Dr Zac Turner explains why some men can’t get it up on a date

After a woman revealed she was disappointed by lack of action three dates in a row, Dr Zac Turner offers some sage advice about why men struggle to get it up.

Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week Dr Zac gets into erectile dysfunction.

Question: Hi Dr Zac, I believe I may be dating a ‘soy boy’. Let me elaborate on that. I’ve been on a few dates with this guy who loves to have fun with a few too many drinks, and for the last three dates we’ve attempted to have sex but he hasn’t been able to perform.

I brought it up with my naturopath, and she told me that it’s all to do with his testosterone levels. His lifestyle habits, such as his binge drinking, are causing his testosterone levels to drop which leads to erectile dysfunction.

Is this true? Does lifestyle affect hormones? – Alicia, Perth

Answer: Your ‘soy boy’ label – a term for men who lack masculine characteristics – stems from a fascinating contemporary research area that is looking into the reasons why overall testosterone levels are dropping in men. This has been looked at for some time now, and American studies have shown that testosterone levels in men are 25 per cent lower than the levels of their counterparts in the 1980s.

Alcohol, smoking, and diet are the three main factors that have been researched. I personally believe that diet is causing the most damage. And so far, the findings make my opinion very compelling.

Not being able to perform in bed can put a strain on relationships.

Testosterone and alcohol

Testosterone is commonly referred to as the sex hormone as it influences libido, however, it is actually essential to other body functions such as muscle formation, bone mass, fat distribution, the production of sperm, and brain health.

Research has shown that for both men and women, consistent bingeing on alcohol impedes on the body’s ability to produce and regulate hormones, such as testosterone. The three glands needed for the production of testosterone in men, the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary gland, and the testes, are all affected by alcohol.

So if you keep your critical thinking cap on and join the dots, you can see that alcohol intake affects testosterone, which in turn affects erections. I recommend you tell this man to see a doctor, who will tell him to limit his alcohol intake.

Testosterone and sugar

It’s also been shown that testosterone levels drop drastically after sugar consumption. This is because after we eat sugary food or drinks, our body rapidly releases Insulin. Insulin lowers the production of testosterone.

If you consider how sugary the modern diet is, with junk foods, soft-drinks and everything else that is processed, you can understand that overtime this will slowly decrease testosterone levels. And this isn’t just a male problem, women can suffer from low testosterone levels with symptoms such as muscle-mass loss, low motivation, loss of libido and lethargy.

How to maintain healthy levels of testosterone

Changing up your diet is a very effective method to maintain healthy testosterone levels. Swap out processed crap, and stick to natural wholefoods. You should be thinking, “what would a caveman eat?” Our body’s processes are ancient, and we need to respect that modern lifestyles don’t co-operate with them.

Testosterone is essential for muscle formation, bone mass, fat distribution and sperm count.

Ginger has been shown to increase testosterone levels. You can also try oysters, as they contain a high-level of zinc which is important for sperm health and reproductive function. I also recommend pomegranate juice, it’s been linked to increased testosterone in studies.

If those three recommendations are too ‘bougie’ for you, you can always stick to trusty green vegetables, fatty fish, olive oil and onions.

The final key part to helping ‘firm up’ your sexual relationship with this man is knowing that although having a chat about it can seem difficult at first, in the long run it is immensely beneficial.

Alicia, I recommend you keep reading on this topic! And maybe you can politely suggest that your male-friend read into it as well. I find this sort of futurist health fascinating. We as a collective need to recognise our poor health choices will seriously affect the human experience in the future.

Dr Zac Turner has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. He is both a medical practitioner and a co-owner of telehealth service, Concierge Doctors. He was also a registered nurse and is also a qualified and experienced biomedical scientist along with being a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering.

Originally published as Dr Zac Turner explains why some men can’t get it up on a date