Impotence, often known as erectile dysfunction (ED), does not have a single cause. Instead, ED can be caused by various factors, including lifestyle choices and medical disorders, but all experts agree that it grows more common as men age.
Erectile dysfunction can be humiliating, demoralizing, and damaging to your relationship. Fortunately, numerous things can help you overcome this disease, such as lifestyle modifications and drugs. Consult your doctor to learn more about the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction and what you may do to address it. These are some of the most common causes of male impotence.
Obesity
Obese men are more likely than not to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Obese men are more than twice as likely as non-obese men to develop ED. Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, a buildup of lipids, and other chemicals in the arterial walls. This restricts blood flow, even to the penis.
In addition, fat men frequently have an imbalance in their hormone levels. Obese men have lower testosterone levels than men of normal weight. Testosterone is required for obtaining and maintaining an erection.
Obesity not only impacts a man’s physical capacity to maintain an erection, but it also affects him mentally. Obese men are more prone to have low libido, depression, and energy, which can lead to ED.
Diabetes
Up to 75% of diabetic males will get ED at some point in their lives. According to the Mayo Clinic, poor long-term blood sugar control can induce nerve and blood vessel damage, resulting in ED. As a result, men with diabetes will develop erectile dysfunction up to 15 years earlier than men without diabetes.
Furthermore, diabetes is frequently associated with other medical disorders that might induce ED, such as high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. Some drugs may assist a diabetic man in achieving and maintaining an erection. Still, many of them are not appropriate for people with heart issues because they conflict with heart medication. Consult your doctor to determine what steps you can take to address this issue.
Blood pressure is too high.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is another prevalent cause of erectile dysfunction. Chronic high blood pressure occurs when the heart works too hard to pump blood, and the blood puts pressure on the artery walls regularly. The American Heart Association estimates that 85 million Americans, or one out of every three persons over 20, have high blood pressure. Hypertension increases the risk of having a heart attack, having a stroke, having heart failure, having renal disease or failing, having vision loss, having angina, having peripheral artery disease, and having a sexual dysfunction. It might manifest itself as erectile dysfunction in men and decreased libido in women. The American Heart Association suggests eating a low-salt, balanced diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and appropriately taking any recommended medications to manage high blood pressure.
High levels of cholesterol
Atherosclerosis is one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction, and elevated cholesterol can contribute to this problem. According to research, men with high total cholesterol levels are more likely to suffer erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, studies demonstrate that erectile dysfunction in persons with high cholesterol is predictive of, and increases the person’s chance of acquiring, coronary heart disease later in life.
Cardiovascular Disease
It has been established that erectile dysfunction can precursor to heart disease. There are several reasons why these illnesses are linked. For starters, plaque development in the arteries can reduce blood flow to the penis, making erections difficult. According to the Mayo Clinic, another cause is a malfunction of the inner lining of blood arteries and smooth muscle. This reduces blood supply to the penis and the heart, resulting in ED and, later, heart disease.