Ask The Sexpert — March 6, 2008

Dear Sexpert,

Will going to the gym affect my libido? I've heard conflicting facts, and I just don't know if any of them are true.

Pumping Iron

Dear Pumping Iron,

Will going to the gym have an effect on your sex drive? The answer is undoubtedly yes. The fact of the matter is, pretty much everything we do can have an effect on our sex drive. The real question is, will going to the gym increase or decrease your libido? And that question is much more difficult to answer.

When you go to the gym, you're manipulating your body to produce a desired effect - be that to sweat, to lose weight, to bulk up or to tighten a particular set of muscles in your body. As anyone who has been to the gym more than once can attest, sometimes you have a good workout day, and sometimes you have a bad one. The same is true of the effect of a workout on your sex drive. On the one hand, a trip to the gym could tire you out and cause you to expend too much energy to feel ready for a night of pleasure with your partner. On the other hand, the increased blood flow through your body and the increase in your heart rate could cause a release of adrenaline and other hormones that would make your libido skyrocket. Additionally, there is something to be said for how you feel about yourself after a sweaty session at the gym. If you feel hot and tired, then sexual stimulation of any sort may not be in the forefront of your mind. If, however, you feel strong and athletically sexy, then that confidence could definitely manifest itself in a desire to be closer to your partner.

In the end, there is no definitive answer to this question, no set quantity of reps or time on the elliptical that will lead to a peak in your sex drive. There is no doubt, however, that time at the gym will affect your libido. It is up to you to listen to your body and discover how that effect manifests itself for you.

Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,

Are there particular foods that can act as aphrodisiacs, and if so, which ones? Or is that just an old wives' tale?

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Hungry for Love

Dear Hungry for Love,

The first edible items that come to mind when you mention aphrodisiacs are strawberries, champagne, chocolate and oysters. The image of these items as being in some way sexual comes to us from many movies and other media images. But is there truth to the image?

It is well known that sugar can increase the release of specific hormones in the brain that cause a happy, excited feeling often referred to as a "sugar high." Chocolate and strawberries could definitely induce a sugar high, and champagne has alcohol that in small doses can have a similar effect and in large quantities decreases a person's inhibitions due to intoxication.

In addition, these foods are often considered fancy and luxurious, thus eating them with an attractive partner can heighten the sense of romance and lead to increased feelings of and desire for pleasure. This is easily attributed to images that we have been fed through the media, but as with any stereotype, there is a small grain of truth.

If your intent in asking this question, however, is to decide what to serve your significant other on your next night out to "get you in the mood," may I suggest an easier fix? Serve your partner his or her favorite food. It'll not only show that you listened and took him or her into account when you planned the meal, but your partner will also surely be put in a very good mood if presented with his or her favorite meal.

Bon appetit!

Sexpert