A Sexual Health Guide for Men over 50

Men’s sexual health is an important but often overlooked aspect of overall wellbeing -especially for those aged 50 and above.

While conditions such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health challenges, and suicide prevention are often talked about, sexual health also deserves our attention.

With that in mind, lets explore men’s sexual health and some common sexual health problems that may affect men over 50.

Sexual Health

Sexual health is an important part of a man’s overall well-being and quality of life and is crucial for several reasons; breaking taboos, overall well-being and age-related concerns - let’s explore these areas in a little more detail. 

Breaking Taboos: 

Talking openly about men’s sexual health helps break down social taboos and stigmas and creates an environment where shame and embarrassment is reduced, making it easier for men to seek help when needed and improving overall well-being. Feeling comfortable having open conversations about sexual health can help men realise that they are not alone in their experiences. Conditions such as erectile dysfunction or sexually transmitted infections carry with them a large amount of stigma, so being able to talk openly about men’s sexual health helps to humanise these conditions, making it easier to seek help without judgement. Men who feel more comfortable discussing their sexual health are more likely to seek help when they encounter issues, with early intervention often leading to better treatment outcomes

Overall Wellbeing:

Sexual health is a large part of our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and can affect every aspect of our lives. Let’s explore a few ways that men’s sexual health can contribute to overall wellbeing;

Physical wellbeing:

Sexual health is linked to reproductive health. Fertility issues, sexually transmitted infections and sexual function can all affect our physical health. When we have an enjoyable and regular sex-life, it can also have positive effects on cardiovascular health, helping to promote blood flow, reducing stress and helping to maintain physical fitness. 

Mental wellbeing:

Sexual health can influence our mental well-being in several ways. Sexual dysfunction and dissatisfaction can often lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. Being able to have open conversations about sexual health can help both in managing mental health and gaining early intervention and necessary support. 

Age-related men’s sexual health conditions

Many men over the age of 50 experience sexual-related issues. A few challenges that men may experience:

Erectile dysfunction 

Erectile dysfunction is a condition that causes difficulty in achieving or maintaining an erection for sexual activity. This can arise through a number of reasons, such as; reduced blood flow, hormonal changes and psychological factors - it’s a really common sexual health condition among older men, and addressing and seeking help can significantly improve their quality of life. 

Medication side effects

As we get older, medications might need to be taken for a wide number of health conditions. These medications can sometimes impact on men’s sexual health and sexual function, causing lower levels of libido, and issues such as erectile dysfunction. Talking to the doctor about any possible side effects or exploring alternative medications may help to reduce the side effects that impact on sexual function. 

Premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is when a man ejaculates sooner than he or his partner would like during sexual activity. As men get older, they may have less penile sensitivity or experience age-related concerns that may contribute to it. In addition, anxiety, stress and performance pressure can sometimes cause premature ejaculation. Talking to your doctor can help to reduce premature ejaculation who may recommend psychological therapy or medications. Also, our Infinity delay condoms have been specially formulated with non-spermicidal Lidocaine Hydrochloride (1%) that can help to reduce the risk of premature ejaculation.