It’s not just your mind going soft.
Drops in testosterone have long been blamed for age-related declining erectile performance.
But a new study suggests something else may be at play.
“While age and testosterone levels have traditionally been linked to a decline in men’s sexual health, our study shows that these health changes are more closely associated with slight increases in blood sugar and other metabolic alterations,” stated Dr. Michael Zitzmann, a professor and practicing physician at University Hospital in Muenster, Germany, in a press release.
“This suggests that men can actively work to maintain or improve their reproductive health through lifestyle choices and suitable medical treatments.”
The long-term study, which began in 2014 and wrapped in 2020, tracked 200 otherwise healthy men between the ages of 18 and 85.
Eventually, 117 participants remained in the study — all without diabetes, heart disease, or cancer — which allowed researchers to focus on the impact of minor metabolic changes on male reproductive health.
Despite aging, participantsâ hormone levels and semen quality mostly remained in the normal range.
But one thing did take a noticeable hit: erectile function, particularly among those whose blood sugar levels crept up just slightly, but still fell well below the threshold for diabetes.
Interestingly, testosterone levels were not linked to erectile function, but they did correspond to the sex drives of participants.
Zitzmann hopes their findings â which were presented Saturday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Societyâs annual meeting in San Francisco, California â will help men take charge of their sexual health as they age.
âWeâre hopeful that the information gleaned from this study will help doctors and their patients formulate effective male sexual health maintenance plans,â he said.
âWe now know that itâs in our power to retain sexual and reproductive wellbeing in men, even as they age.â
The findings come amid public debate over testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which has surged in popularity despite potential side effects.
A recent study found the male libido gets an astonishing boost from grape juice.
Meanwhile, experts say that â while sexual function unavoidably declines with age âmen can improve their chances of staying reproductively healthy by avoiding smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity.
