For years erectile dysfunction, impotence, was rarely discussed. Among men it was a source of embarrassment, but now it’s hard to watch a football game on television without being assaulted by a number of ads promising relief. There are several ways to handle the problem.
Understand ED. It can be a total inability to sustain an erection, a lack of consistency in doing so, or just holding one briefly. It is age related but not an inventible symptom of aging. According to government estimates, about 5 percent of 40-year-old men and as much as one out of four 65-year-old men experience ED. For older men there is frequently a physical cause, either an injury, effect of drugs or simply not getting enough blood to the penis.
Know the causes for ED. Arteriosclerosis of the penile artery can cause it, simply the clogging of the artery with plaque through bad diet and high cholesterol.
High blood pressure can damage the artery. Heavy cigarette smoking can also lead to impotence. More than two drinks of alcohol a day can lower testosterone production.
Supplements and foods that help fight ED include zinc supplements of 30 mg a day, soy like tofu, ginkgo biloba and, L-Arginine, an amino acid building block of protein that sells for $22 a pound at http://reverseagingnow.com/store.htm It’s safe, effective, and is all natural acting as a vasodilator increasing blood flow throughout the body.
Yohimbine hydrochloride is approved by the FDA as way to increase sexual function. It’s a derivative of an African bark used for centuries as an aphrodisiac. The typical dose is 6 mg three times a day. Unlike the more popular pills mentioned below, treatment is generally not on an as needed basis. Side effects can include anxiety and fluctuations in blood pressure. A non prescription strength dose is available in health food stores manufactured by Twin Labs, marketed as Male Fuel. The pills are a blend of zince, gingko Biloba and L-arginine.
Consider taking Viagra, which is taken only as needed. Sildenafil citrate was initially developed by Pfizer as medication for high blood pressure and angina. Clinical trials showed that it wasn’t effective for it intended use, but when the men in the trials were asked to return their unused meds, many of them asked to keep the drug. It was only then that Pfizer learned that sildenafil citrate could help a man achieve and sustain an erection. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998 for that purpose and soon became a blockbuster drug, reaching $1 billion dollars in world wide sales within three years. It works not by creating an erection, but by inhibiting the natural chemical mechanism that lets its fade over time. It’s characterized as a type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. Viagra’s absorption and effectiveness can be diminished if taken with a high fat meal. It’s available by prescription only in doses of 25 mg to 100 mg taken only once a day, between 30 minutes and 4 hours prior to sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, it can produce side effects such as headaches, flushing, digestive distress, sneezing, and in severe cases heart trouble.
Another option is Levitra, Vedenafil, another PDE5 inhibitor developed by Bayer AG, the German company that invented aspirin. It’s similar in chemical structure and effect to Viagra. The normal starting dose is 10 mg
In contrast, Cialis, Tadalafil, is sometimes known as the weekend pill because its effect lasts for 36 hours. Its structural different from the earlier two drugs, but also inhibits PDE5. The usual dose here is 10 mg. Side effects can include back pain and muscle aches within after a day of taking the drug, but they usually fade after a couple of days.
After widespread use of the all the PDE5 inhibitors, the DFA found that they were associated with vision and hearing impairment in some men, yet given the small percentage of occurrences the FDA simply required that a warning be added to the product label.