Have you ever wondered what is happening to your ejaculation through the years?
Plenty of factors contribute to ejaculatory changes – some may even prevent you from experiencing a happy and healthy sex life!
Read on to find out what age men stop ejaculating and discover our most effective tips and strategies to help men remain sexually active for years to come.
In this article:
Note: Read the whole article or scroll down to the KEY TAKEAWAYS section at the end of this article for a short summary.
How Ejaculation Works
Before we get to what happens to ejaculation as men age, it’s helpful to understand how ejaculation works, free from any complications or dysfunctions.
The process of reaching climax has three phases:
Emission
This occurs when the intensity or duration of sexual stimulation and arousal exceeds the ejaculatory threshold, causing the mixture of secretions (i.e. semen) to be sent to the urethra
Ejaculation
This phase begins once the pelvic floor muscles contract, sending the pulsating signal down to the urethra to cause the semen to exit out of the penis forcibly
Orgasm
As the ejaculatory phase happens, it ignites the intense rush of emotional excitement, which is known as the actual orgasm
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men will experience a significant drop in the amount of semen ejaculated as a result of both the prostate gland and seminal vesicles producing less and less fluid over time
Compared to younger men, the aging male will experience various changes in their sexual performance.
Between the ages of 30 and 50, men’s testosterone levels begin to drop, causing them to lose libido.
According to the American Urology Association, men will experience a significant drop in the amount of semen ejaculated as a result of both the prostate gland and seminal vesicles producing less and less fluid over time.
In addition to losing libido and the quantity of fluid being produced, men also tend to have less intense ejaculatory and orgasmic phases. Like any other muscle, our pelvic floor strength can weaken with age. As a result, older men experience ejaculation with diminished force, load, and trajectory.
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Though many young men struggle with symptoms of premature ejaculation, this dysfunction can also become increasingly more prevalent with age.
Over time, changes in a man’s sexual performance can vary from mild and relatively harmless to more severe and potentially even life-changing. For many men, age-related changes in ejaculation can affect their sexual function, fertility, and confidence.
Here are some of the most common ejaculation changes that men experience with age.
1. Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is a widespread sexual dysfunction that is described as an inability to continue the physical act of sexual intercourse for more than a few minutes. According to recent studies, premature ejaculation affects 1 out of 3 men globally.
Though many young men struggle with symptoms of premature ejaculation, this dysfunction can also become increasingly more prevalent with age. For older men, age-related physical changes can contribute to shorter-lived erections before ejaculation despite having a lower sex drive.
2. Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is a common male sexual disorder that is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection. Even with arousal, this sexual dysfunction can not only make it nearly impossible for men to ejaculate, but it also can make it challenging to get an erection that is suitable for sexual activities.
Unfortunately, erectile dysfunction is a common disorder that can begin young for many men. Certified sex therapist Dr. Reece Malone explains that by the time men are in their 40s, 40% will start to experience symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
3. Delayed Ejaculation
Delayed ejaculation, or impaired ejaculation, is another common sexual dysfunction that causes men to experience extreme difficulty reaching sexual climax.
Unlike erectile dysfunction, men struggling with delayed ejaculation can still achieve and maintain an erection.
Affecting 1 in 4 men across the globe, delayed ejaculation can cause immense stress and frustration with prolonged sexual intercourse lasting up to 30 or more minutes.
Some of the most common physical causes and medical associations of delayed ejaculation include:
- Increasing age
- Diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Surgery of the bladder or prostate gland
- Medications (i.e. antidepressants, antipsychotics, muscle relaxants, beta-blockers, pain medication, etc.)
4. Retrograde Ejaculation
Retrograde ejaculation, also called “dry orgasms”, is a rare sexual condition that causes men to excrete their semen back into their bladder rather than out of the penis during an orgasm. Though men are capable of experiencing the sensations of a typical orgasm, the direction of ejaculation can affect their confidence and fertility.
5. Weak Ejaculation
One of the most common symptoms of age is weak ejaculation. This condition is related to the lowered pelvic muscle strength and coordination of contraction during orgasm. As a result, a weak ejaculation can impact both intensity and pleasure during sexual climax.
Though this may not directly impact your physical health, the combination of low semen volume with weak ejaculation can influence male fertility.
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men can maintain a strong libido by making healthy lifestyle choices in their old age
While some men have good sexual health and will continue to ejaculate well into their late 70s and beyond, others may experience a significant decline in their sexual performance by age 40. For this reason, there is no definite age for men to stop getting hard and ejaculating.
Unfortunately, there are specific age-related changes that we cannot avoid and can impact our sexual desire.
However, the good news is that men can maintain a strong libido by making healthy lifestyle choices in their old age. You may be surprised how much a balanced diet and regular physical activity can do for our sexual life expectancy.
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exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, sleeping 7-8 hours every night, and minimizing your consumption of tobacco and alcohol
It’s normal to desire satisfying sexual intercourse. Though many age-related barriers and underlying medical issues can make this challenging, it’s certainly not impossible to overcome!
Here are some of our top tips and strategies to boost sexual desire, avoid poor health, and experience more meaningful sexual relationships well into old age.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining peak physical health is essential for staying sexually active through the years. You can accomplish this by exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, sleeping 7-8 hours every night, and minimizing your consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
Not only do these healthy lifestyle choices contribute to having a satisfying sex life, but they can also contribute to better cognitive functioning, improved physical capacity (i.e. increased heart and lung health), and decreased risk of disease or illness.
Treating Underlying Health Conditions
One of the key factors related to enhancing a man’s healthy sexual desire is to treat and resolve any underlying chronic health conditions.
Many age-related medical issues can significantly impact men’s sexual function and performance. For example, symptoms of erectile dysfunction can be caused or exacerbated by high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
The best way to monitor your health is by staying proactive. Discuss prostate cancer screening, testosterone levels, cholesterol build-up, or other potential medical ailments with your healthcare provider to stay current with your current physical health status.
Addressing sexual dysfunction with medication or other remedies
There are times when ejaculatory issues can be treated by medication or other treatments.
Urologist and medical professional Dr. Tobias Kohler explains that 4 types of oral medications successfully treat erectile dysfunction in men. These include Sildenafil (Viagra), Tadalafil (Cialis), Vardenafil (Levitra), and Avanafil (Stendra) which all work to enhance blood flow to the penis in response to sexual stimulation.
Considering your sexual health, speaking to your doctor before purchasing any medication, including over-the-counter supplements or herbal remedies, is essential.
Aside from medication, here are some other effective remedies to treat sexual dysfunction or ejaculatory problems:
- Delay spray, this safe numbing agent helps to decrease penile stimulation and treat symptoms of premature ejaculation
- Penis pump or cock rings: these products help increase blood flow to the penis to stimulate an erection
- Sex therapy: This treatment is effective in targeting and resolving psychological issues that may be preventing proper male sexual functioning
- Testosterone replacement therapy: This is beneficial for men who struggle with low libido as a symptom of abnormally low testosterone levels.
FAQs
Is premature ejaculation a common ejaculatory problem in old age?
Premature ejaculation can affect men at any age. However, aging is linked to changes in erections and ejaculation. For example, older men may experience erections that are softer, smaller, and quicker before ejaculation compared to those of their younger years.
How to increase penile stimulation as an older man?
As men age, they’re more prone to experiencing erectile dysfunction, which makes it more challenging to stimulate an erection or have an orgasm. Men seeking sexual activity may need more stimulation to strengthen their libido. Oral stimulation has been shown to help increase penile sensitivity and boost sexual arousal.
Do pelvic floor exercises help treat age-related ejaculatory problems?
Within the pelvic floor are a group of muscles that link to the base of the penis that can help manage blood flow to the genitals, assist in creating an erection, and control ejaculation.
Pelvic floor muscle training (i.e. kegel exercises) is an effective strengthening technique to help address various erectile- or ejaculatory-related sexual performance issues.
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- As we age, our bodies change naturally in ways that can affect our sexual function and performance
- Most men experience a reduced ejaculatory load, force, and trajectory with age
- Some common ejaculatory issues contributing to these changes include premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, retrograde ejaculation, and weak ejaculation
- Though it’s normal to have less penetrative sex as you get older, engaging in healthy lifestyle habits, treating underlying health conditions, and taking medication or other remedies to resolve ejaculatory issues can help you stay sexually active for years