As we have already seen, the high stress of training (and of combat) would already have an effect on testosterone, so adding to this effect would be ill-advised, and if saltpeter had actually been used and worked, the effects produced would probably have been more than expected. Lowered testosterone would be a very undesirable symptom for a soldier, as it would decrease aggression, but also physical strength and stamina and a host of other detrimental effects. Before the advent of the MRE, which are low-moisture or dehydrated foods sealed in vacuum-packed plastic pouches, soldiers belied their C-rations were spiked with saltpeter.Ĭuriously, if you think about it, such an effort, to reduce libido in men, would, if it were possible, include a decrease in testosterone. This myth has been extended, in modern times, to include the claim that MRE’s (Meal’s Ready to Eat) are laced with saltpeter as well. The belief, or even the hint, that our food or water is laced with such a substance may well help along with the very symptom the substance is said to cause! As female readers may imagine, however, the idea that something is being administered to us which will mess up our erections, well, that is a great source of anxiety. Just replace the word salt with soft and you will understand what I mean. There is absolutely no scientific evidence that saltpeter reduces sex drive in men, or that it prevents men from getting erections, which was part of the “colorful terms” my fellow trainee provided in answer to my query. It is used to preserve meat, temper steel, and to make gunpowder and fireworks. Saltpeter is a common term for potassium nitrate. That’s right, the body produces its own form of saltpeter which works much better! Stress is not just mental, it has a marked physical effect on the body. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol will be high, and this signals the body to produce fewer testosterone precursors while cortisol itself blocks the effects of testosterone, thus leading to a decrease in sex drive and even the ability to produce an erection. Ironically, this high stress level may reduce testosterone levels just when they need it most. Basic military training is a time of very high stress for most men. However, there is another, very simple reason, why a man might have a diminished desire for sex during military training: He is exhausted, both mentally and physically, and he simply has no time to think about anything but rest and not having more abuse heaped on him by his training instructor.Īs well, there may be a more technical explanation. Thus, it is easy to assume that there is indeed a substance being administered that is responsible for this decrease in libido. It is true that most men in military training experience a decrease in sex drive.
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