Recently there has been lot of talk about testosterone levels in association with erectile dysfunction and “testosterone replacement therapy;” i.e., testosterone taken as medication has increased drastically.

However, not everything is as seems. Not only are these drugs usually completely unnecessary, they’re most of the time also useless and harmful. Even if someone actually does have clinically low testosterone, the medications used to treat the condition typically fail.

Having said that, it’s a fact that some groups of men have half the testosterone levels of others and there is no question that testosterone plays a vital role when it comes to a healthy erectile process.

This is quite a complicated issue, so in today’s feature article I’ll explain the connection between testosterone and erectile dysfunction- and teach you how you may not only boost your testosterone level without medication, but fight erectile dysfunction naturally.

Testosterone is a hormone mostly produced in the testicles for men and ovaries for women. It’s not just vital for our reproductive system, it’s also essential for overall health, both physical and mental. Clinical signs of extremely low testosterone include a decline in libido, decreased muscle mass and strength, less beard growth, fatigue, osteopenia, decreased cognition, increased irritability and sometimes excessive sweating and even hot flashes (as in women’s menopause). Studies have also indicated lower emotional moods and (contrary to what most people think) risk of violent behavior.

Side note: for all the ladies out there going reading this while going through or approaching menopause, you may want to check out Julissa Clay’s menopause program. And it’s not just helpful for women, aging men have also benefited greatly from the tips from this program to avoid the burdens of Andropause, or male menopause.

You don’t have to have a high level of testosterone to gain a strong erection. Men with testosterone levels well under average function just as well in the bedroom as their more hormonally robust counterparts. And once a normal level of testosterone is reached, additional levels of testosterone do nothing to increase libido, erection or endurance in the bedroom.

High testosterone doesn’t even tell half the story. You see, what really matters is so called free-testosterone. This is testosterone that the body can use since it isn’t bound to other proteins. Only a small part of testosterone flowing around the bloodstream is actually free. So you could have an extremely high level of testosterone, but if an adequate amount of it isn’t free, it does no good. Or, you could have low levels of testosterone but much of it is free free and you’re doing fine. The only way to accurately measure this is by having your doctor test it.

And it’s only when the free testosterone level becomes extremely low that it can lead to erectile dysfunction. This is, however, surprisingly rare. Studies have found that only about 30% of males with erectile dysfunction have low free-testosterone level. That means 70% of men with erectile dysfunction have normal testosterone levels and that testosterone is not a major factor with ED.

What’s considered normal also changes as we age. The average level of free testosterone for a 75-year-old is only half of the testosterone of someone who is 25. And we expect this. Nobody thinks a 75-year-old should walk around with an erection 24 hours a day – that’s something you’d totally expect out of an 18-year-old. It’s not just about hormones; perspectives on priorities and behavior change.

Whereas testosterone may not be a major factor in reaching erection at vital moments, it plays a vital role when it comes to libido; i.e., the sex drive and desire for sex. Studies have especially indicated that men with extremely high free testosterone levels have a much higher desire for sex than those with lesser amounts.

So if you’re missing the old spark, you may want to consider taking actions that boost testosterone levels, especially free testosterone.

Testosterone replacement therapy (drugs) is one option. However, it’s neither been tested thoroughly for safety, nor effectiveness. Since it’s the free testosterone that really matters, loading your body with testosterone medications may not have any effects at all if your body isn’t able to use it.

Instead, I want to suggest a few natural things you can do to increase free-testosterone level, libido, erectile strength and overall health – all at the same time:

1) Work out. Any exercises are good for testosterone (except over-exercising), but by far the most effective thing is weight lifting. Do about 3 sets of 5 repetitions each and target large muscle groups separately. We begin losing muscle mass around our mid-30s and the loss increases drastically from mid-40s onward unless we take drastic actions. This is partly why testosterone levels begin to drop at the mirror trajectory as our age line If we were to graph it. Make sure, however, that you get a good rest in between workouts. Lift weights 3 times a week and take off 4.

2) Lose the gut. You actually don’t have to look like a super model, but being overweight adds to testosterone loss. Use caution, though, to take it slowly when it comes to weight loss. Cutting calories more than 15% of daily need slows metabolism and may actually have a bad effect on testosterone levels. Take action today lose those extra pounds (one easy method can be found in our Weight Loss Breeze Program).

3) Get a good 7-8 hours of sleep. Few things affect testosterone levels as much as sleeplessness. That’s maybe why teenagers often want to sleep 9-10 hours…their hormones are raging most of the time. If you’re having trouble with insomnia, check out our Insomnia Program.

4) Eat healthy and eat enough of the RIGHT kinds of foods. Get rid of the sodas and candy bars and replace them with healthy choices. Don’t overdo it with meat consumption since anything more than 80-100 grams of animal protein per day can lower testosterone levels. Get enough healthy fats- especially monounsaturated like those found in peanuts and olive oil. Load your plate with fresh, colorful vegetables and make sure you get enough useable energy, preferably from complex carbohyrates such as whole wheat and brown rice.

5) Go slowly on the alcohol. Whereas one drink may not hurt, binge drinking may stop testosterone production like nothing else. Just one crazy night out may affect you for weeks.

6) Have morning sex – getting an erection and having sex is one way to boost testosterone. And since it’s highest in the morning, that’s when most men are most into it and it will boost libido throughout the day. Talk to your partner about waking up a little earlier for some action and agree to try it out even if neither one of you are really into it. Follow Nike’s motto: “Just Do It!” and the libido will follow. Go to sleep two hours earlier than usual and you’ll be even more into it.

7) Flirt with your partner throughout the day and week. Send flirty text messages or call her for a minute to tell her how much you want her and send her sexy gifts. Take her out on a date for just the two of you. Do this even if you don’t quite feel like it since it boosts the mood for both you and her. It’s okay to act like a lovesick teenager once in a while. You don’t have to be creative, just brainstorm some ideas.

8) Go moderate on the porn. Studies have shown that men who watch porn for 15 minutes per day moderately raise their libido and testosterone. More than that, though, especially overdoing it for hours per day has the opposite effect.

9) Cut down on stress. Studies have shown this one of the biggest killers of testosterone and libido. I know we live in a world of electronics, work, kids and crazy schedules- but is it all worth it if you can’t stop and enjoy the fruits of that labor? High blood pressure also negatively affects testosterone, libido and erection. One way to cut both stress and high blood pressure is our High Blood Pressure Exercise Program…

10) Supplements that increase testosterone include iron, zinc, vitamin D (sunlight) passion flower, pine pollen, acetyl L-carnitine, black maca, flax seed oil and nettle root. All these supplements can be found in most health food stores.

Now it may be close to offensive to end a long article on a “but”… BUT, the fact is that erectile dysfunction has very little to do with testosterone and much more to do with blood flow in and out of the penis.

Our erectile dysfunction program has helped hundreds of men to increase their erection and stamina, quickly and effectively using only simple, easy exercises that anyone can use and benefit from, no matter what kind of shape you’re in.

Learn more about these simple erectile dysfunction exercises here…