Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction?

Men with low testosterone are the subject of a huge wave of direct to consumer television, internet, and radio educational campaigns.  Low-T is the catch phrase used to coin a condition known in medical prose as hypogonadism.

In short, it seems that according to the latest and greatest medical thinkers that not only women experience menopause but so do men. Officially defined as the reduction of hormone secretion or other physiological activity of the gonads (Testes or ovaries), male menopause involves a reduction in testosterone production.  Does a reduction in testosterone and erectile dysfunction go together?

Research has proven two significant facts dismissing the direct correlation between low testosterone and ED problems:

1. Normal erectile function does not require normal testosterone levels
2. Increasing testosterone levels does not increase frequency or strength of erection

 

If this is true, why do we see sexual dysfunction listed as a symptom of low testosterone (Low-T) in men?

 

Low testosterone and sex

 

 

Testosterone is important for sexuality and sexual desire in both men and women.  However, what does a man do who experiences erectile dysfunction and has an increase in desire without the ability to create an erection for intercourse? It is widely known that testosterone isn’t a helpful treatment for ED, however it is great for increasing sexual desire.

Sources support testosterone and Cialis for men who are taking testosterone replacement therapy and suffer from ED.  A penis pump is also a great option for men.  Especially if they don’t want to introduce chemicals or drugs into their bodies.

Many men who have organic impotence as the underlying cause of ED may not respond well to oral erectile dysfunction medications making a penis pump an even better option for treating their erectile dysfunction with or without testosterone replacement therapy.

Are there any circumstances when testosterone replacement therapy can be a treatment for erectile dysfunction?  Testosterone replacement therapy has the potential to be a treatment for cases in which the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction is psychogenic. 

Testosterone replacement therapy is known to have a positive impact in men who have depression or cognitive impairment related to low testosterone.  If erectile dysfunction in men is related to either of these conditions there is some probability that testosterone replacement therapy could have a positive impact on erectile dysfunction.

 

Symptoms of low testosterone in men

 

Symptoms of low testosterone can occur when testosterone levels decline in men.  As a point of reference, the below chart demonstrates a range of what is considered normal testosterone levels at various ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following symptoms of low T are common:

• reduction in sex drive
• sperm production
• muscle mass/strength
• fat distribution
• bone density
• red blood cell production

 

What is testosterone replacement?

 

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a method of supplementing testosterone by the delivery of additional synthetic testosterone into the body to compensate for deficits in normal testosterone levels.   The pituitary gland and brain control the production of testosterone. So, supplementation occurs when this normal cycle of creation produces less of the hormone and administration or additional testosterone occurs.

 

There are many forms of testosterone supplementation, the following methods are commonly used:

• Skin Patch
• Gels
• Mouth Patch
• Injections
• Implantable pellets

 

There are many controversies that exists around benefits and risks associated with testosterone replacement therapy. The touted benefits include:

• Improved libido
• Mood enhancement
• Muscle growth
• Fat loss
• Bone density
• Heart Health

 

Can low testosterone cause ED?

 

At a minimum, low testosterone can reduce the ability to have enjoyable sex.  Low testosterone is often the cause of decreases in libido and if natural testosterone is reduced to significantly low levels all men will experience some decline in sex drive.

It is not unusual for other issues to be responsible for a decrease in sex drive, so it is best to work with your physician to get your testosterone levels checked before jumping to conclusions about changes in libido or sex drive are the result of low-T.  Stress, lack of sleep, and mental illness may all be related to loss of libido and sexual desire.

 

Testosterone and erections

 

The endocrine system through the normal functioning of the testes is responsible for production of both testosterone and sperm.  Very seldom are problems in the endocrine system and testosterone production directly linked to erectile dysfunction.  Exceptions may exist, but they are rare.

This said, some men with normal testosterone levels and ED are given exogenous androgen therapy and report improvements in erectile function.  It is suspected that performance enhancement may be possible and often occurs through testosterone replacement therapy.  Typically, these men do not have organic erectile dysfunction. They are healthy and do not have a diagnosis of either moderate or severe erectile dysfunction.

 In cases of improved erections and testosterone replacement therapy, the cause of ED, if erectile dysfunction is present, is often psychogenic rather than organic.  In this respect testosterone therapy replacement and use of PD5 inhibitors in healthy men may both improve erectile function in men that are able to achieve nocturnal erections.

 

Testosterone booster benefits

 

Natural testosterone boosters are thought to be found in foods, herbs, and certain vitamins.  If you are concerned about synthetic testosterone side effects talk to your doctor about any of the following natural testosterone boosters:

 

• malaysian ginseng
• puncturevine vine
• ashwagandha
• pine bark extract
• yombine
• saw palmetto
• vitamin D
• dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• L-arginine
• zinc
• garlic
• Tuna
• egg yolk

 

Side effects of taking testosterone

 

The popularity of testosterone replacement therapy is skyrocketing.  Sources indicate that as many as 10 million men have recently been tracked. Many men, sources indicate that as many as 10 million men, were recently tracked. Indicating that direct to consumer marketing strategies have been successful and the number of men prescribed testosterone has tripled since 2001.

Along with reported benefits, risks and negative side effects are possible with testosterone replacement therapy.  Recently the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article that attempts to create a correlation between heart attack and testosterone replacement. 

Dr. Neal Rouzier has publicly criticized the findings while other studies have found no correlations between heart attack and testosterone. While controversies abound, the following side effects should be discussed with your physician.  The following negative side effects are reported by some sources and exonerated by others:

 

• thickening of blood
• risk of Stroke
• risk of heart attack
• risk of prostate cancer

The post Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction? appeared first on Augusta Medical Systems.

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Physical Activity to Improve Erectile Function

Erectile dysfunction is the inability to create and maintain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. Moderate or severe erectile dysfunction is typically the result of an underlying medical disorder.  Conditions that cause ED usually also affect blood vessels or nerves supplying the penis. 

One of the leading cause of erectile dysfunction is arterial dysfunction or any of a host of cardiovascular conditions which will ultimately lead to heart disease.  While pills, pumps, injections, and surgical procedures are available to treat erectile dysfunction, physical activity has been proven as a protective factor to improve erectile function.

The journal of The International Society of Sexual Medicine released a March 2018 systematic review on physical activity and ED.  The review suggests that the role of non-pharmacological lifestyle changes is becoming recognized by more medical practitioners as an effective way to combat erectile dysfunction. 

 

Aerobic Exercise Erectile Dysfunction

 

A comprehensive review of 10 articles concluded the following:

Recommendations of physical activity to decrease ED should include supervised training consisting of 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity 4 times per week. Overall, weekly exercise of 160 minutes for 6 months contributes to decreasing erectile problems in men with ED caused by physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and/or cardiovascular diseases.

The American Journal of Cardiology also published a 2015 study on erectile function and a walking exercise program.  The results indicated that an unsupervised home-based progressive walking program seemed to improve erectile function in men.  All participants in the study published were at low cardiovascular risk after being discharge from the hospital following myocardial infractions.

 

Erection Killers

 

 

Blood flow and aerobic exercise improve erectile function. So why are so many Americans struggling with regular exercise? According to Scientific American, sitting for more than half of the day is a noteworthy culprit.  The article: Killer Chairs:  How Desk Jobs Ruin your Health, makes a sobering statement: “Those who sat for more than four hours a day while watching television had a 46 percent increase in deaths from any cause when compared with people who sat in front of the tube for less than two hours.”

Apparently, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and a sedentary lifestyle are highly correlated. Many of us work behind desks and go home to watch television in our leisure time.  Dieticians and health experts put a lot of focus on what we eat.  While this is an important focus, we must also be mindful to make room in our busy routines for aerobic exercise.

 

erectile dysfunction cure exercise

 

Beyond simple aerobic exercises, kegel exercises were noted in a 2005 clinical study in which 22 out of 55 men with ED reestablished normal erectile function as a result of pelvic floor exercises. 

While kegel exercises are not aerobic exercises, they are well known for assisting women in promoting urinary continence and sexual health after child birth. Applications of Kegel pelvic floor exercises for men and male sexuality are well established as beneficial.

The science shows that pelvic floor exercises can have a positive impact on your ability to get and sustain an erection. However, you shouldn’t think of pelvic exercises as a 100% erectile dysfunction cure.

 

erectile dysfunction exercises

 

In the absence of normal and regular erectile function, rehabilitation exercises are thought to promote overall nerve and vascular recovery. The term used by Urologist to describe erectile dysfunction exercises is penile rehabilitation.  Penile rehabilitation programs are like a form of physical therapy.  These programs help men recover their erectile function by inducing erections to “exercise” the penis.

Typically, these treatment protocols are prescribed by Urologist following a prostatectomy. Erections may be stimulated through oral medications, injections into the penis, penile suppositories, or penis pumps.  Much like aerobic exercises penile rehabilitation programs improve blood flow to the penis.

 

Penis Pumps

 

Any medical intervention that creates erections will stretch blood vessels in the penis which is beneficial to penile tissues.  The advantage of using a penis pump for erectile dysfunction exercises is that multiple erections can be created and released in one exercise session with complete control of the process.

In addition to the ability to create and release multiple erections with complete control in one exercise session, cost and toxicity are also considerations that make an erectile dysfunction penis pump the penile rehabilitation treatment of choice.

Other medical interventions come with a cost for each administration regardless of whether it be a pill, penile suppository or injection that creates the erection.  Incremental costs association with using pills, injections, and penile suppositories can be prohibitive for exercise purposes.  From a cost perspective, an exercise regimen with an erectile dysfunction penis pump comes with no or very little incremental cost.

Many men choose to use pills, injections, or penile suppositories for sexual intercourse, if they are successful candidate for these options. They may then use a penis pump for erectile dysfunction exercises. So long as side effects and the potential for toxicity that comes with drugs is acceptable.

Administration of drugs introduces foreign substances into tissues and the blood stream with some prospects of experiencing adverse side effects.  Oral ED medicines are known to have side effects such as headaches, blurred vision, or upset stomach.  Painful erections that last 4 hours or longer have been reported as adverse side effects of penile injections.  This is a condition known as priapism.  So, for the purpose of ED exercises drugs may not be a choice you are willing to make.

 

ED Exercises

 

ED exercise is a term that can be applied in various ways. Medical interventions provide a form of ED exercise that stretches flaccid penile tissues.  This form of ED exercise including the use of pumps, pills, injections, or suppositories is often necessary in cases in which impotence or erectile dysfunction is defined as moderate or severe erectile dysfunction.  These conditions are a reality for men that are unable to achieve nocturnal erections or create natural erections.

Kegel Exercises are a form of ED exercise based on another 2004 study that has demonstrated effectiveness in treating erectile dysfunction.  However, this study like many others cited, does not make clear the pervasiveness of organic ED in all of the men who are participating in the study.  So, there are questions as to whether or not Kegel exercises are preventative or have the ability to reverse moderate to severe ED. 

Physical or aerobic erectile dysfunction exercise is becoming recognized by thought leaders as perhaps the best preventative ED treatment. Given the rise of obesity rates in young men, aerobic exercise is a lifestyle choice that has multiple benefits.  30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week can prevent heart disease and erectile dysfunction.

The post Physical Activity to Improve Erectile Function appeared first on Augusta Medical Systems.

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