Analyze Your Lifestyle
All sorts of explanations are offered for impotence but sometimes, men cannot look at themselves in the mirror and ask if it is their lifestyle that is the issue. They like to blame other factors such as stress or a medical condition. Though these are possible reasons, it is unwise to lay the blame at the door of something else when it is you that could be responsible for you own erectile downfall. Men who smoke and drink too much as well as failing to get adequate exercise are riding for a fall when it comes to maintaining erections as they get older. Various studies have shown that about 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 suffer from a case of impotence at some point in their life. About 5% of men aged 40 suffer from erectile dysfunction with this figure increasing dramatically as they get older.
Smoking
Everyone knows that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer but the fact that it is also the leading cause of impotence is a lesser known fact. People who smoke will experience a buildup of plaque in their blood vessels (atherosclerosis). Smoking also damages nitric oxide production in the body. Nitric oxide is important because it signals to the inside of blood vessels that blood flow to the organs should be increased. It relaxes the organs and keeps arteries clear. By blocking this process, smoking causes these blood vessels to narrow which restricts blood flow to the penis. Impotence is believed to be twice as common in smokers as in non-smokers. Even worse news for smokers comes from research which suggests that impotence caused by smoking cannot be solved by Viagra or Revatio. However, a small study showed that men who quit smoking for just 24 hours were able to experience erections at night.
Effects of Alcohol
It is common knowledge that excess alcohol consumption can cause problems when it comes to achieving an erection. This effect even has a nickname: ‘brewer’s droop’. Why alcohol causes impotence is not as well known. Alcohol slows down the body’s nervous system which affects all bodily functions. This includes the speed of blood flow. Arousal is controlled by a number of things including the brain, nerves and blood vessels with alcohol hindering all of these things. Your body’s reaction time is also slowed down so any sexual thoughts emanating from the brain take longer to manifest themselves in physical form. As little as one drink can slow down a person’s reaction time which is why there is such a strict drink driving limit.
The Benefits of Exercise
Men who exercise for between 3-5 hours a week are 30% less likely to be hit by the curse of impotency. It is important not to over exercise however as the natural endorphin high that appears after a proper workout disappears. Always stay at about three-quarters of your maximum fitness threshold when exercising. Regular exercise strengthens your heart and improves blood flow. This makes it easier for the blood to flow to the penis during arousal. Exercising on a regular basis also helps fight obesity and medical conditions like high blood pressure which restricts blood flow. A warning to cyclists however: excessive bike riding can cause impotence with genital discomfort a common complaint.
Health and Impotence
If you ever needed a reason to get healthier, avoiding impotence is it. If you suffer from this problem, visit your doctor. When he/she prescribes Sildenafil Citrate to fight impotence, discuss your lifestyle also. Smokers must be aware that their habit is likely to be the chief cause while those who consume even a moderate amount of alcohol should perhaps put a lid on what they drink. Finally, if you are not exercising regularly, do so now to significantly reduce your chances of becoming impotent.
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Medical Improvements
About one quarter of men suffer from impotence after the age of 65 and this shoots up once they reach 75. Up until about 20 or 30 years ago, impotence was dismissed as being a mental problem with no actual cures being offered barring a cursory ‘pull yourself together man’ statement. Thankfully, we live in a more enlightened age where impotence is routinely studied with more causes and cures discovered each year. There are still more causes than remedies but fortunately, the treatments available for impotence are extremely effective.
Avoid Recreational Drugs
One tip for those suffering from impotence and wondering what to do: stop taking prescription drugs such as sedatives. The only medication you need to solve impotence worries is Sildenafil Citrate which will be discussed below. Recreational drugs which are illegal (heroin) and legal (alcohol) have just as much of a negative effect on erections as pharmaceutical drugs. Prolactin is a pituitary hormone which seems to be linked with impotence as about 25% of impotent men have excessively high levels of the hormone in their system. Alcohol is known to increase a man’s level of prolactin while the New England Journal of Medicine recently published research which suggests marijuana does the same.
Alternative Medication
There are a host of herbal remedies such as the African herb yohimbe which is proven to increase a man’s ability to maintain an erection. This herb does not actually increase sexual excitement but it does improve desire while dampening nerves that simulate ejaculation. Yohimbe seems to work best on men who are impotent as it has a much more profound effect on them than on those with a normal sex drive. This herb takes approximately half an hour to start working and then it lasts for hours. Yohimbe contains yohimbine which is used in certain impotence prescription drugs.
Viagra and Revatio
Viagra is the most popular drug in the world for those suffering from impotence with an estimated 300 million tablets produced per year. Viagra pills are blue, diamond-shaped and are easily identifiable as they have the word ‘Pfizer’ written on one side and the size of the pill engraved on the other. They are available in sizes ranging from 25mg to 100mg. No more than one pill should be taken daily. The most effective time to ingest the pill is between half an hour and four hours before sexual intercourse. Revatio can also be used for impotence though it is commonly used to deal with pulmonary arterial hypertension. These pills are white and round with the recommended daily dosage set at three 20mg tablets per day taken at three separate intervals.
A History of Sildenafil Citrate
Both Viagra and Revatio are simply different names for Sildenafil Citrate. This drug has a storied history, creating numerous headlines since it was unleashed on the public in 1998. It was actually patented in 1996 before the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the drug as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in March 1998. By the year 2000, Viagra held 92% of the world’s market for impotence pills. Although this share has subsequently dropped, the drug is still the dominant erectile dysfunction pill treatment in the world. Sildenafil Citrate works because it is an inhibitor of PDE5. This results in the blood flow to the penis increasing.
Make Your Choice
In order to battle impotence, it is important to forget about certain pharmaceutical drugs and concentrate on ones that work such as Viagra. Also, reduce your intake of alcohol and illegal recreational drugs which cause an increase in prolactin, a chemical that helps cause impotence. It is also possible to use Yohimbe and other chemical remedies but Viagra seems to be the world’s favorite choice when it comes to beating impotence.
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