Guest guest Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Orb: something tells me that you have not read our files and links. Please do so before you post anything else. We urge a moderate CR program, not an extreme one. A moderate program should not affect your sex drive. One of our files contains a grim story called the " The Gray Zone " one Cronies almost disasterous experience with extreme CR. on 10/14/2006 1:10 AM, orb85750 at sudarsky@... wrote: I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by Ben Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies and if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA supplementation (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less sleep, and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi Orb: To answer, it would help to know a few stats about you. Such as your BMI, WC/Height, WC/Hip and body fat percentage. Indeed it would be nice if you added your data of this kind to the file Francesca created in the database here for that purpose. In the three years I have been here I do not recall others making a similar complaint about sex drive (although I have not read every post during that period). My latest stats are in the file. I am 64 years old and have seen no reduction in sex drive having lowered my BMI from 24·5 to 21. Of course 21 is not an especially low number. But I do remember at least one male here with a BMI of 19 who has specifically said that he has experienced no problem. However, I *am* aware that elsewhere on the net people with very low body weights have reported reduced, in some case to extinction, sex drive. But what you describe does not seem to be the norm around here. Perhaps your post may encourage others experiencing difficulties to come forward? Assuming there are some. Rodney. > > I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be > attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by Ben > Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies and > if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA supplementation > (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less sleep, > and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories > with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any > thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 To the contrary, I have reviewed most of the relevant files and I don't consider 1800 calories/day after several months of CRON to be extreme. I'm 5'8 " and my weight has settled around 135-138. Perhaps I should increase by a couple hundred calories per day, but I doubt much more than that would be recommended. I'm certainly not going hungry (eating 5 good meals/day) and I feel very healthly and energetic overall -- I need to be very clear about that. I have taken great care to insure proper nutrition. I did read in the Ben Best article -- and I think he has been too extreme, by the way -- that primates and humans on CRON, especially those at the extreme level, have lowered sex drives. Perhaps the threshold of having *some* effect on sex drive levels differs for different people. I have a reduced drive, though it's not inexistent. Still, this is an important issue to me. Thank you. > > I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be > attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by Ben > Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies and > if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA supplementation > (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less sleep, > and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories > with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any > thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 I have also noticed a decrease in my sex drive, during my current CR and also when I did CR for several years back in the 1980's. I thought it was just nature's way of conserving your energy (since starvation is always a threat in nature), so that more time is spent looking for food instead of reproducing. > > I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be > attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by Ben > Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies and > if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA supplementation > (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less sleep, > and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories > with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any > thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi Orb: Your BMI does not suggest that you are excessively calorically restricted - it is not much different from mine and is higher than that of a number of other males here. Age is another important factor. If you are over age 70 then that might explain the problem. And, as you suggest, it is very likely there there are individual differences in the body's hormonal responses to restriction. But have you considered the possibility that it is not how much you are eating so much as WHAT it is you are eating? Either foods you currently eat that it might be better to eat less of, or perhaps foods you are not eating that would help if you did eat them? Rodney. > > > > I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be > > attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by Ben > > Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies and > > if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA supplementation > > (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less sleep, > > and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories > > with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any > > thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 To reply to Rodney: First, let me say that I have received a number of emails offline, both from those that have and have not experienced a decrease in libido with CRON. Apparently, the issue came up at the recent CR conference in Arizona too, so it's not so rare (but certainly not universal). It has been suggested to me that zinc supplementation may be a good idea for vegetarians/vegans. I do thank everyone that has contributed both on and offline! Now, as for my situation, I am in my mid-30s actually, getting started on CRON relatively early for maximum life extension (I believe). I consume a huge amount of vegetables, along with fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and some isolated soy protein (flax too, of course). The only foods I consume " excessively " are vegetables. I have taken care to make my diet as varied as possible, given the fact that I am vegan. I certainly do not attribute any decrease in libido as due to being vegan, because I have been so for well over a decade. I exercise 5-6 times per week for about 30-60 minutes each session. My pre-CRON diet was healthy, but not as healthy as my current CRON diet. Like I said, overall I have plenty of energy and feel very good. I'm not going to give up on CRON, that's for sure, but I may need to increase my calories a bit or supplement. > > > > > > I have noticed a decrease in my sex drive, which I think can be > > > attributed to CRON, especially since I just read the article by > Ben > > > Best online. I'm wondering just how common this is among CRONies > and > > > if there are any real good " solutions, " such as DHEA > supplementation > > > (or anything else)? Otherwise, I feel energetic, require less > sleep, > > > and overall feel very good. It surprises me that reduced calories > > > with optimal nutrition could lead to a decrease in sex drive. Any > > > thoughts on this topic are very welcome. Thanks. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 There is only one reason that a healthy mid 30's yo man who has just started CRON has a decrease in sex drive. And that's because you're not eating enough. I am aware of the discussion about sex drive that was discussed at the conference and it's a lot of rationalization (including the zinc supplementation) and very little science. Of course if there's any science behind it, then someone by all means, please post it. If you've just started CR and find you have a decreased sex drive, then for goodness sakes, why not look at the obvious? If it walks like a duck........... on 10/16/2006 9:29 PM, orb85750 at sudarsky@... wrote: I'm not going to give up on CRON, that's for sure, but I may need to increase my calories a bit or supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi folks: Regarding zinc supplementation .......... I first got involved investigating CRON about the same time I first did a serious assessment of my dietary intake, putting everything I ate for a full month into Fitday, about four years ago. I found only two deficiencies, calcium and zinc. In both cases my intake was 50% below the north american RDAs. I now supplement them both just up to the RDA. (Excessive intake of either of these can also cause serious problems according to most sources). But I hadn't had an issue with sex drive so, at least for me, a zinc deficiency does not precipitate that kind of problem. [i was not deficient in vitamin E only because I had long been supplementing it. And I wasn't deficient in vitamin D only because I eat fish almost every day.] Just one mouse's experience, fwiw. Rodney. > > I'm not going to give up > on CRON, that's for sure, but I may need to increase my calories a > bit or supplement. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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