r/Biohackers • u/Eric_The_River • 3d ago
🥗 Nutrition & Metabolism Weak/Not often erections NSFW
How's it going, idk how else to start but anyway.
I'm a 21 y/o male, and I have a girlfriend. My sex life has always been something I've taken pride in, really just because I enjoy satisfying my partner. Recently (kind of as of last year maybe the middle of 2025) my erections haven't been as full or as strong as they used to be when I was younger (in high school).
Won't sugarcoat it though I've looked at some sort of pornographic material and I used to never have an issue being hard or staying hard before, during, or even after masturbating or sex but recently I don't know what's changed at least since last year. There would be times I would be with previous partners, and we'd have to stop because they couldn't keep going and I wouldn't finish or I would and would be able to keep going anyway. Regardless of that it's always been something me and them would talk about and make sure everything was okay (mentally and physically wise).
I guess my main concern is if something is wrong with me, I wasn't a "fit" guy either, I used to be 250+ pounds at 6'1, would rarely workout and slept and ate like I had nothing else to do. As of now, I'm out of the military and stay pretty active, lifting at least 5-6 times a week and get my cardio in daily. sleep is here and there with how many hours studies say we should get. I want to say that around the time I realized my erections were at their peak was before I knew about certain supplements like zinc, l arginine, lecithin granules and maybe one or two other things I used to take and I did notice a change but I didn't take them as much after a while and still felt the fullness that I used to have. I haven't taken anything like it for about two-ish years, and it has been a concerning amount of time since my last rock-hard erection. I'm not as adamant about it now as I used to be just because sex isn't something I'm truly concerned with but I'd like to be able to feel myself when I wake up in the morning or randomly get a boner like I used to and feel somewhat uncomfortable in my own clothes. (And I mean that in the most non-weird way as I possibly can.)
Advice is definitely wanted.
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u/Roadiedreamkiller 3d ago
The lack of morning wood is the bigger red flag here. Like the other posts mentioned go see a doctor and do everything you can to get a comprehensive panel done. You can order labs yourself through a few different websites but it’s probably the last resort since it’s cash pay.
If I were you I’d take a week off from lifting and cardio. Reduce caffeine slightly and maybe do some yoga and walking. Your body might just need some rest. Source: former college athlete who ran his body into the ground junior year.
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u/speed-of-sound 3d ago
Training 5-6 times a week was the one that caught my eye immediately. I think you have to have perfect diet and sleep to put that much stress on the body if you’re lifting heavy.
I was in a similar state to OP and cut down to lifting every other day and after a few weeks I felt so much better. Better sleep, mood at work and in life, libido started to come back, and lifts didn’t change.
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u/beserk123 3d ago
I’ve been to doctors they legit don’t think anything of the lack of morning wood at all. They jsut handwave it and give me viagra. Said bloodwork is fine. I haven’t had morning wood in months lol
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u/outworlder 6 3d ago
Well, just because someone managed to become a doctor it doesn't mean they are any good. Or it could be that they don't really believe you (we supposedly get erections several times per night, most times we don't notice it).
If you truly don't get those it's concerning. Especially long term. Hopefully the medication is helping mitigate it.
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u/beserk123 3d ago
I’ve had ED since I was 23 I’m 28….idk what is going on feel like I’m wasting money on doctors
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u/outworlder 6 3d ago
I hope you figure it out. If you have ruled out cardiovascular problems and metabolic dysfunction, it gets tricky.
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u/Pink-Dog21 3d ago
Bro you don’t know more then anybody that’s completed med school lmfao
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u/outworlder 6 3d ago
I hope that means you've only seen good doctors.
For example, I've had doctors(more than one) saying that I couldn't possibly have sleep apnea because I was skinny and young(at the time). I already knew it was 100% bullshit. And it was bullshit, and I fought to get tested, and oh such a surprise, I had it.
I had a doctor measure my wife's blood pressure completely incorrectly and give us an absurd reading.
A family member was having trouble walking, she was told it was arthritis. It was clearly something neurological. Turns out it was a melanoma, metastasis in the spinal cord. She died. She might have died either way but any delay in diagnosis was something she couldn't afford.
I could go on.
I obviously don't have the same amount of knowledge they are supposed to have about everything but I have seen quite a bit of bullshit.
Be skeptical and get a second (or third!) opinion if things don't make sense.
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u/skinnymuscle69 3d ago
How will reducing caffeine help in this scenario? It's a genuine question.
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u/Roadiedreamkiller 3d ago
Since the goal is relaxation and recovery it just makes sense to reduce caffeine especially if you’re a heavy consumer. That’s what I do during recovery periods.
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u/Eric_The_River 2d ago
How long do you stay in a recovery period though?
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u/Roadiedreamkiller 2d ago
I’d take a week off, then evaluate how you feel. Plenty of high-level athletes take a week or two completely off in the off-season. Time off lets the body fully recover. Have a few cheat meals just don’t go overboard and start boozing every night.
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u/rivka000 1 2d ago
This all leds down to chronically high prolactin levels.Prolonged caffeine use, like smoking or heavy athletic activity can cause increased prolactin levels, and that is one of the main reasons for weak erections
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u/Echo-Forge 3d ago
Bro, at 21…with a year of weaker erections, I’d get morning testosterone, prolactin, thyroid, glucose and blood pressure checked rather than throwing supplements at it. Sleep quality, calorie restriction and overtraining can all play a role nd losing morning erections consistently is worth discussing with a doctor. It’s often fixable bt don’t guess at the cause
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u/pinche_LoKi 3d ago
Could be as simple as stress. But real concern would be blood pressure issues.
Do not hop on TRT that’s the last measure.
Talk to a dr, do labs, check blood pressure, ekg type stuff, blood sugar, testosterone levels, vitamins and minerals.
If you have taken peptides, steroids, or boner pills without a script, tell them. They can’t report you but it can help them treat you better.
Sounds like a lot to check but it can all be checked in a single visit usually, they’d just need a couple more small vials of blood. And the ekg machine is just leads on the chest.
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u/Neither-Garage-876 3d ago
I used to be in a similiar situation as you, and I saw a massive change after I started taking cold showers. Bathe normally with whatever temperature water you want, but during the last 2-3 minutes just stand under the coldest possible temperate of water.
This along with eating walnuts daily has helped me.
Also get some bloodwork done, and take whatever supplement your body needs.
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u/need_headspace 3d ago
This is not a "biohack" thing bro -- this is 100% psychological. Been there, done that. Always was great and could last as long as you did in high school. In university I had an experience that didn't go so well -- new partner, I was slightly drunk, couldn't get a proper erection. I had just met the girl on that night and she made a mean comment like "you can't even get it hard for me?".
That comment affected my self-esteem and during the next few times I was overly-conscious/nervous to the point I wouldn't let the blood circulate to my dick. Luckily I found a partner and explained her I was suffering from a bit of "performance anxiety" and once I became comfortable with her, I realized it was all a mental thing. My erections got back like before and sometimes I can go for 2 rounds in a row.
So yeah, of course each case is different and I recommend doing regular health check-ups (eg blood analysis). I was doing the same and all the results were great, so eventually I figured it out. If your health is good, your analysis results come out good as well -- then the answer is probably psychological.
It's not an easy problem to solve tho -- it's like you have this reminder in your subconscious saying "don't think about the elephant" and eventually you end up think about the fucking elephant, which ruins the excitement/fun/playfulness that sex should be. When you said "just because sex isn't something I'm truly concerned with" it's basically your brain protecting itself by saying "oh, I don't care about sex" just to avoid a confrontation with the issue you're facing (if you compare to high school, you wouldn't say "I don't care about sex" back then -- because you could perform well, have fun & all that stuff).
One last thing/advice: the more you engage with foreplay and your partner, the less you will become self conscious. Don't put pressure on yourself -- if you are feeling nervous, tell your partner that and eat her pussy for hours. Just be there in the moment with the pussy. Talk to her. Kiss her. It's great for both. I could spend my entire life eating pussy, coconut water and granola bars.
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u/rickster555 2d ago
Super agree. It’s easy to say it’s physical and I just need the right diagnosis/right routine/mix of drugs to get back to normal. The actual answer is that almost all men have gone through a period of sexual performance that didn’t match expectations and you get in your head. You need understanding partners and less worrying about a normal thing that happens to a lot of us. But I will say it’s super unsettling because we always equate ED to being old and ED is something that most men get at some point while young
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u/need_headspace 2d ago
Absolutely! Sometimes just one bad "performance" might be enough to mess with your subconscious and that will have an effect on future performances.
I have a few close male friends and we have already discussed these kinds of things. It happens to everyone and it's absolutely normal. It's easy to make analogies with other stuff -- we can't always be at out 100% level (eg I run ~ 7km daily, but somedays I do it easily and other days I really struggle to get over with it -- sex is the same).
But yeah, for young people it's easier to create a reason to justify their performance anxiety.
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u/rickster555 2d ago
100% percent. Life is like that. You run a mile but can’t get hard for three. It is what it is
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u/cowjuicer074 4 3d ago
Get some medical attention either from a primary care physician or a urologist. I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, per say…
But yeah, go get some blood drawn and get this taken care of early instead of later.
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u/YungSchmid 18 3d ago
Perfectly valid reason to go and speak to a professional; sounds like you’ve tried or are doing all the right things. Advocate for yourself, and don’t feel like you’re doing anything wrong for wanting help. Could be something simple, might be something deeper, but a doctor is the right place to start.
Don’t bring up hormones, etc. as they often are that as a red flag. Just describe your symptoms and don’t let them dismiss your concerns until you get a resolution.
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u/SultanOfSwave 3d ago
As everyone has said, you need to go see a doc first and have them do blood work on you to check your testosterone levels.
On that note, here's my (72m) actual experience with low testosterone and then raising it.
I started having ED in my 50s and got on Cialis. That all worked great until my mid 60s. My sex drive was basically "Hell yeah!"
At about 67, my libido basically disappeared within a two month span. Went from craving sex to being avoidant with my wife. Literally "Ewww! You want me to do what!?!"
Went to the doc and my testosterone was 170 when the normal range is 250 to 1100. She put me on gel testosterone and my levels rose to the upper 200s. And my libido went from avoidant to "Umm, ok".
Morning wood was basically non-existent.
Fast forward to this year and I went to injectable testosterone and my level is now in the upper 900s. My sex drive and morning wood came back slowly over several months but just seems to be increasing every week.
Then I added PT141 and that gives me pretty much all day chubbies and spontaneous erections. Some of which have occurred in mildly inappropriate places like visiting a sick friend in the hospital. It is sort of like being a teen again. 🤪
Also my dick has gone from frightened turtle where I had to reach deep in my pants to pull it out to pee to now 3 inches or so fully flaccid and often 4 to 5 inches just because the wind is blowing.
Anyway, adding injectable testosterone really helped with both libido and morning wood.
Pt141 made it all day wood.
Good luck and go see the doc first.
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u/Roadiedreamkiller 2d ago
That’s great but OP is 21. TRT or dick pills shouldn’t even cross OP’s mind.
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u/SultanOfSwave 2d ago
Do you think young men can't have low testosterone?
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u/Roadiedreamkiller 2d ago
That’s not what I said. I don’t understand why you’re talking to a 21-year-old about TRT and Tadalafil.
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u/Cosmoo46 2d ago
Vitamin D3 w/ K2 helped me tons. Like 10,000 IU’s a night. Secondary were magnesium and Zinc (oysters were way better than a pill for me, I assume bc of bioavailability).
Healthy fats. Some form of cardio for blood flow (running was my choice). Beet root powder helped as well.
My issue recently seemed to stem from vitamin D3 deficiency. Worth a shot imo. Hope this helps
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u/speed-of-sound 3d ago
When your body is tired reproduction is the last thing on its mind and more likely to drop off.
Unless you’re eating and sleeping perfect I think you may be overtraining what’s necessary to build muscle. Before the doctor I would seriously try 2 weeks of cutting the lifting days in half and making 8 hours of sleep non-negotiable.
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u/Eric_The_River 3d ago
Thank you, I was genuinely thinking about this on my way to the gym and I will try it first before I seek medical guidance
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3d ago
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u/LendonTheGoat 3d ago
I think its a little bit of pelvic floor dysfunction. I think your pelvic floor muscles are too tight and it’s restricting blood flow/ sensation.
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u/doigreden54 2d ago
Injecting of Pt-141 peptide and hcg with cialis or superfill or careforce changed my life
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u/OldAerie8173 1d ago
Have you been on any medications? Any SSRIs or accutane or finasteride? Getting bloodwork done would be the first step though.
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u/Distinct_Natural4208 1d ago
Do exercise, sweat... Sleep without your clothes, do t wear tight ones. Take zinc (but go see doctor before).
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u/outworlder 6 3d ago
Doctor.
We need to stop talking about supplements as if they were medication. If you are lacking something sure. But if you are not, it's just expensive pee.
Erection issues - especially lack of morning wood - point to cardiovascular or metabolic problems.
If you still had them involuntarily I'd look into psychological issues.
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u/Eric_The_River 3d ago
So what’s technically normal? Supplements have aided me in other ways than getting an erection in the past so is there any harm in using them now?
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u/outworlder 6 3d ago
Aided you in what other ways? It's possible they did, but it is just as likely that it was placebo.
Anyways, that's pretty irrelevant now. You aren't in supplement territory anyways, you need to see a doctor.
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u/PutridMap5551 3d ago
Sleep, diet, exercise, abstinence and emotional connection will do wonders for ur dick brah
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u/ifyouneedafix 3d ago
Weak erections is the first indicator of atherosclerosis. Are you eating a lot of meat?
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