‘The analysis revealed that of the 2,500 men suffering from erectile dysfunction, one in five were divorced while the marriages of one in 10 were on the verge of breaking over their physical health,’ Anup Dhir, a reconstruction surgeon and andrologist, told IANS.  Impotence is the most poorly understood and mismanaged of all medical disorders and results in marriages breaking up, the study found. ‘Maintaining a healthy marriage requires time, effort and compromise from both spouses. When one or both spouses find a marriage to be unsatisfactory, it is likely because of problems that arise due to issues with communication, expectations or sexual dissatisfaction,’ said Dhir.

Read: Tips to beat erectile dysfunction 

The study found that a married couple on an average has sex 58 times per year, or slightly more than once a week.
‘If the number lacks, it means there is a problem with partner. Sexual impotence is becoming a common problem among couples in major cities due to sedentary lifestyle, hypertension and busy schedule,’ he said. Diabetes emerged as the leading cause of erectile dysfunction followed by hypertension. ‘As many as 48 percent of patients above the age of 40 were diabetic while 45 percent with hypertension have severe erectile dysfunction. Men who have diabetes are found to develop erectile dysfunction nearly 10 to 15 years earlier than men who do not suffer from the disease,’ the study highlighted.

Read: Sex without the penis – it’s possible. 

Furthermore, people with diabetes frequently take medication to lower blood pressure. Common prescriptions for blood pressure like some diuretics and beta blockers are known to cause erectile dysfunction. ‘These drugs not only affect and at times suppress the central nervous system but can also cause serious damage to the blood vessels, resulting in permanent erectile dysfunction,’ C.M. Batra, an endocrinologist with Apollo Hospital, told IANS. According to Batra, other primary causes of erectile dysfunction include lifestyle issues like smoking, drinking alcohol, being overweight and exercising too little, among others.

Dhir said that taking medical help for erectile dysfunction continues to remain a stigma among Indian men as they are not ready to accept the fact until it comes to the breaking up of their marriages.  ‘Men have an ego problem in accepting the fact and most of them remain secretive about their sexual health, which leads to delayed treatment,’ he said.

Read: Revealed – the average size of the Indian penis!

Tired of reading? Check out our YouTube Channel 

Source: IANS

Impotence and infertility are not the same

Sometimes, perhaps due to similar vernacular words, people tend to use the terms impotence and infertility synonymously. It’s important to understand the difference. Impotence is the inability to get an erection whereas infertility (or sterility) is the inability to father children. They are not related or synonymous in anyway.

So what causes ED?

The various causes of ED but they can be broadly categorized under two categories: Physiological  or physical (pertaining to the body) and psychological (pertaining to the mind)

Physiological Causes of ED

There are various things that we do to our body that can cause impotence:

Alcohol-consumption, smoking and drugs: The cliché sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll is actually very wrong. Substance abuse makes it hard for your heart to pump blood and it also robs your off your libido. Drinking and drugs can cause temporary and permanent ED. While temporary ED goes away when we aren’t under influence, research has shown that as many as 60-70% heavy alcohol consumers suffer from permanent erectile dysfunction. Smoking too is a big culprit; it’s the biggest cause of ED among men under 40. In the long term, all these activities constrict your blood vessels and prevent adequate blood flow to the penis.

Diabetes:  Around 50% men with diabetes suffer from ED. In fact ED is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes. The elevated blood glucose level and nerve damage leads to inadequate blood flow and nerve damage to the penis.

Obesity: Another big reason is your extra girth (not in the right places) and not just because of low self-esteem. Most fat men tend to have high cholesterol which causes clogged arteries and prevents efficient blood flow. They also tend to have heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, higher stress levels and other obesity related issues which don’t bode well for your penis.

Medicinal Side-effect: ED can be a side effect of many common medicines such as blood pressure drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, appetite suppressants.

Other diseases and conditions that might cause ED: Diseases like high blood pressure, nerve disease or nerve damage, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, and heart disease-account for the majority of ED cases. Spinal cord and brain injuries, nerve disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Sometimes surgery, especially radical prostate and bladder surgery for cancer causes ED.

Besides the aforementioned physical causes of ED there might be some psychological causes as well. Men who are suffering from depression, anxiety-related conditions and other mental health problems tend to suffer from the disease. Drugs used to treat these conditions like anti-depressants can also cause problems.

While sex is a great stress-buster, the opposite is also true – stress can lower your libido and cause ED. Actually, stress is often synonymous with physical conditions like obesity, heart disease, hypertension, etc. Some simple lifestyle changes, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, taking some time off and seeking professional help in extreme cases can help you get over stress-related ED.

Sometimes the problem can lie in your mind. Scores of porn viewings and urban myths give guys the idea that sex is supposed to be a certain way and when it doesn’t happen exactly like they saw onscreen it can affect them. It can lead to performance anxiety and snowball into a major self-esteem issue. The most important thing to remember is that sex is supposed to be simple and fun. Just be comfortable with what you’re doing, you don’t need to strut like a porn star.

Treatment for impotency

Prescription medications such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra all treat the condition. All three of these medications work the same way, by helping increase blood flow to the penis. The medications are taken a half hour before sex and the effects can last from 4 to 5 hours. However these drugs all have serious side-effects and it is important to talk to your doctor and discuss your entire medical history before taking any of these drugs. As a last resort there is a surgical procedure which involves the implantation of a prosthetic device in the penis. A similar method is used in female-to-male sex change operations.

ED due to psychological reasons can be overcome by visiting a psychiatrist who can help us get to the root of the problem. We usually find the notion outrageous, that we discuss our sex life with strangers, but professional help is the best way to deal with the condition. And lastly the best solution is the simplest – talk to your partner about it.

Read: Revealed – the average size of the Indian penis!

Tired of reading? Check out our YouTube Channel 

Feng Liuxiang, director of the Guangdong Healthy Birth and Child Development Association, said the sperm identity card would help men know more about their reproductive functions and health. ”It will help men avoid sterility and ensure healthy childbirth,” he said Feng.  Luo Ling, a doctor at the hospital who specializes in treating infertility, said the cards would help create awareness on men’s reproductive capacity. The card itself is free but men must first pay 100 yuan ($16) to have their sperm analysed. The identity card has also sparked a controversy. Some said it was all a show the hospital was putting on. 

Source: IANS

Source: IANS

Men wishing to acquire a higher sex drive can benefit by exposing their body to the sun’s rays, as a study by Austrian scientists has found sunshine increases level of male sex hormone testosterone.According to the study at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, men with high blood vitamin D levels have significantly higher testosterone levels than men with less vitamin D, the Daily Express reported. Ninety percent of the body’s vitamin D is produced by the action of sunlight on the skin, say researchers, adding that sufficiently high levels of the vitamin have a “positive influence” on testosterone.

Ad Brand, of the Sunlight Research Forum, in Holland, said: “Men who ensure that their body is at least sufficiently supplied with vitamin D are doing good for their testosterone levels and their libido.”

Source: IANS

People with higher urine concentrations of Bisphenol A or BPA, a toxic compound widely used in plastic bottles, food and beverage packaging, were at a greater risk of developing heart disease, according to the findings from a 10-year study. 

Researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry had previously identified the link between BPA and higher risk of cardiovascular disease by using two sets of US data, the journal Circulation reports. 

David Melzer, professor at the Peninsula Medical School, who led the team, said: “This study strengthens the statistical link between BPA and heart disease. It is now important that government agencies organise drug style safety trials of BPA in humans.” 

Tamara Galloway, professor at the University of Exeter (UK), senior study author, said: “It adds to the evidence that BPA may be an additional contributor to heart disease risk alongside the major risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.” 

The previous data showed a link between exposure to BPA and cardiovascular disease but it could not help researchers predict how exposure to the chemical might affect future health, according to a Peninsula statement. 

The most recent study uses data from the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) in UK, a long term population study led by the University of Cambridge. 

It is the first time that data has been used to establish a link between exposure to BPA and future onset of cardiovascular disease. 

The study compared urine BPA measures from 758 initially healthy EPIC study respondents who later developed cardiovascular disease, and 861 respondents who remained heart disease free. 

Source: IANS

Who needs to take it?

Viagra is meant for men who have been diagnosed by a doctor to be suffering from Erectile Dysfunction. If sexual performance is unsatisfactory due to reasons other than ED, studies have suggested that it has no discernible effect and also might lead to dependency where frequent users find it hard to get an erection without taking it. The drug should be taken in the exact dosage and frequency the physician has recommended.

Who shouldn’t take it?

• Viagra isn’t an aphrodisiac. It is not meant for people who want to increase their libido.
• Viagra doesn’t increase the length/size of the penis.
• Viagra isn’t a recreational drug meant to show off one’s sexual prowess.
• People suffering from cardiovascular problems, stroke victims, those who are taking nitrates for various ailments (like chest pain and/or hypertension), people who have been advised against sexual intercourse for various reasons should avoid the blue pill. Viagra shouldn’t be mixed with other medications that treat ED.

Side-effects of Viagra

Like most drugs Viagra too has numerous side-effects.

• Viagra users have reported facial flushing, headaches, liver problems, heart attacks (rarely), blurred vision, bluish vision and sensitivity to light.
• The most infamous side-effect though is the four hour or more erection. Sometimes these erections can be extremely painful as well. Anyone experiencing this is advised to call a physician or visit a hospital immediately.

Alternatives to Viagra

Because of Viagra’s immense popularity the market is swimming with Viagra copycats. Some common examples are:

Cialis (Tadalafil) and  Vardenafil: They work like Viagra but are known to cause more side-effects ranging from aches, coughs, hearing loss and even heart attacks. They have never proved as popular as Viagra. However Cialis lasts in the blood for 36 hours (earning it the nickname The Weekend Drug) and is preferred by some segments.

Generic Viagra: Because of Viagra’s immense popularity “generic Viagra” is available in every pharmacy at one-tenth of the price. All pills that fight ED, aphrodisiacs and virility drugs can come under this umbrella term. Because of poor patent laws, pharmaceutical companies have reverse engineered Viagra after figuring out its ingredients and India remains one of the top markets and producers of generic Viagra. Because of lack of regulations and the absence of proper clinical tests, it is hard to pin down the harmful side-effects of generic Viagra.

Herbal Viagra: Herbal Viagra is any herbal product sold as a virility drug. Sometimes sildenafil is simply mixed with herbs and sold under this name. The most popular herbs are epimedium (horny goat weed), damiana, ginseng, ginkgo, yohimbe, saw palmetto, maca, Muira puama, and Tribulus terrestris. No clinical trials or scientific studies support the effectiveness of these herbs to treat ED. It has however been known to create low blood pressure and stem blood flow to other vital organs.

The bottom line is that Viagra indeed is a drug with immense benefits. Use it when your doctor prescribes it for you, follow the instructions precisely and you are on your way to beat erectile dysfunction.