Alcohol & TRT

[SSHSSA74]

If we’re taking exogenous Testosterone, how can alcohol consumption still affect libido and or sexual function? I know alcohol increases estrogen levels in blood but does it also get into tissues and cause negative affects?

 

[Fernando Almaguer]

For me a night after alcohol gives me strong morning wood and urge to have sex. I'';m not sure why. I think a few drinks if you are healthy enough is great for you. Red wine and beer (fermented alcohol) is best!

 

[Phil Goodman]

For me a night after alcohol gives me strong morning wood and urge to have sex. I'';m not sure why. I think a few drinks if you are healthy enough is great for you. Red wine and beer (fermented alcohol) is best!

I’m the same way and in the past I always noticed a substantial increase in libido the day after moderate to sometimes heavy drinking.

My initial theory was that impact on estrogen caused it. Drinking can elevate estrogen levels, so it’s possible that the day afterwards the rise results in increased sex drive. Then I considered the impact on prolactin… drinking causes levels to rise which would seemingly result in a decrease, yet that is a short term effect(as in raised and correlates with blood alcohol level) and alcohol seems to increase sex drive in short term for most people. It’s likely that the other effects like decreased inhibition, dopamine, etc. just outweigh any negatives from rise in prolactin. But I looked into it and there is at least some evidence that the subsequent drop afterwards can result in a fall below baseline. This makes sense in my experience as I can often go 2-3 times per day after a night of moderate drinking. A few years ago I even broke my record on NYE by going 4 times all to completion within 24 hours.

Those are the two impacted assets that make the most sense to me, though I’m sure there are other factors like dopamine and others. I’d be interested to see who is in the same boat.

I thought of this because I haven’t had a drink all year… did dry January and just kept going with it for an extended break. I like a lot of the positives, but I have noticed a meaningful drop in libido. My drive is still decent, but not like it has been in the past. So in addition to increasing the amount of times I can go in a day, there is certainly something about it that seems to increase my libido.