Optimizing Male Libido: Strategies for Enhancing Desire and Performance

Call it mojo, libido, drive, desire. Our lives are more productive, effective, even exciting and fun when it's high. It's also more than just sexual desire and function, though that's important - very important. It's our drive, our fuel.

Men are better when we have a strong libido, when our mojo is optimal, and while it may decline with age, we're not that horny teenager who can't stand up in class because his imagination got the better of him, there is a lot we can do to keep it thriving.

The tactics that follow are proven to help support a thriving libido, and they should be implemented to improve the quality of a man's life.

Part of the battle is hormonal, ensuring testosterone is high, stress hormones like cortisol are low, estrogen is held in check, but another aspect is healthy circulation and the actual thing we call libido, or sexual desire.

Let's get into how to optimize your male drive and libido.

Natural Supplements to Boost Libido

Supplements are designed to supplement. They aren't the foundation. But because of the fact there's good research behind supplements and their ability to boost libido, and the ease of use (it takes no effort, no time to take a supplement and get a result), we'll go through the best, proven supplements first.

Maca Root:

Maca does not boost testosterone. No matter what any marketer or company says, it's not going to give you a bump in testosterone other than an adaptogenic effect reducing cortisol (stress hormones).

However, Maca is very effective at boosting libido - it's actually one of the most effective substances on the planet, and it's been shown to boost libido in humans in this, this, and this study.

The best way to take maca is daily, as effects increase for up to 8 weeks and then they maintain.

We include a full dose of Maca in both Man Greens and Man MOJO.

Horny Goat Weed:

Containing icariin, a natural PDE-5 inhibitor, horny goat weed is used to enhance erectile function and libido. Drugs like Viagra and Cialis are also PDE-5 inhibitors.

Horny Goat Weed also increases nitric oxide in the body, which increases circulation. This study found that the plant increased nerve growth in the pelvic region.

Because of it's ability to improve blood flow in the right areas, we've included a full dose of Horny Goat Weed in our libido-boosting supplement, Man Mojo.

Cacao Polyphenols:

Cacao, the raw form of chocolate, is rich in flavonoids known to improve circulation, which is vital for sexual function. Specifically the polyphenols have been shown to increase nitric oxide in the body. Cacao has also been shown to reliably produce a 5-10 point reduction in blood pressure.

It's both the increase in blood flow and the health benefits of reducing blood pressure that led us to include a full dose of cacao polyphenols in our libido boosting supplement, Man Mojo.

Tongkat Ali:

Tongkat ali is gaining a lot of attention for it's ability to increase testosterone in men, which can have a profound impact on sexual function and health, but there's more to this plant than just testosterone.

This study found that after 12 weeks there was significant increases in semen motility (+44%) and volume (+18%) in the Tongkat Ali Group. They also had significantly higher scores in the Erectile Function domain in (IIEF) questionnaire and noted significant improvements in libido.

This peer reviewed study found impressive results in subjects after 4 weeks of supplementation with tongkat ali, with a reduction in cortisol by -16%, and an increase in testosterone by +37%.

Tongkat ali seems to be a potent testosterone booster, but also helps reduce stress and improve sexual function and performance, which is why we include a full organic dose in our supplement Man Greens.

Korean Pannax Ginseng:

A double-blind placebo study from Korea found the group using Ginseng noticed significant improvements in their erection quality and sexual satisfaction in comparison to the placebo group. Positive effects were seen in as little as 8 weeks of usage. Then this study where 60 men with a history of erectile dysfunction took ginseng for 12 weeks and founder their erection quality and ability to penetrate increased significantly.

Ginseng appears to both reduce stress and increase blood flow, which is why we included a full dose in our supplement Man Mojo.

Lifestyle Tips to Improve Sexual Performance

Regular Exercise:

Physical activity, especially cardiovascular exercises, can enhance blood flow and improve heart health, which is essential for sexual performance.

Let's also talk about how we feel when we're in great shape - and when we look like we're in great shape. There are the performance markers that improve with exercise, like circulation, energy, and testosterone increases primarily from strength training. But when you look lean, fit, and elite, you feel elite, which makes you want to do the deed a lot more frequently, but it also makes you more driven in your daily life.

Good habits: 

This one seems a bit different than the rest, but when you're winning (doing the things you set out to do), you're more driven. Wins stack up creating more wins. That drive makes you more driven in other areas of life as well.

Balanced Diet:

Follow the Man Diet. The Man Diet lays out a way for men to eat to optimize hormones. You need balance, which means carbs from plants like fruit, roots, and veggies, but also your fair share of dietary fats that increase testosterone from animal products like meat and eggs, as well as the quality proteins for body composition.

Also, add fruits that increase circulation, like beets, watermellon, and cacao (70%+ dark chocolate).

Sufficient Sleep:

Quality sleep is linked to sexual desire and testosterone levels. Men should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

The biggest factor in creating optimal sleep is finding the right rhythm that aligns with your circadian rhythm - essentially training your body to sleep at a certain time and wake up at a certain time.

Our product Man Sleep can help you set that rhythm, and get a deeper, more restful and anabolic sleep.

Limit Alcohol and Avoid Smoking:

Smoking is interesting, because on one hand nicotine (which isn't a carcinogen) blocks aromatase, which reduces estrogen levels in men, but at the same time it's horrible for your health and hormones. Avoid smoking, but nicotine isn't necessarily bad if you can find a better delivery system.

Too much alcohol can also hurt your sex drive, performance, and sleep quality, which will further hurt your sex drive and performance.

Stop Watching Porn:

Porn gives you the dopamine hit of having sex without actually doing the deed. It's a horrible substitute for the real thing, and it's destroying the sex drive of men all over the planet - from young to old.

Furthermore, it changes what you want from sex. The kinds of women and the acts you see watching porn aren't conducive to a healthy sexual relationship. You also become too visual with sex, actually, only visual, and the act loses it's power.

For many men who want to improve their sex drive, removing porn from their lives is the first and most important step.

Stress and Libido

Chronic stress is a libido suppressor. It triggers the release of cortisol, which can interfere with testosterone production.

When you're stressed, it's difficult to 'get in the mood'. When you have fears and worries and possible negative outcomes, maybe the reality that you're far from where you'd like to be in life, hanging over you, sex becomes an afterthought.

For many guys, this has a bigger impact on libido than anything else. If this is you, then do the following steps to reduce stress and improve libido.

Ashwagandha:

Known as an adaptogen, ashwagandha can help mitigate stress levels, and it seems to be more effective at this than other adaptogens.

This well done double blind study showed a cortisol reduction by 27%, which has a big impact in reducing anxiety and mental stress. What about testosterone? Well, this study with 57 young and healthy male subjects using KSM-66 extract, showed a significant ~15% increase in testosterone levels (average rise from 630 ng/dL to 726 ng/dL), which is massive for a single herb.

We include this organic, potent form of ashwagandha called KSM-66 in our supplement Man Greens in it's full daily dose.

Martial arts, boxing:

This might just be a personal thing, but when it comes to reducing stress, doing difficult things, even primal things that have real world benefits, like learning how to fight or practicing fighting, has a powerful effect on stress reduction.

Read good books:

The most powerful way to reduce stress is to think clearly. 

We don't suffer from much acute stress these days. There's no lion waiting in a bush ready to pounce. What we suffer from is chronic stress, or chronically elevated stress hormones which can wreak havoc on our health, hormones, and libido.

Thinking clearly is the antidote to chronic stress. Thinking clearly, having mental models that help you solve problems and see things in perspective is a super power. It allows you to aim high while staying calm.

It enables you to solve bigger problems without feeling like the world is coming to an end - or your business or your life or your dreams are coming to an end.

The best books I've read that have helped me think clearly are:

Seeking Wisdom from Darwin to Munger

Meditations

The Art of Living (Epictetus)

Proverbs (Bible)

The Way to Love (Anthony De Mello)

Seneca's Epistles

Nassim Taleb's Incerto Series (especially Skin in the Game, final chapter)

Each of these books help you see the world as it is, as well as see what's important, what's truly a crisis and what isn't. 

Conclusion

Improving your libido is, largely, improving your health, quality of life, sleep, and performance. It's rooted in habits. And much of it is removing the road blocks to optimal libido, like too much stress, worry, and fear.

Once you solve those things, supplementation has also been shown to be effective if the supplement is in it's fully effective dose, which is what we include in each of our products.

If you're an ambitious guy, read the books mentioned. Also think about having a firm end to most of your work days (some long days are unavoidable) so you can detach from the pursuit, and be present. 

Again, improving libido is improving the quality of the man you are. It's not just about sexual performance or desire, but being upbeat, vibrant, and driven.

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talks about 'sex transmutation', or the ability to take that abundance of sexual energy that men can have and point it at the pursuit of a goal. Without that energy, you don't have an extra gear to tap into. So guard that energy, as well. Don't waste it on dirty videos. Keep it for your lady, and focus it at your goals.