London - Scientists have discovered what Hugh Hefner already knows: old age does not lower a man’s sex drive.
If you’re into middle age and your libido is not what it was it’s more likely to be the result of declining health, say researchers.
That won’t be news to 85-year-old Playboy founder Hefner who is preparing to marry 24-year-old model Crystal Harris. He says: “If you’re in good health, age is just a number.”
Previous theories suggested that as men age, their testosterone levels fall - leading to a loss of libido that goes on to affect health.
But according to a study by Australia’s University of Sydney, the reverse is true. It found testosterone levels do not fall unless there is a decline in general health.
The findings in the “Healthy Man Study” will be presented to a conference of experts in the US next week.
Researchers tested hormone levels in blood samples of 325 men aged 40-plus over a period of three months.
Those in good health showed no signs of falling testosterone. Levels were more likely to fall as a result of obesity or heart disease rather than ageing, said lead researcher David Handelsman.
He said: “Some researchers believe age-related testosterone deficiency contributes to the deteriorating health of older men and causes nonspecific symptoms, such as tiredness and loss of libido.
“We had originally expected age to have an effect on blood testosterone, so the findings were a bit of a surprise.”
He added: “A modest decline in blood testosterone among older men, coupled with nonspecific symptoms, such as easy fatigue and low sexual desire, may be due to symptomatic disorders that accumulate during ageing, including obesity and heart disease.”
Earlier this week, researchers at the University of Chicago found a lack of sleep also had a profound effect on male sex drive. The study showed those who sleep for less than five hours a night for periods of longer than a week had significantly lower levels of testosterone than those who get a full night’s rest.
Five hours of rest reduced levels of the hormone by between ten and 15 percent, with the lowest levels recorded in the afternoon.
Singer Robbie Williams recently admitted he injects himself with testosterone to boost his sex drive after doctors told him he had the libido of a 100-year-old man.
The 37-year-old Take That star, who like many men has a demanding work schedule, has jabs of the hormone twice a week. - Daily Mail