In an earlier piece we had referred to the impact of testosterone and Covid-19 and how the perception has changed since the pandemic has been around.

Therefore, we read with interest the comments of Dr Naresh Purohit, Executive Member of the Indian Society of Sexual Medicine and Visiting Professor at the West Bengal University of Health Sciences, on the topic were recently reported by UNI.

The eminent doctor made some extremely relevant observations on the various ways in which Covid has an impact on sex, sexuality, testosterone, erection issues and fertility.

It may be useful to think of the observations along the lines of the psychological and the physiological. Under the former there are issues such as young people not finding a way to meet or find partners for sex, given the justified focus on physical isolation. We have seen a number of pieces on this issue in global news outlets such as the New York Times and The Guardian, and feel that as an issue this has not received sufficient attention in India. Therefore it is a valuable contribution to developing an understanding of the implications by Dr Purohit.

Under physiological issues, the piece enlightens the reader on a lesser known impact of Covid. That it potentially impacts the testicles, interfering with testosterone production which can bring down sperm production and also lead to erection challenges. Of course, the two types of issues are intertwined, because experiencing erection challenges has a psychological toll, and also the stigma that prevails around it stops men from seeking help. This point has been highlighted in the comments, which must help at least some men facing these issues.

You can, of course, learn more about testosterone and how to boost it by taking this interactive quiz here.