg – 400mgdepending on the severity and duration of depression. Do not take with antidepressant drugs (SSRIs esp). 5HTP is very versatile and can be taken daily or when required – especially after a bad day or big weekend. It is the classic antidote to the ecstasy down 2 days after intake. In cases of mercury toxicity depression doses of 400-600mg daily are not uncommon.

3. Tryptophan is an amino acid found in our diet, especially turkey and egg whites, and is converted by a long process to 5HTP (10:1) factor. That is why a turkey meal is very calming and may make you sleepy.

4. B vitamins – Take a good B vitamin complex to help in the manufacture of all the neurotransmitters, especially if you are very stressed or burnt out. It is even better if they are “activated” B vitamins ready to use to avoid overloading the liver.

5. Ashwaganda – (or Withania) an Ayurvedic herb that is wonderful in balancing moods and helps you adapt to changing situations.

6. Melatonin 3mg – take 1 – 4 tablets 30 minutes before sleep. Very important if sleep disturbance is part of the problem. Can be used safely with 5HTP.

7. SAMe – This can be useful when all else has failed. Will help you if you are a person who has issues with methylation. Connected to levels of Vit B and B12.

8. Magnesium – in high doses is useful for associated anxiety, sleep disturbance, restlessness, agitation, head aches and muscle cramps.

9. Vitamin C in doses +2000mg per day have been shown to improve cognitive function and mood in dementia patients. Is really worth taking in any case to improve immune function and oxidative stress affecting the brain.

The above provides a treatment option without any serious side effects and no chance of drug dependency.

In a disordered mind, as in a disordered body, soundness of health is impossible. ~Cicero

By Dr Glenn Twentyman

Source: Mental health - affects nearly everyone !

High Cholesterol, there is no proof...

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:19:00 +1200

Cholesterol Levels???

Have you heard this before?

High cholesterol levels are dangerous and can cause severe damage to your heart.

Did you know that there is absolutely no scientifically proven correlation between total cholesterol levels and the possibility you’ll develop heart disease.

The drugs to treat this aren’t cures; they’re just treatments to cover up the symptoms and of course are designed for people to stay on for the rest of their lives.

The truth is that as long as your HDL is high enough you have very little risk of heart disease and potentially need no help from prescription medications.

It’s considered the most reliable source of data on heart disease- The Framingham Heart Study. It has no interference from drug companies, commercials or media hype.

Over the past 60 years it has proven that high levels of HDLs are directly related to a lower risk of heart disease. It showed that increasing HDL can reduce coronary disease regardless of LDL cholesterol.1. It is quite simple to understand. Its plaque build-up that really causes heart disease and attacks – HDL removes plaque from your arteries – definitely not cholesterol.

Here are 5 drug free ways to raise your HDL levels.

1. Increase Omega 3. Fish, beef, poultry, nuts, olives, eggs are all good fats. Of course cod liver/omega supplements are a great source.

2. Increase protein – lower carbohydrates. We’ve seen this with a number of our patients, replacing a number of carbohydrates with healthy proteins will lower triglycerides and raise your HDL.

3. Exercise. I know you’ve heard it all before. High intensity and short durations work best – circuit type training. This is very important in avoiding heart attacks and it also raises your HDL.

4. Niacin. Has been found to raise HDL levels by as much as 24%. Best food sources are liver, beef, chicken, tomatoes, avocadoes and nuts. If supplementing around 500mg per day.

5. Have a glass of wine! You may well laugh. One glass of wine a day decreases cholesterol levels and increases antioxidants.

You must get control of you own health; make decisions based on fact and not from commercials or media reports.

Here’s to great health.

Dr Dan Quistorff

1. Castiglioni, A. and Neuman, W.R., “HDL Cholesterol: What is its true clinical significance?” Emergency Medicine Jan. 2003; 30-42

Source: High Cholesterol, there is no proof...

Magnesium... for almost everything !

Tue, 17 May 2011 10:13:00 +1200

MAGNESIUM – THE GREAT STRESS RELIEVER AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

Did you know magnesium is an important mineral that can be used to treat:

• Stress, depression and anxiety

• Angina, high blood pressure and heart disease

• Asthma

• Insomnia

• Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia

• Migraine

• Muscular complaints

• Osteoporosis

• Menstrual pain, premenstrual syndrome, easier births & deliveries

If you suffer from any of these conditions, a magnesium supplement could be right for you.

So many people these days are deficient in magnesium, even though this mineral is found in lots of foods such as wholegrains, green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Busy lifestyles with a lack of fresh and raw foods in the diet and the processing of modern food means we tend not to get as much magnesium as we need for good health.

How a magnesium supplement could help you on the way to better health

Stress, Depression and Anxiety

Major depression is associated with low intracellular magnesium and chronic stress depletes your body of magnesium. Taking a magnesium supplement raises blood magnesium levels buffering your response to stress, decreasing anxiety and has the potential to lessen depression.

Heart disease

Magnesium deficiency has been shown to cause coronary artery spasm, which is thought to be one of the causes of heart attack. Men who die suddenly of heart attack have significantly lower levels of magnesium than their counterparts.

Asthma

Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and bronchodilator, so has the potential to decrease wheeze and improve asthma control.

Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

High dose magnesium and malic acid (also a naturally occurring substance in food) are effective in the management of the symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

Migraine

Studies have shown that about half of migraine sufferers are deficient in blood levels of magnesium. Taking magnesium regularly can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

Muscular Complaints

Magnesium deficiency is associated with muscle tics around the eyes, twitching in the arms and legs, and foot cramp at night. Magnesium relaxes muscle tissue and is ideal for improving exercise tolerance for athletes, bodybuilders and after a gym workout.

Osteoporosis

Magnesium supplementation helps to recalcify bones and makes the bones less brittle. Magnesium is taken is conjunction with a calcium supplement to achieve this.

Menstrual pain, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Easier Births & Deliveries

Magnesium relieves constriction of uterine muscle meaning less painful periods, and aids in relaxation in the premenstrual phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Magnesium has also been associated with fewer complications in births and easier deliveries.

Call to make an appointment with our doctor to discuss whether a magnesium supplement could be right for you.

The Magnesium Chlorophyll Hit Juice

Make yourself a juice full of magnesium

1 medium apple or pear

3 spinach leaves

1 carrot

1 sprig of fresh parsley

1 beetroot including its leaves

Small punnet of wheat grass

Mint to flavour

Pass all though a juicer, enjoy and relax!!!

Source: Magnesium... for almost everything !

Testosterone therapy

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:28:00 +1200

So your GP is against you using Testosterone Therapy...? Written by Lloyd Shaw

In fact they seem dead against it, almost like it goes against everything they believe in. These are very educated people right, so they would know best. But lets look at this from a logical and medical point of view. Nothing too heavy reading, but enough I promise to make you start asking questions. And that is always a good thing.

The medical.... Hypogonadism (Hypo-gonad-ism) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypogonadism.

'Yes', that is its real name and it is actually quite a serious medical condition often referred to as" The Male Menopause" . Now this is not some made up affliction or old wives tale, but an actual syndrome studied in hundreds of research articles around the world. Your Doctor can order, and should order a blood test to see if you actually have this condition.
The condition can be the simple result of old age, where your body naturally stops producing the relevant hormones. Or sometimes its the result of a medical condition.
Symptoms can include...

Muscle atrophy (weakening of the muscles)

Increased abdominal fat (dangerous visceral body fat )

Glucose intolerance (Type 2 Diabetes )

Libido and performance issues

Poor sleep

Psychological problems like depression and irritability. Which are often seen as "just being grumpy" But despite its light term can destroy relationships with those around you.

Loss of bone (osteoporosis).

The logical....

Now we have established that low testosterone is a real medical condition, it should also be logical that a certain % of the population will suffer from it. So here are the questions you need to ask your Doctor, and here are some of the predictable answers you may be given that should be cause for concern.

Q........ How long have you been a GP.
A......... 40 years.

Q........ How many patients have you had on average a day.
A......... Probably 20.

Q......... That's a lot of people. Thousands upon thousands. With half being male right ?
A ..........Yes

Q............How many have you treated for Hypogonadism
A ...........None

Q.......... None. Not one person in 40 years has had that condition. Do you know the statistical probability of that ?
A............Um........ Our time is up.

And I bet that would be the end of the conversation. But I put it to you, which is more likely. The Doctor has failed to diagnose the condition in 40 years, or they ignored the condition in some of their patients because they do not "believe" in the treatment. They want you to grow old gracefully and live out the last years of your life being plagued by the symptoms mentioned above.

Hold on a second. Doctors are not meant to "believe" in anything, or force their own moral judgments on how we should live and die. That is not how science works, it is meant to be unbiased. But unfortunately Doctors are only human, and they do make such judgment calls on quite a regular basis ( as this little thought experiment has shown ). It is your choice if you want a second opinion or not.

Why is this subject so important.......

The simple fact is as we get older, things just do not work as well. Which might be Ok if we got to die in our early 30s like we used to 200 years ago. But we have managed in the Western world to double our average lifespan with no way of our bodies to catch up to such a drastic change. We are already so far away from "living and dyeing naturally " that argument is completely redundant.

On top of that, if you are career driven, you have to stay in peak condition or risk not being able to do the tasks and goals we set for ourselves. I would dare say that most of us are not going to get to retire at all, the economy simply can not afford to keep us around doing nothing all day.

It is all well and good to eat properly and exercise regularly, but to ignore the fact our bodies hormonal profile drops with age, and just accept it, goes against all logic. It also goes against most motivated peoples outlook on life.

So if you are one of those people, ask for that second opinion.

Source: Testosterone therapy

Prostate cancer and Selenium...

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +1300

Low Selenium May Be Related to Prostate Cancer Risk

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of prostate cancer compared to many other Western countries. We also have soil that is very low in selenium. Low levels of the mineral selenium may mean a man has an increased risk of cancer.

Selenium is a trace mineral found in foods such as Brazil nuts and walnuts. It acts as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize byproducts of normal metabolism called free radicals, which can damage cells and contribute to cancer.

In a study*, researchers evaluated selenium levels in blood samples from 52 men with prostate cancer. These men had provided blood samples before they were diagnosed with prostate cancer and again after their diagnosis. This group was compared with 96 otherwise healthy men who had periodically had their blood selenium levels measured.

The researchers found that prostate cancer risk was significantly higher in the group of men with the lowest selenium blood levels, compared with the groups with higher levels.

Low selenium is associated with a four to five fold increase of prostate cancer and is a risk factor even after researchers took into account other factors such as age, smoking and alcohol use.

Most livestock in NZ is supplemented with selenium, how come no humans?

The best source of selenium from food is Brazil nuts – three a day will give you the required amount.

A number of our patients have taken part in a study at the Auckland University to see if there is a distinct link – will post results once available.

Stay Healthy

Glenn Twentyman

_{*The Journal of Urology December 2001;166:2034-2038}

Source: Prostate cancer and Selenium...

Improving your sleep is easy...

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:36:00 +1300

Optimal Health requires 8 hours of SLEEP!

One of the corner stones of health and probably the most important is a GOOD 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Our bodies constantly repair itself and most of it is done while we’re asleep.

• The heart muscle is replaced every 3 months

• The stomach lining is renewed every 5 days

• You have new skin every 30days

• The liver is renewed every 6 weeks

• 98% of the cells in our bodies are replaced each year

If you do have trouble sleeping you really should know about melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone which is secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-size structure at the center of the brain, as our eyes register the fall of darkness. At night melatonin is produced to help our bodies regulate our sleep-wake cycles. The amount of melatonin produced by our body seems to lessen as we get older. Scientists believe this may be why young people have less problem sleeping than older people.

Melatonin is one of the least toxic substances known. People have taken as much as 6 grams (600 to 3000 times the normal dosage) of the substance in carefully monitored studies with no sign of toxicity.

This all natural “nightcap” has very few side effects. A small number of patients feel a bit groggy in the morning and a very small number experience vivid dreams. You should normally wake up well refreshed and full of energy. If you wake up feeling a little tired you should reduce your dosage until you wake up feeling well refreshed. You will not have the hangover effect you may experience with over the counter or prescription sleeping pills.

There may be other benefits. In tests on both rats and mice melatonin caused a significant 20% increase in their lifespan. If melatonin does allow you to live longer and healthier it could do so because melatonin may reduce free radical damage; stimulate an aging immune system; protect the cardiovascular system; preserve a youthful circadian rhythm; stimulate the production of growth hormone.

Current research is underway to determine melatonin's effect as an anti-oxidant, immno-modulator in cancer, delayed sleep-phase disorders, and jet lag.

A 1995 rodent study suggests that taking small amounts of melatonin on a regular basis may prevent the age-related decline in testosterone levels, allowing men to be more active sexually in their later years.

Tests are still under way so there is much to still be learned about melatonin and its effects on the human body.

Melatonin should only be taken at nighttime, usually about thirty minutes prior to going to bed. If you are traveling on a long trip you may want to take a dosage prior to getting on your flight and a higher dosage pill prior to going to bed. If you commonly sleep during the night, melatonin should not normally be taken during the day - and vice versa - because melatonin plays a role in setting the body's daily clock. As with any substance introduced into your body, if you have a medical condition you should always consult your physician first before taking melatonin.

In Melatonin, the pharmaceutical grade ingredients are molecularly identical to the melatonin that we produce in our own bodies, without unwanted extras.

We often prescribe (was over the counter supplement not so long ago) melatonin to great effect – there is nothing like getting a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Stay healthy

Glenn Twentyman

Source: Improving your sleep is easy...

L-Arginine: for good erections and much more...

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:11:00 +1300

¬L-Arginine, the Pro-sexual Nutrient

Based on dozens of studies, Arginine, an essential amino acid and one of the building blocks of proteins in the body, has become known as a safe and effective pro-sexual nutrient for men and women.

L-Arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide (NO) in the human body. In the 1990s, scientists discovered that not only is NO an essential compound that helps blood circulation, but it is important to normal sexual function in both men and women. Without arginine there would be no NO, and without NO men would not be able to have erections.

How L-Arginine works

Insufficient blood flow is a major cause of incomplete erections in men. L-Arginine has been shown to improve blood flow to the genital area by dilating blood vessels and helping the penis to enlarge to its full capacity, thus increasing the size, hardness and frequency of erections.

L-Arginine has a similar effect in women

Higher blood flow makes clitoral and vaginal tissues more sensitive and responsive to sexual stimulation, and helps increase the possibility of reaching orgasm. Although there haven't been nearly as many studies done on arginine supplementation in women as in men, one study found that postmenopausal women who took a supplement including L-arginine experienced heightened sexual response.

Another study involving 77 women of all ages found that after four weeks, 73.5% of the women who took a supplement including L-arginine experienced greater sexual satisfaction, including heightened desire and clitoral sensation, frequency of intercourse and orgasm, and less vaginal dryness.

Both men and women report that L-arginine seems to increase their libido or desire for sex, and some also report that L-arginine gives them greater endurance. Reports also suggest that L-arginine supplements can improve fertility in men who have low sperm counts or poor sperm motility (activity).

Scientific studies

The powerful effect of L-arginine was illustrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Urology International in which researchers evaluated the nitric oxide levels of 50 men with erectile dysfunction. The men were given either L-arginine or a placebo for six weeks. Nine of the 29 men (31%) given L-arginine reported a significant improvement in their sexual performance. These nine men had low nitric oxide levels at the start of the trial, but their levels doubled by the end of the study.5

It is important to note, however, that erectile dysfunction can be caused by a variety of factors, including aging, diabetes and other endocrine disorders. L-arginine may be effective only in those men whose erectile dysfunction is due to low levels of nitric oxide. In fact, in one study in which the participants suffered from impotence for a variety of reasons, L-arginine was found to be effective in only 17% of the patients.6 However, optimal nitric oxide production will ensure optimum erectile function, and for many people with sexual dysfunction not related to an underlying disease arginine supplements will ensure adequate nitric oxide levels.

The positive benefits of arginine go beyond sexual enhancement

This remarkable amino acid helps build muscle mass, enhance immune function, improve blood pressure, increase memory, and speed wound healing.8-10 Arginine-derived nitric oxide has also been found to play a supporting role in the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems and has been validated by hundreds of studies.

L-Arginine is essential to several systems in the body.

Among its many roles, L-arginine:

Is a precursor of nitric oxide (NO)

Promotes circulation resulting in improved blood flow

Stimulates the release of growth hormone

Improves immune function

Reduces healing time of injuries

Plays a role in the formation of bone and tendons

Increases muscle mass, while reducing body fat

Supports male fertility, improving sperm production and motility

Reduces risk of blood clots and stroke

Supports normal blood pressure

Improves vascular function for patients with angina

Helps recovery after heart attack

Helps prevent and treat cardiovascular disease

Helps reduce growth of cancerous tumors

Timing and contra-indications

L-arginine users say they can achieve a prosexual effect by taking it 45 minutes before sex. There are few reported side effects. The most notable are:

People with herpes - L-arginine may increase the severity of attacks, but some reports indicate that it may also enhance your immune function enough so you are less likely to get herpes attacks.

L-arginine is an excellent supplement for anyone wanting to increase his or her sexual arousal, improve performance and overall health.

Source: L-Arginine: for good erections and much more...

Vitamin D - the hidden benefits

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +1300

Vitamin D - The hidden importance

This is one of the most important vitamins in the body having a role in bone density, immune function, mood enhancement, and energy. Vitamin D3 , also known as cholecalciferol, is produced in the skin by exposure to sunlight especially UVB.

Only recently has the medical profession realised the importance of maintaining healthy levels of this fat soluble prohormone. It was mainly supplemented in the elderly and the very young for the promotion of bone formation and mineralization. The classic diseases of vitamin d deficiency are rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis.

What we have found in our clinical practice is that low levels are endemic in New Zealand with approx 80 %
of the people we test having inadequate levels. They are especially low in people with certain conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, anxiety, cancer, auto immune disease , heart disease and recurrent infections.

We have a culture in New Zealand of being very careful to exposure of sunlight because of our high rate of skin cancers including malignant melanoma, basal cell and sqaumous cell carcinoma. This high rate of skin cancer is thought due to our thin ozone layer over the South Pacific from Spring through to Autumn. This ozone hole in my opinion is more likely to be naturally occurring in view of the low population and hence low emission of fluorocarbons from our part of the planet. One theory is that active volcanoes spew out toxic gases that deplete the ozone layer such as Mt Erebus in Antarctica. The sun in New Zealand is incredibly harsh and you can burn quickly and badly if you are not careful!

As a result many New Zealanders and Australians cover themselves in sun block, wear hats, sun glasses and stay out of the sun as much as possible. This may help keep the skin cancer rate down but does lead to Vitamin D deficiency which can have the affect of increasing the risk of developing other cancers!

There is a degree of controversy with regards to the normal range of Vit D. In NZ we have a range of 50-150 nmol/l but people we test who have lived in the tropics frquently have levels over 200nmol/l. It is thought that toxicity occurs in levels over 350 nmol/l and hypocalcaemia (high calcium levels) can occur but usually when the levels are much higher (>1500nmol/l).

We try and maintain our patients between 100- 150 which is easily done with oral supplementation. The daily recommended supplementation for infants in USA is 200IU daily and Canada it is 400IU. The maximum production possible from a days sun exposure is 10,000 IU (250 ug). The body shuts down production of more vit d once this level is achieved. The maximum dose of vit D available over the conter in NZ is 1000IU which is very safe and unlikely to cause toxicity. This is a good adult daily supplementation.

Generally Vit D deficiency is only a problem in latitudes below 30 degrees. The further away you live from the equator the more careful you have to be. Once the sun drops down to below 45% from the horizon it is incapable of producing vit D in your skin which is the situation for most of late autumn and winter. It would be advisable to supplement at the end of summer in preparation for the upcoming winter.

People living in high latitudes such as Scotland, Canada, Alaska, Norway and Sweden are well aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. This is a state of depression due to low sunshine hours in winter. This is linked to low levels of melatonin , serotonin and Vitamin D. Supplementation of 5 HTP (precursor to serotonin ), melatonin (natural hormone made by the pineal gland ) and adequate Vitamin D could go a long way to preventing this . Antidepressant drugs should never be used for this physiological condition.
The more melanin pigment in your skin the longer the sun exposure has to be to achieve adequate levels of Vitamin D.This can mean up to 5 x the requred exposure for a black skinned person. The lowest levels (between 10 -20 nmol/l)are Indian and Middle Eastern patients who have quite dark skin and rarely expose their body to the sun for cultural reasons.

There are few foods that naturally contain high levels of Vitamin D and most is in the form of fortified products such as rice milk, soy milk, bread and cereals. The best natural sources are Fish liver oils (esp cod), 15mls provides 1360 IU
and oily fish species such as salmon , sardines, mackerel, tuna and eel. Mushrooms are a good vegetarian alternative but need to be exposed to 5 mins of sunlight after being harvested.

We have tested many blood levels , before and after treatment with high dose vitamin D and have found on average that 12 tabs of cholecalciferol (Vit D3)1.25mg or 50,000 IU each will raise the serum levels from 50-70 nmol/l.
We tend to dose with 1 tab daily for 6 days then have a break for 1 month and repeat the final six. The12 tabs is a standard pharmaceutical dose of 1 tab monthly for a year which is often given as a maintanence dose for those susceptible to Vit D deficiency. the main side affect of taking too much vit d is headaches which usually dissapate upon cessation of treatment.

A person with sarcoidosis has to be carefull with vit d supplementation because of the risk of hypercalcaemia.

Nearly every patient we see with depression , psoriasis, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome , multiple sclerosis and cancer have very low Vitamin D levels. We supplement these patients and there is always an improvement in their well being and energy . In a randomised intervention study reported in June 2007 involving 1200 woman taking 1100IU vit d daily there was a 60% reduction in cancer incidence over 4 years. This is huge and should be known by every one.
Likewise Ethiopian children with ricketts were 13 x more likely to get pneumonia than those without ricketts and presumed normal levels of Vit D.

There is plenty of evidence to back up my belief that Vit D is one of the most important nutrients for normal function of the human body. A lot of our Western diseases are associated with this deficiency and you are being very smart to go and get your level checked asap or start supplementation if you suspect you are deficient.

Source: Vitamin D - the hidden benefits

Sex Tips for Aging Couples (Senior Champions)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:54:00 +1300

From experience, we know for most senior citizens – I dislike that term lets call them “senior champions”, sex has become a challenge. As many of you “champions” have already experienced, sex in your sixties, seventies or eighties is nothing like the sex you experienced, when you were in your twenties. For most of you, body functions response times are more like a Morrie 1000 than the ever fast Corvette. This can potentially make some “champions”, feel like a lesser person, a spent force. It could at times lead to depression, not to mention medications that could inadvertently have a negative impact on your sex drive, and you don't even realize it. This is especially true in older men. When prescribed any new medications, be sure to talk to your doctor about the side effects. Take for example a beta blocker - a sure fire way to dampen those lustful spirits. It's okay to ask your healthcare physician if a decreased sex drive is one such complication that goes along with taking a certain medication. If it is, well then talk with your doctor about trying another alternative that won't affect your sex drive. Bottom-line there are plenty of options out there. Do not be afraid to ask.

Unfortunately many medications taken to treat depression, and other illnesses associated with aging, are known to cause a decrease in sex drive. A better option initially for depression may be 5HTP or L-Tryptophan. It is important to maintain a good outlook on life, while paying close attention to what your body is telling you. Another important factor for “senior champions” is to communicate freely with their sex partner. Many champions grew up in an era, where it was taboo to openly discuss sex. Lights off - hush hush. Especially if the sex talk was focused around the needs, desires, or wants of the individual. CHAMPIONS, if you hadn't noticed this is the twenty first century, and good communication between two aging partners, is a vital part of the process to maintaining a healthy sex life.

Sexual malfunctions differ greatly between champion males and females. Women for an example might suffer from vaginal dryness causing the tissue of the vaginal wall, to feel like sandpaper whenever something is placed inside of it. Who wants to have sex if it’s quite painful and irritating? Understanding that this is often associated with the aging process, means women no longer have to suffer from vaginal dryness. Personal lubricants are a very simple answer to this unpleasant issue.

For men, their problems are usually centered on the function or lack there of; of their "old fella". It is a scientific fact that it takes champion men, up to three times longer to develop an erection, compared to a man half his age. How bloody disheartening - but wait there’s more. Champion men produce less semen than younger males. It is more difficult for a champion man to reach the point of climatic pleasure, let alone experiencing one. Understanding some of the most simplistic details about the aging process just might be the missing clue you've been looking for. Just because you are getting older, doesn't mean you should stop living your life.

You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again, maintaining a happy sex life, is one way to staying healthy and fit. Even if you’re eighty, realizing some of the most basic essentials and limitations is all you have to do to be free and safe with your sexual partner. If you are limited by arthritis or pain, make sure to give yourselves plenty of extra time and use some of your creative genius to make things go smoother, and preferably pain free. Using extra padded pillows to help support your hips, elbows or knees, is one such was of being creative when it comes to dealing with your private limitations. You know that your body is more fragile now –you shouldn’t thrash a Morrie 1000. Creative measures to aid you in this endeavor, might even call for you and your partner to develop an ever expanding definition of sex itself – lighter spanks than before.

Whatever the case maybe, while you’re breathing you can continue smiling at the bedroom antics you should still perform.

By Dr Glenn Twentyman

Source: Sex Tips for Aging Couples (Senior Champions)