In the days of late youth and early adulthood, men are experiencing an overall impact from testosterone that seems to drive much of their thinking and a lot of their activity. This is not limited strictly to sex, either, since the amount of the hormone in a fellow's system can affect his self-confidence, his endurance, even his sense of self-worth. What happens when a man reaches his middle years and nature begins to decrease the amount of testosterone that the body produces?

This is where male menopause becomes part of the picture. During our middle years, we may find ourselves experiencing a collection of disturbing symptoms. While any of the symptoms we mention here may have a cause unrelated to hormone levels, taken as a whole they constitute a red flag that your physician will probably want to investigate on a hormonal level.

What are these symptoms? We're talking about increased irritability, diminished sex drive, lack of concentration, depression, low self-esteem, and episodes of impotence. Whoa, what was that last one? Impotence, you know the big "I". After a man experiences a few frustrating and embarrassing failures to launch, he understandably begins to develop a hesitancy to engage in sexual activity. After all, for many men a few failures to either achieve or maintain an erection is tantamount to profound personal inadequacy. It is understandable that unhappy frustration may replace enthusiasm, and a kind of stage fright will develop where sexual performance is concerned.

It does not need to be that way, and if you are experiencing this condition you need to go to your doctor and explain to him what is happening. Your doctor will ask you some questions; he'll want to know if you've been under a lot of stress recently from your job or your family. He may want to know more about your diet, about your drinking habits, about what your exercise regimen is like. He may be interested in how you've been sleeping, or in what herbal supplements you take on a regular basis.

He'll want to know the frequency of the episodes of impotency, and he'll probably have a few tests he'll want to run. One of these tests will most likely be to determine your hormonal levels. Once he has the data he needs, he'll set up a course of treatment for you.

So where does that leave you? Well, let's get one thing straight: performance anxiety when it comes to sex is not what you need at this stage of your life, is it? The first bit of good news to consider is that what you're dealing with may resolve itself with just a little bit of treatment. The second bit of good news is that there are things you can do right now to help yourself out in this situation.

Be mindful that erectile dysfunction may wind up being more of a cardiovascular problem than anything else. After all, to function as desired the blood vessels within your penis must be in good working order. Consequently, anything you do to improve your cardiovascular system may be helpful in the penile department. Better diet, more exercise, kick the cigarette habit, all of these are methods to improve your cardiovascular health.

So take the appropriate steps and, working with your physician, you may never have to experience sexual stage fright again.