Weight Gain- How Does It Spoil Your Sex Drive?

One of the most common reasons of erectile dysfunction is obesity, which might sink your intimate life to a great extent. It is really crucial that you are in control of your weight and regain your libido.
One of the most common chronic conditions that men face is that of erectile dysfunction (ED). Statistically, over 18 million men above the age of 20 experience it to some degree. It is an inability to achieve or maintain erection required for desired sexual activity.

Though there might be various reasons for it, there is a consistent connection between obesity and sexual dysfunction. It has been found that obese men are prone to ED 2.5 times more than those of normal weight. These symptoms of ED and various other health issues can be observed if you are just 30 pounds overweight!

Causes 

1. Obesity causes atherosclerosis, which is a cardiovascular condition. In this condition, cholesterol is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, thus restraining blood flow to the organs in the body including the penis.
2. The testosterone level in obese men is low. Due to absence of this sexually-stimulating hormone, there is an inability to achieve erections as testosterone is needed to increase the level of nitric oxide in penile tissue, which acts as a blood vessel dilator.
3. In most cases, erectile dysfunction is considered as the first sign of a weak heart in men who are overweight.

Symptoms

1. Men might experience a low libido, because of the reduced testosterone levels.
2. They might experience a depressed mood and lowering in their levels of energy.
3. They might experience a diminished sense of vitality.

Therapy
It’s really crucial to shed that extra weight if you want to regain your sex life. It has been found by researchers at the Center for Obesity Management in Naples, Italy that one third of obese men have improved sexual activity after they lost weight.

1. Lose weight. Check on how much you eat in a day. Aim at losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, which equals to losing around 500 to 1000 calories in a day.
2. Look out for what you eat in a day. Avoid chips and dips, and become friends with greens and other raw vegetables as your snack. Stop eating the processed and red meats; replace them with fish instead. Switch to whole grains.
3. Physical activity is the most important aspect when it comes to losing weight. Implement a successful weight-loss strategy. Take out some time by skipping a few episodes of your TV show, get up from the couch, and get active for around 30-45 minutes in a day. Repeat this 3-5 times in a week.
4. Lastly, maintain these habits until you don’t shed those extra pounds that are a hindrance to your sex life.