Dr. Rabre

Fish is one of the great things for your heart and as the saying goes what is good for your heart is good for sex. We should add fish to our meals and have some sort of fish at least once a week. Salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These are great to help elevate the dopamine levels in the brain which help trigger arousal. Studies further show that high levels of Omega-3 help a person be happier and more at ease, which in turn helps them with arousal and sex.

Apart from these benefits omega 3 lowers the symptoms of depression which is a major source of sexual health problems. It also helps with better brain function, heart arrhythmias, blood clots ,better brain function, and protection against dementia.

Fish is also high in L-argine, and as we wrote on the site before in fruits for sexual health, argine stimulates the release of growth hormone and is turned into nitric oxide in the body. Which in turn is crucial when it comes to erections for men, it also helps women with their sexual function.

When the reproductive glands produce scant to no hormones like oestrogen or testosterone, then it is known as hypogonadism. These hormones are important for controlling secondary sex characteristics like development of breasts in women and testes in men and growth in pubic hair. Sex hormones are also required for the roles they play in menstrual cycle in women and sperm production in men.

Hypogonadism is curable with the right medicines.

Types of Hypogonadism

1. Primary hypogonadism: In this type, there are not enough sex hormones in your body because of a problem in your gonads (testis or ovary). In primary hypogonadism, the gonads do receive the message from the brain to produce sex hormones but cannot produce them.

2. Central/Secondary hypogonadism: In this type, the brain is wherein the problem lies. The pituitary gland and hypothalamus located in the brain do not work properly.

What causes Hypogonadism

The causes of hypogonadism can be classified according to their types.

In primary hypogonadism, the causes are:

1. Genetic disorders (for example, Turner syndrome in women and Klinefelter syndrome in men)

2. Autoimmune disorders

3. Infection

4. Kidney and liver disease

5. Radiation

6. Surgery

In central hypogonadism, the causes are:

1. Anorexia nervosa

2. Tumours

3. Bleeding in the pituitary area

4. Trauma

5. Taking certain medicines (for example, glucocorticoids and opiates)

6. Anabolic steroids (alternatives to human testosterone)

7. Surgery

8. Genetic problems (example: Kallmann syndrome- unable to start or complete puberty)

9. Radiation

10. Infections

11. Hemochromatosis (excessive iron)

12. Nutritional deficiencies

Symptoms associated with Hypogonadism

Symptoms of hypogonadism in females include

1. Lack of menstruation

2. Changes in mood and energy

3. Body hair loss

4. Lack of sex drive

5. Milky discharge from breasts

Symptoms of male hypogonadism include

1. Body hair loss

2. Loss in muscles

3. Abnormal growth in breasts

4. Low libido

5. Erectile dysfunction

6. Fatigue