By Michael Angelo, Senior Editor on Monday, July 18, 2011
Impotence is a major health concern among men today and there's never been more ED medicines or supplements on the market than there is now. Keep reading to learn more.
As many as 30 million American men suffer from impotence[1]. Since sexual performance influences men's self-image quite strongly, impotence, especially in younger men, may be rather underreported. What exactly is impotence and why is it an epidemic? Do prescription medications cure impotence or merely treat it? Is there even such a thing as an effective cure for impotence?
The exact definition of impotence has changed over the years, but it's generally synonymous nowadays with erectile dysfunction, the term more in use today in the United States. Both impotence and erectile dysfunction refer to the inability to maintain or in some cases even obtain an erection[1]. Some further classify impotence into primary and secondary forms. Primary impotence refers to men who have never been successful in obtaining an erection, while secondary impotence, the more common form, refers to men who had normal erectile functioning at one point but have lost this over time[2].
One reason why impotence and erectile dysfunction can be difficult to treat is because there can be both physical and psychological causes to it, sometimes occurring simultaneously. However, while mental and emotional causes can give rise to impotence on their own, this scenario is far less frequent[3]. By some estimations, up to 80 percent of all impotence cases are the result of physical causes. The most common physical sources of impotence are reduced blood flow to the penis and reduced neurological sensation. Both situations, however, can be caused by an enormous number of ailments, making it difficult at times to pinpoint exactly what's giving rise to the reduced circulation or neurological dysfunction[4].
Major diseases and illnesses quite frequently give rise to impotence[5]. Diabetes, for example, especially when untreated, can result in damage to the blood vessels within the penis, making it difficult or impossible to have or keep an erection. Diabetes can also cause neuropathy, reducing sensation to the penis. Since many cases of diabetes have few if any symptoms at first, impotence can often be one of its first indicators. Other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease, thanks to their damaging effects on the nervous system, can also give rise to impotence. Hormonal deficiencies can also contribute to impotence; testosterone is key to both sexual desire and in normal sexual functioning, and so at times treating a lack of testosterone will clear up a case of impotence[6].
Lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcoholism, recreational drug abuse, a high-fat and/or high-cholesterol diet, or lack of exercise can also result in impotence[7]. Smoking, obesity, and too much cholesterol can all produce a narrowing of the arteries, reducing circulation and therefore the chances of having an erection. Recreational drug abuse can result in not only lowered circulation but also neuropathies that prevent the signals that trigger erections from getting where they need to be. Exercise has been proven to be an easy, healthy, drug-free way to improve circulation and thus reduce the frequency of impotence.
Furthermore, a plethora of OTC and prescription medicines have been known to cause ED, including: diuretics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, antiarrythmics, amphetamines, barbiturates and anti-seizure medications[8].
Prescription medications can temporarily treat certain cases of impotence. These drugs work by inhibiting a particular phosphodiesterase enzyme, PDE5, which is highly prevalent inside the penis. Phosphodiesterase enzymes degrade a chemical messenger, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which relaxes smooth muscle and allows for more blood flow. Blocking these enzymes results in increased blood flow to the penis, allowing for easier erections. Another medication beginning to see more use in treating impotence is alprostadil, a vasodilating drug. Vasodilators open blood vessels and allow more blood to reach affected regions[9].
While some medications can successfully treat impotence, it's important to remember that impotence itself may be a warning of more serious underlying conditions. It can be the initial stages of a disease, or it can mean we need to choose a healthier lifestyle. It's important to talk with your doctor if you suffer from impotence. Together you can determine what's causing it and work to treat the impotence symptoms as well as any underlying causes for it.
The exact definition of impotence has changed over the years, but it's generally synonymous nowadays with erectile dysfunction, the term more in use today in the United States. Both impotence and erectile dysfunction refer to the inability to maintain or in some cases even obtain an erection[1]. Some further classify impotence into primary and secondary forms. Primary impotence refers to men who have never been successful in obtaining an erection, while secondary impotence, the more common form, refers to men who had normal erectile functioning at one point but have lost this over time[2].
One reason why impotence and erectile dysfunction can be difficult to treat is because there can be both physical and psychological causes to it, sometimes occurring simultaneously. However, while mental and emotional causes can give rise to impotence on their own, this scenario is far less frequent[3]. By some estimations, up to 80 percent of all impotence cases are the result of physical causes. The most common physical sources of impotence are reduced blood flow to the penis and reduced neurological sensation. Both situations, however, can be caused by an enormous number of ailments, making it difficult at times to pinpoint exactly what's giving rise to the reduced circulation or neurological dysfunction[4].
Major diseases and illnesses quite frequently give rise to impotence[5]. Diabetes, for example, especially when untreated, can result in damage to the blood vessels within the penis, making it difficult or impossible to have or keep an erection. Diabetes can also cause neuropathy, reducing sensation to the penis. Since many cases of diabetes have few if any symptoms at first, impotence can often be one of its first indicators. Other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease, thanks to their damaging effects on the nervous system, can also give rise to impotence. Hormonal deficiencies can also contribute to impotence; testosterone is key to both sexual desire and in normal sexual functioning, and so at times treating a lack of testosterone will clear up a case of impotence[6].
Lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcoholism, recreational drug abuse, a high-fat and/or high-cholesterol diet, or lack of exercise can also result in impotence[7]. Smoking, obesity, and too much cholesterol can all produce a narrowing of the arteries, reducing circulation and therefore the chances of having an erection. Recreational drug abuse can result in not only lowered circulation but also neuropathies that prevent the signals that trigger erections from getting where they need to be. Exercise has been proven to be an easy, healthy, drug-free way to improve circulation and thus reduce the frequency of impotence.
Furthermore, a plethora of OTC and prescription medicines have been known to cause ED, including: diuretics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, antiarrythmics, amphetamines, barbiturates and anti-seizure medications[8].
Prescription medications can temporarily treat certain cases of impotence. These drugs work by inhibiting a particular phosphodiesterase enzyme, PDE5, which is highly prevalent inside the penis. Phosphodiesterase enzymes degrade a chemical messenger, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which relaxes smooth muscle and allows for more blood flow. Blocking these enzymes results in increased blood flow to the penis, allowing for easier erections. Another medication beginning to see more use in treating impotence is alprostadil, a vasodilating drug. Vasodilators open blood vessels and allow more blood to reach affected regions[9].
While some medications can successfully treat impotence, it's important to remember that impotence itself may be a warning of more serious underlying conditions. It can be the initial stages of a disease, or it can mean we need to choose a healthier lifestyle. It's important to talk with your doctor if you suffer from impotence. Together you can determine what's causing it and work to treat the impotence symptoms as well as any underlying causes for it.
Sources
- [1] - Erectile dysfunction, MedicineNet.com
- [2] - Treating Impotence Without Drugs, AskMen.com
- [3] - Erectile Dysfunction; Psychological Causes, WebMD
- [4] - Erectile Dysfunction; Physical Causes, WebMD
- [5] - Erectile Dysfunction, National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIDDK
- [6] - Relationship Between Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction, National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH.gov
- [7] - Erectile Dysnfunction (ED), FamilyDoctor.org
- [8] - Medications That May Cause Erectile Dysfunction, ClevelandClinic.org
- [9] - What Does Viagra Do, Exactly?, Discover Health, HowStuffWorks.com
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