Experts explain how a penis changes in size, appearance, and sexual
function with age.
It’s no secret that a man’s sexual function declines with age. As his testosterone
level falls, it takes more to arouse him. Once aroused, he takes longer to get
an erection and to achieve orgasm and, following orgasm, to become aroused
again.
Age brings marked declines in semen volume and sperm quality. Erectile
dysfunction (ED), or impotence, is clearly linked to advancing years; studies
show that between the ages of 40 and 70, the percentage of potent men falls
from 60 per cent to roughly 30per cent.
Men also experience a gradual decline in urinary function. A man’s
urine stream weakens over time as a consequence of weakened bladder muscles
and, in many cases, prostate enlargement.
And that is not all. Recent research confirms what men have long
suspected and, in some cases, feared. The penis itself undergoes significant changes
as a man moves from his sexual prime; around age 30 for most men into middle
age and on to older age. These changes include:
Appearance.
There are two major changes. The head of the penis (glans) gradually
loses its color, the result of reduced blood flow. And there is a slow loss of
pubic hair. “As testosterone wanes, the penis gradually reverts to its
pre-pubertal, mostly hairless, state,” says Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of
sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego and editor-in-chief of The
Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Penis size.
Weight gain is common as men grow older. As fat accumulates on the
lower abdomen, the apparent size of the penis changes. Ira Sharlip, MD,
clinical professor of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco,
says, “A large pre-pubic fat pad makes the penile shaft look shorter.”
“In some cases, abdominal fat all but buries the penis,” says Ronald
Tamler, MD, PhD, co-director of the Men’s Health Program at Mount Sinai
Hospital in New York City. “One way I motivate my overweight patients is by
telling them that they can appear to gain up to an inch in size simply by
losing weight.”
In addition to this apparent shrinkage, the penis tends to undergo an
actual reduction in size. The reduction; in both length and thickness;
typically isn’t dramatic but may be noticeable. “If a man’s erect penis is 6
inches long when he is in his 30s, it might be 5 or 5-and-a-half inches when he
reaches his 60’s or 70’s,” Goldstein says.
What causes the penis to shrink? At least two mechanisms are involved.
One is the slow deposit of fatty substances (plaques) inside tiny arteries in
the penis, which impairs blood flow to the organ. This process, known as
atherosclerosis. This also contributes to blockages inside the coronary arteries;
a leading cause of heart attack.
Goldstein explains that another mechanism involves the gradual buildup
of relatively inelastic collagen (scar tissue) within the stretchy fibrous
sheath that surrounds the erection chambers. Erections occur when these chambers
fill with blood. In essence, blockages within the penile arteries and
increasingly inelastic chambers mean smaller erections.
As penis size changes, so does the size of the testicles. “Starting around
age 40, the testicles definitely begin to shrink,” Goldstein says. The
testicles of a 30-year-old man might measure three centimeters in diameter, he
says; those of a 60-year-old, perhaps measures only two centimeters.
Curvature.
If penile scar tissue accumulates unevenly, the penis can become
curved. This condition, known as Peyronie’s disease, occurs most commonly in
middle age. It can cause painful erections and make intercourse difficult. The
condition may require surgery.
Sensitivity.
Numerous studies have shown that the penis becomes less sensitive over
time. This can make it hard to achieve an erection and to have an orgasm.
Whether it renders orgasm less pleasurable is still an open question.
Experts say these changes need not ruin your erotic life. One recent
study showed significant declines in erectile function, libido, and ejaculatory
function in the men studied but only moderate decreases in sexual satisfaction.
The study’s authors concluded that, “Older men may be less likely to perceive these
declines as a problem and be dissatisfied.
As Goldstein puts it, “The most important ingredient for a satisfying
sex life is the ability to satisfy your partner. And that doesn’t require peak
sexual performance or a big penis.”
Courtesy: Men’s Health
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