Zinc for men: It’s key for sex drive & increased libido!

Zinc is vital for sex drive and increased libido, as it’s necessary for testosterone synthesis. Also, it may help men with erectile dysfunction.

Recommended daily intake of zinc for men

Men have increased needs of zinc, as compared to women. In fact, men should get 37% more zinc a day than women. The recommended daily intake of zinc for men is 11 mg. Women require only 8 mg of zinc per day.[1]

Men need high doses of zinc. It’s estimated that seminal loss is about 10% of the total zinc losses.[2]

Zinc for testosterone synthesis

Testosterone is the most important hormone for sex drive for men.

As, zinc deficiency has been linked to decreased testosterone levels, zinc deficiency is a common reason for decreased sex drive in men. It seems that zinc affects the synthesis of testosterone in the testes.

Furthermore, serum testosterone concentrations depends highly on even short-term zinc depletion in men. As the body doesn’t store zinc, men should get high doses of zinc every day!

Athletes need high doses of zinc every day as well. Normal levels of testosterone and zinc are necessary for athletic performance.

Besides zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin D, and many other compounds are necessary for increased testosterone synthesis.

Can zinc supplements increase sex drive?

According to studies, taking zinc supplements can increase plasma testosterone, increase fertility in men, and even help couples conceive! A dosage of 120 mg of zinc sulfate, twice a day, for a couple of months was enough for increasing testosterone levels![3]

However, zinc supplementation may increase sex drive, only if a person has low levels of testosterone, or it’s deficient in zinc.

Certainly, better consume foods high in zinc in order to get the required daily intake. In any case, you shouldn’t consume more than the maximum safe dose!

You’ll find a wide variety of zinc supplements on iHerb.

Zinc deficiency may cause erectile dysfunction!

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by multifactorial pathologies. The testosterone deficiency is a pretty common reason, though. Many studies have associated testosterone deficiency with erectile dysfunction.[4]

Chronic zinc deficiency may cause erectile dysfunction as well.

Zinc for reproduction

Zinc is found in the prostate. It’s important for the male reproduction process. Normal doses are necessary for male fertility.[5]

Do vegan men have higher risk of zinc deficiency?

Actually, there are plenty of vegan foods high in zinc. Vegan men don’t have a higher risk of decreased sex driver.

But, as zinc in plants has lower bioavailability, vegetarians and vegans require higher daily doses of zinc. Oatmeal, beans, seeds, nuts (e.g. almonds), and whole grains are the best plant-based sources of zinc.

Men should consume at least 1 handful of mixed seeds and nuts a day for increased sex drive.

The regular consumption of foods high in zinc may be good for dealing with erectile dysfunction as well.

Meat (e.g. beef, poultry, pork), fish, and seafood are the main dietary sources of zinc in a standard Western diet, though. Eggs and dairy products also contain some zinc.

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