It’s generally accepted that as men age, their libido starts to lessen. If you don’t believe me, here’s what the esteemed Mayo Clinic reports: “It’s natural for men to notice a gradual decrease in sex drive (libido) as they age. The degree of this decline varies. But most men maintain at least some amount of sexual interest into their 60s and 70s.”
Their article goes on to state that there are various causes for this. Probably the first thing that comes to mind is an aging-related decrease in testosterone levels, or low T. Other causes are related to situations such as emotional/psychological conditions (depression, stress), alcohol or drug abuse, side effect of certain medications, and just plain fatigue. But let’s just stick with aging—a universal situation that every man goes through if he lives long enough.
New cause identified
Maybe it’s not aging alone that contributes to a decline in a man’s interest and performance in sex. It might actually be connected with dietary choices that influence his metabolism. A new long-term study found that men with healthy metabolic function had very little loss of libido as they aged. The study was called FAME 2.0. It was launched in 2014 with 200 healthy participants, that is, they had no history of cancer, cardiovascular conditions or diabetes. In particular, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are major signs of metabolic disorders that lead to high blood sugar, weight gain, loss of energy/fatigue, muscle weakness, and organ dysfunctions. Can low-grade metabolic dysfunction underlie poor libido?
The findings of the study suggest that yes, poor metabolic function may be at the root of a drop in male hormones, not aging itself. The research results were presented by study author Dr. Michael Zitzmann during the Society of Endocrinology’s July, 2025 annual meeting (San Francisco). The Society membership includes world experts in hormones. A medical news report quoted Dr. Zitzmann:
“Although age and testosterone levels have long been considered an impetus for men’s declining sexual health, our research indicates that these changes more closely correlate with modest increases in blood sugar and other metabolic changes ….”[i]
Out of the original 200 enrollees (ages 18-85), 117 returned for follow-up in 2020. They repeated baseline assessments of erectile function, and aging male symptoms. As the news report informs us, the men who aged with small increases in blood sugar (but did not develop full-blown diabetes) had declines in erectile function and sperm health (measured by movement). Such increase was “shown to have a greater influence on sexual wellbeing than age alone.”[ii] In other words, getting older is not necessarily the culprit in low T, it’s your metabolic health underneath it all!
How can this apply to you? Well, as Dr. Zitzmann says, “This means that men can take steps to preserve or revive their reproductive health with lifestyle choices and appropriate medical interventions.”[iii] To put it another way, if you want to a golden sex life well into your golden years, turn to a non-inflammatory plant-forward diet (like the Mediterranean Diet), embrace regular vigorous exercise, and learn techniques to reduce the impact of stress in your life. Incidentally, these three lifestyle habits also offer protection against developing prostate cancer, so there’s an added bonus!
Taking charge of your metabolic wellbeing has too many benefits to name here, but the biggest takeaway message from the breakthrough FAME 2.0 study is the revelation that great metabolic health plays a previously unidentified role in the bedroom. Although it’s not catchy, perhaps a new slogan for men would be, “Don’t make diabetes, make love.”
NOTE: This content is solely for purposes of information and does not substitute for diagnostic or medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing pelvic pain, or have any other health concerns or questions of a personal medical nature.
References
[i] Clarke, Hanna. “Elevated blood sugar linked with negative changes in sexual functioning.” Urology Times, July 14, 2025. https://www.urologytimes.com/view/elevate-blood-sugar-linked-with-negative-changes-in-sexual-functioning
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
About Dr. Dan Sperling
Dan Sperling, MD, DABR, is a board certified radiologist who is globally recognized as a leader in multiparametric MRI for the detection and diagnosis of a range of disease conditions. As Medical Director of the Sperling Prostate Center, Sperling Medical Group and Sperling Neurosurgery Associates, he and his team are on the leading edge of significant change in medical practice. He is the co-author of the new patient book Redefining Prostate Cancer, and is a contributing author on over 25 published studies. For more information, contact the Sperling Prostate Center.
