Essential Vitamins & Minerals For Increased Sex Drive
A low sex drive (libido) is something you do not have to settle to live with as there are vitamins and minerals that can help you reinvigorate your sex life and take your libido to an all new high without resorting to synthetic drugs like Viagra and cialis.
The reasons for your low libido should first of all be given due consideration because the intake of the vitamins and minerals we will be reviewing will be of no benefit if you have an unhealthy lifestyle. Low libido can not be treated in isolation as there are many factors that contribute to its increase or decline and putting those factors into focus will be very important if you are to succeed in increasing your libido.
You would essentially have to do away with heavy drinking, smoking and the use of recreational drugs. If your libido problem stems from more psychological problems like stress, mental exhaustion or physical problem likes fatigue and ill-health, then you might likely need some professional help to resolve these and then get back on course to taking your sex drive to a new zenith . Therefore a few changes in your lifestyle can bring about a great change in libido and bring back the joy and excitement of sexual intimacy back into your relationship.
A point of note here is that even men with a healthy lifestyle still suffer from a degree of low libido and often this is due to the fact that most of the food we eat may lack the vital nutrients needed for a high libido and there might also be the problem of the nutrients not being readily absorbed into the blood stream. The use of dietary supplements that contain a good number of the vitamins and minerals reviewed below will provide most of the essential vitamins and minerals for increasing libido and result in an overall healthy reproductive life.
To dramatically bring back your lost libido or improve it, below are the vitamins and minerals we would be reviewing for achieving a higher libido and they are in no particular order.
Vitamins
There are 13 essential vitamins that our bodies need for proper growth, function and maintenance of healthy body tissues. The B-Vitamins and Vitamin C dissolved in water and are easily eliminated from the body. Adverse reactions even with high-dose supplements are rare. However the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) are not readily excreted from the body and have the potential to accumulate in the tissues and could cause adverse effects at high doses.
Vitamin A
Sex hormones regulate our sexual activities and desires, and without them our sex lives would be nonexistent. Vitamin A helps in the regulation of the synthesis of the sex hormone, progesterone. Vitamin A regulates sexual growth and development, and reproduction by turning on genes in response to sex hormone triggers. It also assist in the production of healthy sperm and improve virility.
B-Vitamins
The B-Vitamins are generally regarded as Vitamin B complex and are important in energy production, metabolism and synthesis of hormones. They also help in decreasing the production of prolactin, a hormone which stimulates testosterone uptake by the prostate and which basically reduces sex drive. They help the nerves function properly and thus crucial for reacting and responding to sexual stimulation and for the flow of blood to the genital.
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 is required for energy metabolism, enzyme reactions, and for the maintenance of skin and nerve health. It equally enhances sexual flush, and intensifies orgasms by increasing the flow of blood to the genitals.
Vitamin B6
It is necessary for protein and fat metabolism, hormonal function (estrogen and testosterone), and the production of red blood cells, niacin, and neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine). Vitamin B6 helps in controlling elevated prolactin and thus functioning as a libido enhancer. Also it has been shown to help men with low sperm counts.
Vitamin B12
It is required for nerve function, synthesis of DNA and RNA, metabolism of energy, enzyme reactions, and production of red blood cells. They also aid in the stimulation of the brain and the nerves thus facilitating sexual arousal. It is an energy booster as it heightens sex drive, enhances penile erection by enlarging blood vessels and also stimulating secretion of histamine needed for orgasm.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. It is required for the synthesis of collagen (structured component of blood vessels, tendons and bones) and norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter) and is also known to increase positive response to stress. It participates in the synthesis of the critical hormones that are involved in sex and fertility namely – androgen, estrogen and progesterone. Vitamin C also increases semen volume but a lack of it can cause sperm to clump together. Studies indicate that ascorbic Vitamin C might improve the production of nitric oxide which aids in the increase of blood flow and makes blood vessels stronger resulting in stronger erections.
Vitamin E
It is an antioxidant which is often referred to as the "Sex Vitamin" and is definitely one of the best vitamins to increase your libido. It plays a key role in the production of sex hormones and also protects cell membranes against oxidative damage by free-radical. Vitamin E prevents blood clotting and aids in the dilation of blood vessels thus aiding the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the sex organs. Vitamin E is also an anti-aging antioxidant that promotes vitality and youthfulness by increasing fertility and regulating hormones.
Minerals
Minerals are elements that originate in the earth. They can not be made by the human body so they are obtained through diet and / or supplements. Both plants and animal food provide minerals. The plants get the minerals from the soil; the animals from the plants they eat and humans indirectly get the minerals by eating both the plants and animal products.
Magnesium
Required for energy metabolism, muscle and nerve functions, formation of cell membranes, bones and teeth, body temperature regulator and synthesis of DNA and RNA; it also promotes calming and relaxation which generally aids in increasing sex drive. Magnesium is also essential in the production of sex hormones like androgen, estrogen and neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) that regulates libido.
Selenium
This antioxidant interestingly has nearly 50% of its total volume in the male body located in the testes and seminal vesicles; and this is lost mostly in the semen. It is very essential in sperm production and motility. It also plays an important role in the antioxidant activity of Vitamin E; keeping its volume optimal is essential for a man's virility.
Zinc
Zinc is needed for raising the healthy production of sperm and testosterone. Healthy testosterone levels = healthy sex drive. The zinc content of the prostate gland and sperm is higher than in any other body part. Also two studies have shown that zinc combined with folate in supplements can help improve sperm count and the percentage of healthy sperm in men with impaired fertility. A high Zinc content can also help reduce the risk of prostate disease due to the fact that prostate tissues are highly dependent on zinc.
However, as already mentioned above, maintaining a healthy lifestyle should be a primary focus in order for the intake of these vitamins and minerals to be effective in increasing your libido. Also it is important that you contact your physician about your decision to take any of these vitamins and minerals to avoid possible side effects with other medication you might already be using.
Essential Vitamins & Minerals For Increased Sex Drive by Raymond Ehoma
