Hear Free Radical Report

As we age there are many changes we go through, but these changes do not generally decrease sex drive. However, these changes may become barriers for fulfillment of intimacy needs. Loss of partner can be a barrier to intimacy need that older adults experience. Women tend to longer than male. Although they have sexual drive and want to become sexually active but lack of sexual partner may get in the way of her sexual satisfaction. Similarly, decline in sexual function may be another barrier. As men age 10% to 20% of men in the general population of report to have erectile dysfunction (Corona et al., 2010). Erectile dysfunction may cause longer time to have an erection, may not be firm and the erection may not last long enough as it used to. With age, individual suffer from many diseases. Medications and surgeries for the treatment of disease can also affect ability to have and enjoy sex. When females age they go through menopause which causes to decrease in estrogen level leading to decrease in elasticity, thinning of vaginal wall and decrease in lubrication. These changes lead to painful intercourse, which may result in some people avoiding sex (National Institute on Aging, 2015).
Heart disease is one of the common chronic conditions that are present in older adults. It is also one of the top causes of death for older adults. Heart disease has a great impact on sexuality and intimacy. People who have a heart disease avoid sexual intercourse due to the fear of having heart attack. Medication used in heart diseases usually decrease blood pressure decreases the ability of the penis to fill with blood, leading to an inability to get or maintain an erection and hence affects sexuality (National Institute on Aging, 2015). In addition to this, individual with heart disease suffer from weakness and fatigue so they may avoid sexual intercourse.

Free radical theory was developed by Denham Harman in 1956.
The term free radical describes any molecule that has a free electron, and this property makes it react with healthy molecules in a destructive way. Free radicals are known to attack the structure of cell membranes, which then create metabolic waste products. Such toxic accumulations interfere with cell communication, disturb DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, lower energy levels and generally impede vital chemical processes. It is believed that free radicals create damage that gives rise to symptoms of aging like wrinkles and decrease in elasticity in the skin and muscles (Theories of aging, n.d.). Change in appearance, decrease energy, painful intercourse due to lack of elasticity, and so on affects a person’s desire to have
sex.