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Penis Enlargement
Lifestyle
& Erectile
Dysfunction
When
a man has erectile dysfunction (ED), he cannot achieve or maintain
a firm erection. ED is also called "impotence." About one in ten
men has erectile dysfunction or some degree of impotence.
Most
ED has a physical cause. Diseases such as diabetes or prostate
cancer and its treatment, injury, and the side effects of drugs
can reduce or prevent blood flow and nerve impulses to the penis.
Only about 10% of impotence has a psychological cause.
Another
physical cause of impotence can be lifestyle. Stress on your body
or mind can affect your erectile function.
Clinical
studies have found that changing or managing a variety of lifestyle
factors can help decrease the chances of developing impotence.
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Quit
Smoking. Medical experts believe that smoking is a large
contributing factor to ED. Achieving an erection is a complex
process. It involves the nervous (brain, spine, nerves), vascular
(blood flow), and endocrine (hormones) systems. When these
systems work perfectly, smooth muscles relax and penile tissues
fill with blood.
Smoking
can harm all of these systems. The Massachusetts
Male Aging Study (MMAS) found that smoking worsens cardiovascular
problems that lead to impotence. It was found that smokers
with heart disease and high blood pressure were impotent more
often than non-smokers with the disease.
Quitting
smoking can help some men partly or fully restore erectile
function. The MMAS results underscored this point, especially
in men under 60.
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Control
diabetes. Diabetes is a major risk factor for erectile
dysfunction. Diabetes can harm arteries or nerve endings in
the penis. Men with diabetes are 2-5 times more likely to
experience impotence. By age 70, more than 50% of men with
diabetes have some ED. Diet, exercise, and insulin therapy
can help avoid diabetes-related ED.
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Reduce
cholesterol. A healthy circulatory system is needed for
an erection. High cholesterol can destroy the walls of your
veins. It can harden, narrow, or block the arteries leading
to your penis. This can result in ED. So check your cholesterol
level often. If your cholesterol is high, see a doctor. Reduce
and lower cholesterol through diet, exercise, and medication
if necessary.
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Avoid
substance abuse. Abusing alcohol, tobacco, marijuana,
cocaine, and other substances is a major cause of impotence.
For example, more than 80% of chronic alcoholics have chronic
impotence.
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Lose
weight. The American Urological Association has found
that overweight men are more likely to have ED. For example,
a man with a waistline of 42 inches was nearly twice as likely
to have ED as a man with a 32-inch waistline. Losing weight
can help protect your health and your erectile ability.
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Exercise.
Regular exercise can reduce the chances of getting ED, according
to the same American Urological Association study that correlated
erectile dysfunction with being overweight.
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Reduce
stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are leading causes
of temporary ED. Reducing stress can mean better erections
when you want them.
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