Testosterone and erections

K2000

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
36
What mechanisms does testosterone activate which then leads to stronger erections?

To give this a bit of context, I tried trt for a while and noticed slightly better erections, but didn't notice any other benefits and put quite a bit of weight on, hence stopping.
 
Last edited:

Beastmode

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
1,258
I agree with @ecstatichamster. I think it has to be looked from a the totality of the individual (all hormones, lifestyle, etc.)

When my T was low, I could still maintain strong erections with no issues.

I feel a hell of a lot better these days and my T is most likely a lot higher. However, I still maintain strong erections with no issues. The big difference for me is I have far more satisfying ejaculations compared to the "I need to have sex again soon" b/c my system was in a more stressed state.
 

schultz

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
2,653
I think Ray said it's causes blood to be kept in the penis. Not sure of the mechanics though (constriction of muscle?)
 

Dr. B

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
4,320
I agree with @ecstatichamster. I think it has to be looked from a the totality of the individual (all hormones, lifestyle, etc.)

When my T was low, I could still maintain strong erections with no issues.

I feel a hell of a lot better these days and my T is most likely a lot higher. However, I still maintain strong erections with no issues. The big difference for me is I have far more satisfying ejaculations compared to the "I need to have sex again soon" b/c my system was in a more stressed state.

it also depends how sensitive receptors or something are to androgens? apparently with semen retention, T levels didnt change or even lowered but the receptor density or sensitivity increased, so the numerical value being lower didnt negatively impact things. do you notice a difference in ejaculation satisfaction if its sex vs masturbation? Ray has said he doesnt think the effects would be different whether ejaculation is from sex or masturbation which makes sense... as with sex its just someone else doing the touching for you.
 

Beastmode

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
1,258
it also depends how sensitive receptors or something are to androgens? apparently with semen retention, T levels didnt change or even lowered but the receptor density or sensitivity increased, so the numerical value being lower didnt negatively impact things. do you notice a difference in ejaculation satisfaction if its sex vs masturbation? Ray has said he doesnt think the effects would be different whether ejaculation is from sex or masturbation which makes sense... as with sex its just someone else doing the touching for you.
No difference. When my metabolic system was ***t, neither was fully satisfactory.

I've done retention before and after improving my health. The only difference for me is there's far less "stress" perceived.

Nowadays I don't link sex with the need for ejaculation. That in itself has become less of a conceptual idea that I wanted to adopt to something that I just experience without effort.
 

tallglass13

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
838
Ray has said that testosterone releases Nitric Oxide to keep the blood flow going. he said that in a interview with Patrick Timpone. Ray was talking about how progesterone shrinks the penis, and Patrick was so surprised Ray had said that. Ray's answer was that Progesterone opposes testosterone, and since it does that, progesterone has a cold water effect.
 

Dr. B

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
4,320
No difference. When my metabolic system was ***t, neither was fully satisfactory.

I've done retention before and after improving my health. The only difference for me is there's far less "stress" perceived.

Nowadays I don't link sex with the need for ejaculation. That in itself has become less of a conceptual idea that I wanted to adopt to something that I just experience without effort.
yeah mate on some of the nofap forums theres a mix of people, some who just think porn is bad but fappings fine, some who are more monkmode and avoid ejaculation entirely, and then theres some dudes who dont technically fap but are married or have partners who they sleep with regularly, but also claim to be on a nofap "streaks" of hundreds of days. they claim to experience benefits but it seems they are mostly mental benefits. apparently in the past, boxers and other athletes would give up ejaculation entirely for a certain period of time to get an energy boost before athletic events or fights.
 

Dr. B

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
4,320
Ray has said that testosterone releases Nitric Oxide to keep the blood flow going. he said that in a interview with Patrick Timpone. Ray was talking about how progesterone shrinks the penis, and Patrick was so surprised Ray had said that. Ray's answer was that Progesterone opposes testosterone, and since it does that, progesterone has a cold water effect.
interesting stuff, so supplemental progesterone should be avoided unless its needed for some serious health issues?
strangely cortisol has the same effect of shrinking the penis. do you think progesterone shrinks many organs and glands. cortisol seems to shrink all the organs and glands.
 
Last edited:

tallglass13

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
838
interesting stuff, so supplemental progesterone should be avoided unless its needed for some serious health issues?
strangely cortisol has the same effect of shrinking the penis. do you think progesterone shrinks many organs and glands. cortisol seems to shrink all the organs and glands.
Ray continues to state that Progesterone will only go to cortisol if needed to replace low cortisol, but will not continue to increase cortisol. Progesterone seems like awesome stuff, but too much for a man can cause that "cold water effect". I have used it and found it increase my libido and erections. however , there is a fine line.
 

equipoise

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
620
Location
Europe
interesting stuff, so supplemental progesterone should be avoided unless its needed for some serious health issues?
strangely cortisol has the same effect of shrinking the penis. do you think progesterone shrinks many organs and glands. cortisol seems to shrink all the organs and glands.
Ray is saying a higher dose of Prog can lead to temporary penis shrinkage, big deal. Lower dosages have been nothing but good for me. It boost aesthetics the most, ranging from hair to eyes to skin to muscle hardness to digestion, there's so many things it's pointless to name it all. Throw in some DHEA in there and forget about shrinkage
 

Dr. B

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
4,320
Ray is saying a higher dose of Prog can lead to temporary penis shrinkage, big deal. Lower dosages have been nothing but good for me. It boost aesthetics the most, ranging from hair to eyes to skin to muscle hardness to digestion, there's so many things it's pointless to name it all. Throw in some DHEA in there and forget about shrinkage

are these things safe to use though couldnt they be interfering with some other hormones or pathways we havent discovered yet. especially for people with high cortisol/autoimmune type diseases couldnt the prog/dhea convert into cortisol/estrogen or somehow worsen those things. what effect do you get on your hair eyes skin with it
 

Explorer

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
499
yeah mate on some of the nofap forums theres a mix of people, some who just think porn is bad but fappings fine, some who are more monkmode and avoid ejaculation entirely, and then theres some dudes who dont technically fap but are married or have partners who they sleep with regularly, but also claim to be on a nofap "streaks" of hundreds of days. they claim to experience benefits but it seems they are mostly mental benefits. apparently in the past, boxers and other athletes would give up ejaculation entirely for a certain period of time to get an energy boost before athletic events or fights.
Also many NoFappers have the Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome, occurs after each orgasm always, only time it went away was while sick with a cold/fever, have had it since puberty, other things like stress and exercise can trigger POIS-like symptoms too
 

equipoise

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
620
Location
Europe
are these things safe to use though couldnt they be interfering with some other hormones or pathways we havent discovered yet. especially for people with high cortisol/autoimmune type diseases couldnt the prog/dhea convert into cortisol/estrogen or somehow worsen those things. what effect do you get on your hair eyes skin with it
Human body is so complex that I absolutely have no idea how to answer your question. I don't think anyone can, Ray Peat or no Ray Peat. What I can know is Ray Peat definitely knows more than any doctor I've came across and most of the stuff makes sense. And the more I test stuff, the more it makes sense. I remember at first thinking he's crazy old man.

Hair straightens out, gets amazing texture, colour is more pronounced. Eyes looking sharp, canthal tilt gets a bit more positively tilted, they just look that much more alive. Skin on P4 is perfect, pairing it with walking in the sun, the natural glow from being out and about in the nature, basking in the glory of afternoon gold striking my eyes...P4 reduces edema a lot, jawline is chiseled etc. I've observed nothing negative from it.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2020
Messages
246
I just must be one of those unfortunate sods. I've experimented with both pro-hormones e.g DHEA, Pregnenolone, Androsterone in both low and high doses, and hormones like T and both utterly ruined my EQ and girth until i got off them. They did make me the leanest i have ever been though but i don't mind having 16% BF if it means my junk doesn't get ****88 with as a caveat to that. I have a pretty thick penis naturally, and T made it thinner for whatever reason and gave my erections a spongy quality... I tend to not want to mess with hormones anymore as i haven't had anywhere near the benefits that people tend to report from them(other than maintaining more muscle and a lower BF). I've had some positive sexual characteristic benefits from taking OTC aromatase inhibitors though. I find that the mechanisms with hormones tend to be far too complex and numerous to decypher them IME, so i simply don't bother.
 
T

TheBeard

Guest
What mechanisms does testosterone activate which then leads to stronger erections?

To give this a bit of context, I tried trt for a while and noticed slightly better erections, but didn't notice any other benefits and put quite a bit of weight on, hence stopping.

It doesn't.
My erections are much stronger when my T is on the lower side.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom