What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?

The disorder called erectile dysfunction is particularly debilitating for men because it interferes with several life aspects that are important to a normally virile male: sexual relationships, siring children, and masculine pride. When a man realizes that his inability to get aroused in bed could already be ED, he either keeps his anxieties secret or he immediately goes into denial. Getting thrown off by “technical difficulties” is understandable in men who never had to deal with this problem in the past. Because sex wanes and their wives complain, they quickly think they have relationship problems. Moreover, their wives think they’re having extramarital relationships. These scenarios make most men doubt their masculinity and this kind of insecurity makes matters worse. However, men should realize that there are various physical factors that contribute to erectile dysfunction. ED could be a sign of an underlying physical problem that must be dealt with before normal sexual function can return.

• I. Age

This is the most common cause of erectile dysfunction. As we age, the physiological processes inside our bodies slow down and require more. Unfortunately, most of these processes directly affect the way we perform sexually. An example of this is blood flow. We need to exercise more to maintain the normal flow of blood to the different organs. Without enough exercise, blood will not readily go to the organs that need immediate sustenance, like the penis. You’re slower to respond to sexual stimuli compared to the way you used to years ago. Aging is something that we have little control over, but we can do a lot of things to “keep up” with physiological aging to continue enjoying the healthy libido that we have always associated with youth. Remember to buy cialis online before sex to forget about ED problems.

Diet and exercise

Being mindful of what we eat and how we maintain our bodies will help keep circulation (and erection) problems at bay. An uncontrolled diet will fill your body with saturated fat and trans-fats, which will contribute to excess build up of blocking agents in your blood vessels. When the arteries fail to bring blood to the penis on demand, erection cannot occur or occurs slowly. This could be a reason for ED in most heart attack patients.

Hypertension, a circulatory disorder, can directly affect erection potential during sex. If blood flow to the penis is not optimum, you will lose your erection while you’re having sex, or you may not even have an erection to begin with. Also, there are hypertensive drugs that can cause erectile dysfunction; and this fact will complicate your problems further. You see, you cannot just stop taking your hypertension maintenance medication because you want to have better erections during sex. Sure, you can ask for another medication that does not contribute to ED; but preventing the disease is still a better alternative.

• II. Smoking

How does smoking affect the erection process? Smoking lessens the oxygen content in the blood which leads to abnormal circulation. Nicotine and the lack of oxygen also cause reduction of nitric oxide (NO) content in the body. NO is the biochemical compound which relaxes or dilates blood vessels during blood circulation. Lower NO means lower blood flow to the penis, which causes erection problems. Smoking cigarettes will also lead to hypertension, which is a leading risk factor of erectile dysfunction.

• III. Alcohol

Regardless of what your friends tell you, alcohol consumption will not make you a better lover. It only changes your perspective but it won’t help you stay erect. In fact, it will do the opposite. Most men feel the urge to have sex when they’re uninhibited, and removing inhibitions is what alcohol does. The “good” effects, however, stop there. Alcohol will make you sluggish and will dull your reflexes. Most of all, it will desensitize you and prevent normal nervous function. What does this mean to you? If you cannot feel anything down there, you won’t have an erection.

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