There’s a ton of propaganda regarding the causes and management of male erectile dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to address the myths and facts about erectile dysfunction.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, is when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection that’s firm enough for sex. It is sometimes called impotence, though health care providers don’t commonly use this term. About 30 million men in the U.S. are affected by ED. One myth concerning this condition is that it only affects older men. Studies have shown roughly one half of American men over the age of 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. While it is more common in older men, age alone is not the cause. In fact, a lot of men still relish sexual intercourse as they age.
What Causes Erectile dysfunction?
ED can be caused by several factors: physical, medical, or emotional. Early on, ED was mostly thought to be an emotional problem. However today, ED is mostly thought to be a physical or medical problem with three basic causes.
An erection occurs when aroused, blood flows into the two chambers inside the penis called the corpora cavernosa. These chambers extend from the top of the male sexual organ deep into the pelvis. These chambers contain spongy tissue that has the ability to gain blood volume and grow in size. When not aroused, the arteries supplying blood to the penis are only partially open. This provides the blood flow required to maintain healthy tissue.
Therefore, the first cause is that not enough blood flows into these chambers. Alcohol,
smoking, cardio vascular disease and high glucose will have an effect on blood flow and result in to ED (impotence).
The second cause is that the penis can’t hold the blood during an erection, meaning that the penis can’t stay erect because blood doesn’t remain immersed long enough. This type of difficulty is termed blood vessel leak or cavernosal disfunction, and can happen at any age. This dispels the myth that Erectile dysfunction doesn’t affect younger men.
The third cause is nerve signals from the brain or spinal cord don’t reach the penis. This can be result of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Certain illnesses (i.e. Diabetes-high blood sugar heart disease), injuries or surgeries in the pelvic area can cause damage to the nerves in the penis. Also, mood problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression can play havoc on one’s sex life.
It may also result as a consequence of taking certain types of medications such as blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants and ulcer medications. Also, erectile tissue can be damaged when one has undergone radiation treatment for prostate or bladder cancer.
This dispels the myth: it’s because you’re not attracted to your partner. Fact is many things can cause erection problems. Although lack of sexual attraction to your partner can be one among them, it’s far more likely to be something else.
The good news is there ar several safe and helpful treatments to assist men improve their sexual performance. More on this later.
Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction
Symptoms of ED might include: recurrent difficulty obtaining an erection, difficulty maintaining an erection, reduced libido.
Other rare symptoms that can be related to ED are: premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, low testosterone levels.
How to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction
Be Proactive
Prevention is better than cure! In my article https://universal-health-products.com/the-benefits-of-physical-wellness-2/, I emphasize in detail the importance of seeking wellness—the overall emphasis on being well. So before I address treatment options, let’s look at prevention measures—how to avoid ED.
It’s not uncommon to experience difficulty obtaining an erection on occasion, but if it starts happening more often, don’t ignore it. Talk to your doctor. You might have a health issue that’s inflicting it. The sooner you deal with it, the sooner your sex life can be back on track.
In the meantime:
Control your weight – Surprisingly those extra pounds can affect more than a waist line. They take put a burden on your sex life. If someone is obese, they’re more likely to get high cholesterol levels and diabetes, which can lead to erection problems. A study shows that men with a waist size over 40 inches are more likely to have erectile dysfunction. In order to stay ahead of ED, try to keep a healthy weight. This is a segue to the next one.
Watch your diet – ED is often linked to heart disease, therefore a heart-healthy diet would be good for your erections, too. Try to decrease the consumption of artery-clogging foods like full-fat dairy far, products, fried foods, and red meat. Eat a lot of garden-fresh fruits and veggies, fish, and whole grains. Cleaning up your diet can be beneficial in the bedroom.
Watch your blood pressure – High blood pressure can narrow your blood vessels, lessening blood flow through your body. If less, flows to the penis an individual may notice it’s isn’t so easy to obtain an erection. If you do not check your pressure often, it’s time to start. You may have a high blood pressure problem and not even know it. It’s not called the silent killer for nothing!
Watch your cholesterol – When cholesterol builds up in your blood vessels, it causes them to narrow, which can slow down your blood flow, similar to high blood pressure. That can cause difficulty to get or keep an erection. If your cholesterol is high, your doctor can suggest ways to lower it, like medication or a change in your diet.
Watch your diabetes – If one has diabetes, they might find themselves with ED if they don’t take care of it. The is a result high blood sugar which will injury the nerves and blood vessels in the penis. It is best to talk to a doctor about ways to get and keep diabetes in check so one can stay in the groove.
*Don’t smoke – If you’re a smoker – one word – QUIT! That’s a dirty four-letter word to some. Need another reason to kick the habit? Here’s one: Men that smoke are double as possibly to acquire erection issues as men who don’t. Smoking hurts your sex life because it also narrows your blood vessels. Additionally, erectile dysfunction medications might not work as well for men that smoke.
Watch your drinking – Drinking and sex don’t always go together. More than a couple of drinks can dampen your libido, soften your erection, or make it difficult to have an orgasm. If alcohol is the cause of your ED, it will probably go away when you cut back on or even quit drinking.
Pass on the Drugs – Recreational drugs can lead to erection trouble. Both uppers (i.e. cocaine and amphetamines) and downers ((i.e. marijuana and opiates) can cause problems. These drugs slow down your central nervous system, and some can also damage blood vessels. If one thinks that they have a drug problem, this is just one more reason to seek help.
Get Exercise – Exercise is good for your sex life in lots of ways. It helps your heart and blood vessels remain healthy, keeps your weight in check, lowers stress, and in general just makes you feel good. And your workout doesn’t even have to be strenuous. A study shows that even a 30-minute walk daily might lower the probably of getting erectile dysfunction.
Watch your Testosterone – Testosterone levels gradually start to fall around age 30 and continue to drop as you get older. If it gets too low, it will affect your sexual drive and your ability to obtain an erection. A blood test can reveal if you have low testosterone, and there are plenty of ways to treat it.
Stay away from Anabolic Steroids – Too much of a good thing, is a bad thing! One might not suppose pumping their body full of additional testosterone to build up muscles would hurt their erections, but it can. All that artificial T turns off your body’s ability to create its own, which means the problems will start when the steroids are no longer being consumed. You can get a lot of other bad side effects, too, from shrunken testicles to baldness. It’s best to stay away from these risky drugs.
Manage your stress – When you’re stressed out from relationship problems, a major life change, or work, your libido can take a downturn. And if you end up with ED, it may lead to even more anxiety. So cut down your stress levels, and you’ll see benefits in the bedroom.
Treat sleep apnea – Analysis shows a link between the disorder and ED. When you get treated for apnea, you may see improvements in your erection problems as well. So if you think you might have sleep apnea, or if you know you have it and aren’t doing anything about it, it’s time to talk to your doctor. In my article https://universal-health-products.com/sleep-apnea-the-facts/
I detail all the facts on sleep apnea with a possible solution.
Know the side effects of Your Medications – ED is a common side effect for many prescription drugs, such as: Diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, muscle relaxers, cancer drugs, antihistamines, opioid painkillers. If you use any of these medications and start to have erection problems, don’t stop taking them on your own. Talk to your doctor about possible fixes.
How to Treat Erectile Dysfunction
If you do not have one or more of the above mentioned medical conditions (i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc), one option is a natural treatment for ED. In some cases it can be a deficiency in one’s diet that can be the cause. Healthy food and (some) vitamins and natural supplements can improve your overall health and blood flow. And anything that improves blood flow can treat some of the potential underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (as well as making you healthier).This is where dietary supplements can be a handy solution. In my article, https://universal-health-products.com/dietary-supplements-the-facts/, I address the important role dietary supplements play in meeting our dietary needs.
Dietary supplements for ED
Some natural supplements are shown to extend nitric oxide levels and increase blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it’s important to know the ingredients contained within a supplement.
Some of the major ones are:
L-Arginine HCL I – This chemical compound and aminoalkanoic acid is changed into nitric oxide in your body, and numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness on male sexual performance and erection quality. In one study, Thirty seven percent (37%) of men with impotence reported a big improvement in their ability to realize and maintain an erection when taking l-arginine daily for just over a month.
Pomegranate 40% Ellagic Acid – Pomegranate contains high amounts of antioxidant-rich ellagic acid, which is very effective at boosting blood circulation.
MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) – MSM is an organic form of sulphur, a mineral that, as well as supporting blood flow, is crucial to your cell and tissue health – including those in the penis.
L-Methionine – An essential amino acid, L-methionine is thought to work by blocking the conversion of histidine into the hormone histamine. Histamine plays a key role in achieving climax; the higher the degree of it, the more quickly one is to likely to ejaculate, which is why high levels of histamine have been linked to premature ejaculation. By lowering your histamine levels, L-methionine can help you last longer by delaying ejaculation.
Zinc (as Citrate) – This essential mineral plays a vital role in your testosterone production. Low testosterone levels will cause mayhem with one’s libido and their erections, nevertheless most men don’t get enough of this mineral in their diet.
**Cordyceps – Used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years as a natural aphrodisiac, many studies have proven the powerful ability of this type of fungus to increase sex drive and sexual function. Scientists believe this is due to two chemicals which appear to have a direct effect on the area of our brain responsible for controlling sexual desire.
Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, studies have shown that niacin boosts blood flow by helping blood vessels relax and expand. Niacin also helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, which means more stamina for sex.
All the above natural nutrients are available in health food stores and websites. However, a supplement that contains these valuable ingredients together in a unique blend with proper potency can deliver very favorable results.
The Best Supplement For Erectile Dysfunction
For information on a supplement that contains a powerful combination of these nutrients, click on this link.
Please feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below
Best of health!!
It’s a good topic for people with this issue. I believe the most common cause of ED or Erectile Dysfunction is a lifestyle that affects the physical health and therefore the medical health. We always need a good diet which means no junk food called fast food. What we need is more on vegetables and fruits and leafy ones especially if they are organic. Honestly, a lot of us would have a lot of adjustment eating this good food as it is not the acquired taste our tongue is looking for.. What I like from the topic is the mention of mental health or the stress, anxiety, and depression which are all connected to the emotional condition. The myths are basically destroyed in this explanation and the resolution of the situation was the list of remedies that are enumerated like Arginine, HCLI, MSM and the requirements also of zinc and Niacin. These are all very good remedies but the discipline on exercise, proper diet, enough sleep and detoxification of stress and depression through meditation and support system will lead a long way in treating the ED.
Absolutely -lifestyle changes go a long way in enhancing health.
Thanks for stopping by!
What a nice thorough job you’ve done with this topic. If a man has an ED problem, it’s such a better move to research it than to buy some product the TV or radio tries to scare him into. If I ever had the problem, and thankfully I haven’t and I’m in my 40’s, I would definitely check articles like this first & explore my options. I honestly believe in natural healing for physical ailments first & foremost.
I think any guy would agree it could be an embarrassing, disappointing situation. But I would never let advertising Scare Tactics have me a make decision on impulse and worry. On top of the information on ED, you have good advice for healthy living in general. Smoking is just the worst, and any guy who has had a heavy night of drinking knows it can affect your libido. I was scared to read the article, but did. If it’s not a problem, I like to keep it out of sight and out of mind. But since I’m not super young anymore, I wanted to educate myself on the subject and be preemptive into my advancing years. Thanks for putting in the time to give men direction and good luck with your site!
Hi Mark – Glad the article was informative for you. Prevention is better than cure and it helps to be informed and proactive when it comes to our health.
Thanks for stopping by!