Want Great Sex When You’re 70? What You Do NOW Matters

Here’s something I’ve learned after years of practicing urology: people will move mountains for their sexual health in ways they won’t for almost anything else. I had a patient once—a really nice guy, married for decades—who came to see me needing a penile implant. He’d tried everything: pills, vacuum devices, injections. Nothing worked because he had severe, uncontrolled diabetes with a hemoglobin A1C over 9 (normal is under 5.1). His doctors had been begging him for years to control his blood sugar to prevent blindness, kidney failure, amputation, and heart attack. But it wasn’t until his erectile function was on the line that he actually did it. In just four months, he transformed his diet, committed to his medications, and got that number down. That story has stayed with me for years because it reveals a profound truth: we vastly underestimate how sexual health impacts our motivation to actually change. And if you want to have great sex at 70, what you do right now—today—matters enormously.

Your Sexual Health Is a Biomarker for Your Overall Health

Most of us think of sexual health as separate from “real” health—something to sweep under the rug or deal with only if problems arise. But here’s what the research shows: your sexual function is one of the most sensitive indicators of your overall cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and wellness. When you can achieve and maintain an erection, have satisfying orgasms, and enjoy a robust sex life, you’re looking at a body that’s getting adequate blood flow, has good vascular health, healthy hormones, and strong neurovascular function.

Conversely, erectile dysfunction, low libido, or decreased sexual satisfaction often shows up before you get diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, or other serious conditions. Sexual problems are frequently the canary in the coal mine. This is why I always tell patients: invest in your sexual health not just for the pleasure (though that matters!), but because you’re simultaneously investing in your longevity and quality of life.

Build Your Sexual Foundation Now: The Four Pillars

Think of your sexual health like a house. Every house needs a strong foundation, and that foundation has four critical pillars:

• Fuel: What you eat directly impacts sexual performance. Your metabolic health, cardiovascular fitness, and ability to maintain erections all depend on proper nutrition. Poor diet accelerates erectile dysfunction and hormonal imbalances.
• Strength: This includes both general cardiovascular fitness and something most people never think about—your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor muscles are absolutely essential for sexual function in both men and women, yet almost no one trains them deliberately.
• Environment: This goes beyond just sleep and stress (though those matter). It includes the media you consume, the company you keep, your actual sleep quality, stress management, and even environmental toxins that can disrupt hormones and sexual function.
• Confidence: Understanding your own anatomy, your partner’s anatomy, how to communicate about desire, and how sexuality changes across your lifespan. This “soft science” matters just as much as the physical components.

Build these pillars now, and you’re not being reactive—you’re being proactive about maintaining sexual vitality for decades.

The Preventable Tragedy: Why Early Education Changes Everything

In my practice, I see men who’ve struggled with erectile dysfunction for years—not months, years—trying supplement after supplement, hack after hack, without anyone ever explaining why they had the problem in the first place. That’s the real tragedy. Once you understand the root cause, so much of it becomes fixable. A man with undiagnosed diabetes, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome could transform his sexual function (and his entire life) by addressing blood sugar control. A man with low testosterone could restore his libido and erectile function with proper treatment. A man with pelvic floor dysfunction could regain stamina and control.

But none of that happens if we stay silent. None of that happens if people don’t have access to accurate, evidence-based information. Instead, they get preyed upon by people selling sketchy biohacks and supplements with no scientific backing. I’ve had patients permanently damage themselves chasing miracle cures because they didn’t understand the risks.

Sex Moves People in Ways Nothing Else Does—Use That Power

Let me be direct: if you struggle to commit to exercise, healthy eating, or stress management for your heart, your kidneys, or your future health, you might find that sexual performance is the motivator that finally sticks. This isn’t shallow—it’s human. Sex is one of the few places in adult life where we get to be playful, vulnerable, intimate, and fully present with another person without an agenda or a to-do list. For many people, it’s the only time they truly feel that connection.

Use that motivation. Use the fact that sexual vitality matters to you deeply. Let that be the reason you finally prioritize your diet, start strength training, manage your stress, and commit to better sleep. The cardiovascular fitness required for great sex is the same fitness that protects your heart. The blood sugar control that preserves erectile function also prevents diabetes complications. The stress management that boosts libido also extends your life.

What You Do Right Now Determines Your Sex Life at 70

Here’s the reality: sexual function doesn’t suddenly appear or disappear at 70. It’s the cumulative result of decades of choices. A man who smokes, stays sedentary, eats poorly, and ignores his blood pressure at 40 won’t magically have great sexual function at 70. But a man who builds these four pillars—good nutrition, cardiovascular and pelvic floor strength, healthy sleep and stress, and confidence in his sexuality—creates the conditions for sexual vitality that can last into his 70s, 80s, and beyond.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional. It’s about understanding that your sexual health is health, not an extracurricular concern. It deserves the same attention you give your cholesterol, your blood pressure, and your weight.

Your Action Steps Starting Today

• Schedule a comprehensive health check with your doctor. Include blood sugar, blood pressure, testosterone (if male), and cholesterol. Know your numbers.
• Assess your diet. Are you eating whole foods, lean proteins, plenty of vegetables? Start making one upgrade this week.
• Start moving. Even 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise most days makes a profound difference in sexual function.
• Train your pelvic floor. Whether you’re male or female, pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) should be part of your routine—not just if you’re having problems.
• Audit your sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours. Sexual function requires good sleep.
• Talk to your partner. Have an honest conversation about desire, changes you’ve noticed, and what you both want your sex life to look like.

Your sexual health is your health. The time to build that foundation isn’t when you’re already having problems. It’s now.

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