Short Duration and Lack of Strength in Sexual Intercourse: Traditional Chinese Medicine Looks at Cause and Effect, Not a Stopwatch

Many people assume that a short duration in sexual intercourse means "kidney deficiency," and that a lack of strength calls for immediate "yang tonification." This is not necessarily the case. In TCM clinical practice, such problems are often not explained by a single kidney deficiency alone; rather, they are signals sent by the body when multiple internal forces fall out of balance—some people have excessive heart fire, some have liver qi stagnation, and others simply have a spleen and stomach too weak to support qi and blood. If one immediately focuses on "tonifying the kidney," the approach may go in the opposite direction, making things worse the more one supplements.

I. Between Excess and Deficiency: First Distinguish Between "Failure to Hold" and "Deficit and Damage"

From the perspective of TCM theory, the process of sexual intercourse depends on the coordinated cooperation of "the mind-spirit governing and controlling, liver qi governing free flow, and kidney essence governing storage." If any link fails, problems such as short duration and lack of strength may appear. Clinically, this type of condition is commonly seen in two completely different states: one is "what should be held cannot be held," and the other is "what should come out cannot come out." The former tends toward excess, the latter toward deficiency. The treatment principles are completely different and must not be confused.

1. Heart-Kidney Disharmony: Fire Drifting Above, Water Chilling Below

People in this state may often experience irritability, insomnia, and excessive dreaming, accompanied by soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, as well as oral ulcers and dry mouth and tongue. You see, the upper body is a ball of fire, the lower body a pool of cold water—fire and water each occupy their own domain and refuse to interact. Heart fire should descend but does not; kidney water should rise but does not. The whole body is like a room with the upper and lower floors disconnected—upstairs is hot enough to sweat, downstairs is cold enough to freeze.

If warm, drying tonics are mistakenly used at this time, it is like adding another log to the upstairs fire—the blaze grows stronger and the problem worsens. Clinically, the approach to this condition is to "guide fire back to its origin and connect the heart and kidney," allowing the fire above to descend and warm the lower body, and the water below to rise and moisten the upper body, restoring the balanced state of water and fire aiding each other.

In terms of food selection, Chinese yam (shanyao) is a very interesting option. It is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, entering the spleen, lung, and kidney channels. It is neither warm nor drying, neither cloying nor greasy. It can nourish spleen and stomach qi while also attending to the kidney's storage needs. For people with heart-kidney disharmony, Chinese yam does not create disturbance and helps build a foundation. Using Chinese yam to cook porridge or soup daily provides that gentle, balanced energy—it is not like a wild horse that needs taming, but more like a docile ox that quietly plows the field.

2. Liver Qi Stagnation: It's Not a Lack of Strength, It's That the Road Is Blocked

Another type of person is the opposite—they are not deficient in essence and blood; in fact, their physical foundation is quite good. But they are under high pressure, overthink, and their emotions are constantly tense. The liver governs free flow and regulates the movement of qi. When emotional well-being is long-term suppressed, liver qi becomes knotted. Think about it: a river has plenty of water, but if mud and sand block the middle, can the water flow smoothly downstream? By the same logic, when qi movement is blocked, essence and blood cannot reach where they need to go, and sexual function naturally lacks strength.

Such people often have distension and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, a tendency to sigh, irritability, and easy anger. The tongue may appear dark or the tongue tip red. If one only sees "short duration" and applies kidney-tonifying strategies, it is like pouring more water into a blocked river—the greater the water pressure, the higher the risk of a breach. The correct direction should be to soothe the liver and relieve stagnation, regulate qi and unblock the channels—first repair the "road" that is blocked.

Gordon euryale seed (qianshi) has its place here. It is neutral in nature, sweet and astringent in flavor, and enters the spleen and kidney channels. It excels at securing and restraining. You may wonder: how can an astringent herb like qianshi be used for liver qi stagnation? This is precisely the beauty of TCM—long-term liver depression tends to quietly consume yin essence. Qianshi helps the spleen transport and transform while quietly guarding kidney essence, preventing "loss of control" from worsening. It is not repairing the road, but before the road is fixed, it prevents the grain in the warehouse from continuing to leak.

3. Spleen Deficiency with Dampness: If Qi and Blood Have No Source, Where Does Strength Come From?

There is also a considerable number of people whose root problem lies neither in the heart nor the liver, but in the spleen and stomach. The spleen is the foundation of acquired constitution and the source of qi and blood generation. With frequent drinking sessions, constant takeout, and endless cold drinks, the spleen and stomach are overloaded for a long time, gradually losing their transporting and transforming power, and dampness turbidity is generated internally. At this point, the body is like a car filled with inferior gasoline—the tank is full, but combustion is incomplete, so power naturally fails to rise.

Common manifestations in such people include drowsiness after meals, sticky loose stools, heavy limbs, and a thick, greasy tongue coating. Dampness traps the spleen, clear yang fails to ascend, and refined substances cannot be effectively transformed into qi and blood. Sexual intercourse requires the support of qi and strength. When qi is insufficient, there is "lack of strength"; when blood is insufficient, it is hard to "sustain." The treatment focus should be on strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness, restoring the spleen and stomach's transporting and transforming function, rather than directly supplementing essence and blood—if the pathway is blocked, no amount of supplementation will help.

Lotus seed (lianzi) is a good helper. It is neutral in nature, sweet and astringent in flavor, and enters the heart, spleen, and kidney channels. It can strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhea, nourish the heart and calm the spirit, and also secure kidney qi. You see, a single ingredient simultaneously attends to the heart, spleen, and kidney—the three links that correspond exactly to the three-dimensional coordination of "mind-spirit governing, spleen transporting qi and blood, and kidney governing storage" during sexual intercourse. Using lotus seeds in soup or congee daily is for its balanced, unbiased temperament—neither cold nor hot, neither attacking nor retaining, but steadily helping the body hold its fundamental foundation.

II. From Spleen to Kidney: An Overlooked Pathway

The Chinese yam, Gordon euryale seed, and lotus seed mentioned above all point to a common feature—they first take care of the middle burner (spleen and stomach), and then attend to the lower burner (kidney qi). This is deeply significant. Many men immediately think of "tonifying the kidney" when it comes to sexual problems, yet they forget that kidney essence requires the water and grain essences transported and transformed by the spleen and stomach for continuous nourishment. If the spleen is deficient, kidney essence has no source—just like a reservoir without upstream inflow, no matter how good its water storage capacity is, it is meaningless. The commonly heard TCM principle of "treating the spleen and kidney together" is precisely based on this causal relationship.

Goji Berry and Mulberry: The Gentle Force of Nourishing the Liver and Kidney

If Chinese yam, Gordon euryale seed, and lotus seed are about "laying the foundation," then goji berry and mulberry are like "adding bricks and tiles." Goji berry is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, entering the liver and kidney channels, and is skilled at nourishing the yin of the liver and kidney. For those with liver-kidney yin deficiency and insufficiency of essence and blood, goji berry is an extremely familiar ingredient. It is neither warm nor drying and is suitable for long-term use as part of the daily diet—whether in soup, as tea, or in porridge. It should be noted that goji berry is still somewhat nourishing, so people with heavy dampness and a thick, greasy tongue coating should not consume it in excess—this is another reason why the importance of spleen and stomach transportation and transformation was discussed earlier.

Mulberry is cold in nature and sweet in flavor, entering the heart, liver, and kidney channels. It excels at nourishing yin, supplementing blood, and generating fluids to moisten dryness. It can directly supplement kidney yin and liver blood. For that "essence-blood deficiency" type of lack of strength, mulberry fits the pathology better than many warm, drying tonics. However, mulberry is somewhat cold and cool in nature, so people with spleen and stomach deficiency cold and a tendency to diarrhea should use it sparingly, or pair it with a few slices of fresh ginger to balance the cold nature. You see, TCM's use of ingredients is not about single-soldier combat but about team coordination—balancing cold and heat, combining supplementation and unblocking—that is the true art of harmonization.

Combination Suggestions: Not Called a "Formula," but Daily Pairing Ideas

Cook Gordon euryale seed and goji berry together in porridge—Gordon euryale seed secures and prevents leakage, while goji berry supplements essence and blood. Between the one restraining and the one supplementing, there is an implicit TCM principle of "opening and closing with measure." Alternatively, pair lotus seed with mulberry—lotus seed calms the mind-spirit, mulberry nourishes kidney yin, harmonizing the heart and kidney together. These pairing ideas emphasize the logic of complementary natures and flavors between ingredients, rather than being specific prescriptions. In actual use, simply take appropriate amounts of the ingredients to cook porridge or soup. Specific plans should be determined by a licensed TCM practitioner according to individual constitution.

From Daily Routine to Emotions: Dimensions of Care That Cannot Be Overlooked

Beyond diet, the influence of daily routine rhythm on such problems far exceeds what most people imagine. Nighttime is the period when yin qi is stored. Chronic sleep deprivation is equivalent to forcibly and continuously consuming kidney essence that should be stored. Clinically, among people with long-term reversed day-night schedules, this type of problem is relatively common, often accompanied by tinnitus, forgetfulness, and lower back soreness. Go to sleep before the zi hour (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.) whenever possible, giving the body's "storage mechanism" time to work—this is more important than any nourishing ingredient.

Emotional regulation is equally critical. People with liver qi stagnation often "swallow" their emotions into the abdomen; on the surface they seem calm, but internally qi and blood are in chaos. TCM says "the liver is the general official"—a general is meant to lead troops into battle, not to hold in resentment. In daily life, moderate exercise, cultivating a hobby that allows focus, and confiding in trusted people are all ways to open a window for liver qi. Let emotions flow, and qi and blood will flow accordingly.

Observing the Body's "Small Signals"

Short duration and lack of strength in sexual intercourse are often not isolated events. They may be accompanied by subtle "small signals"—such as whether there is lower back soreness upon waking, whether one easily feels fatigued during the day, whether hands and feet are cold or hot, whether the tongue coating is thin and white or thick and greasy, and whether stools are formed. These seemingly insignificant details happen to be important bases for judging constitutional bias. In the coming weeks, pay attention to your body's tendencies. Find a relatively fixed period of time and quietly feel your body's state. Rather than anxiously timing yourself with a stopwatch, it is better to calm down and read what the body is truly trying to say.

Have you ever considered that short duration might not just be a matter of "fast or slow"? It may be the body reminding you—the mind-spirit needs settling, liver qi needs stretching, the spleen and stomach need rest, and kidney essence needs accumulation. When these four things are done well, time will naturally return to its proper rhythm.

References:

1. The original text of Huangdi Neijing · Suwen can be consulted in the TCM classics literature database: https://tcmdata.cintcm.com/

2. WHO strategy document on traditional medicine: https://www.who.int/health-topics/traditional-complementary-and-integrative-medicine

3. Official website of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine: https://www.satcm.gov.cn/

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