Sexual activity declines with age - and so may inclination. Men and women both produce oestrogen and testosterone, men two thirds more testosterone than women. As men age, there is a slow decline in hormone production and this will affect his interest in sex.

As women lose oestrogen our testosterone is better felt, making us more interested in sex. However, our sexual interest is influenced by contextual factors such as body image, the state of our relationship with our partner, health, depression and medication. Hormonal changes make us more assertive, and our memory, focus and moods decline, while men follow rather than lead.

Getting Physical

As we move into peri-menopause from age 45, our loss of oestrogen manifests in physical as well as cognitive changes. Night sweats, hot flushes, vaginal dryness and a lowered libido remove our interest to be sexual, and fat redistribution occurs - tummies, upper arms, inner thighs and bums spread out. But many of these problems are easily regulated through the correct use of hormone replenishment. And our increased assertiveness, combined with the confidence of life experiences, can make us more passionate in our middle years, and more open to experimentation.

The positives are plenty - once we are hormonally replete, we are capable of experiencing profound sexual pleasure. Research shows our attitude to ageing and menopause affects our menopause more than the actual physical changes that naturally occur.

Good Timing

Men in their forties or fifties take longer to reach climax and have less forceful orgasms as blood flow slows and muscle tone lessons. About 52% of men ages between 40 and 70 experience impotence as a result of psychological and physical factors, with a close connection between erectile dysfunction and heart disease, hypertension and medication prescribed to deal with these and other medical problems. If one partner develops a sexual difficulty or dysfunction, it will create a sexual difficulty in the other. For example, if she has hypoactive (low) sexual disorder, he may develop early ejaculation knowing she really doesn't want to be sexual.

Erectile dysfunction will also lead to premature ejaculation in some men. They know they'll be unable to sustain their erection to complete intercourse, so they develop premature ejaculation as a tool to satisfy themselves, leading to further dissatisfaction in their partners. Treatment of the erectile disorder leads to the successful control of the premature ejaculation. The presence of physical causes rather than psychological ones is much greater in men of 40-plus. It's essential for men in this age group to check if they develop erectile dysfunction, because there could be many serious underlying diseases such as coronary disease or diabetes that could be detected and treated or prevented.

Younger Models

It's a cliché of middle age that men trade in their women for younger models, fired by flagging self image and fleeting youth. Male menopause as a result of a drop in testosterone level can be identified by clinical symptoms - depression, body fat redistribution, lack of motivation and focus and low libidos. Finding a younger woman may be a temporary fix, but these men actually need hormone replacement. Of course men find younger bodies more attractive - the media has socialized men to prefer them. Women too, which is why we struggle with ageing.

For both sexes this is complicated by adjustment to empty nests and a desire for newness in all areas of life. All this can make us ripe for affairs. Men of 40-plus have all the tools to satisfy younger women; money, experience, time and non-competitive behavior.

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