Erectile Dysfunction

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By the age of 45, most men have experienced at least one period of erectile dysfunction. Men are embarrassed by this fact, and often refuse to admit it, but almost all men have at least one time in their lives where they've had problems with impotence or erectile dysfunction. Many times it is a symptom of another health issue. The problem can be caused by a variety of things, and erectile dysfunction happens so frequently that it's becoming fairly common to read about in magazines, or hear about on television. In almost all cases though, the problem is caused by one of three things--hormonal imbalance, underlying health issues, or some type of psychological stress.

30The terms impotence and erectile dysfunction basically mean the same thing. The man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to enjoy satisfying sexual activities, and either because of or in addition to that problem, he is unable to impregnate a woman. As men become older, the majority of the time their erectile dysfunction is caused by health-related problems--both physical and psychologial in nature. Because a majority of health issues are age related, lifestyle choices play an important roll in the middle aged years, although some men are starting to have health-related erectile dysfunction problems earlier in life.

Because medical problems are usually the cause of erectile dysfunction, the best natural ways to solve the problem is to simply get those diseases under control. Change your diet and lifestyle in ways that will help control both your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure. You can also take Cayenne to help improve the overall circulation in your body if you feel that may be part of the problem.

If the problem is a hormonal imbalance, such as a deficiency of testosterone, hormone therapy may be prescribed. Hormonal imbalances can also be treated effectively with certain herbal supplements such as Kelp or Sarsaparilla. With a health condition such as diabetes, it's best to get the condition under control. Diabetes is a growing health problem. The elevated blood glucose levels that are a hallmark of diabetes, also damage the nerve endings in the penis. When a man has diabetes that is not managed or kept under control properly, a number of additional problems will arise inside the body. One of these problems is a nerve endings not responding to brain commands properly. If a man has nerve related damage due to diabetes, his penis may not be able to receive the arousal signals from the brain. Sometimes the signals are there but weak, while other times they are not reaching the penis at all.

Chronic high blood pressure is another common cause for erectile problems. High blood pressure causes the blood vessels to lose their elasticity. When this happens, the blood is unable to flow to all areas of the body as well as it once did, and this can cause a decrease of blood flow to the penis. Sometimes blood vessels in the penis can become blocked with clots or plaque. Conventional medicine will require surgery. Keep in mind that many medications for high blood pressure and diabetes have the side effect of causing erectile dysfunction which is a Catch 22. You may get erectile dysfunction from managing your health conditions with conventional medicine.

As far as nutritional supplements, a person experiencing erectile dysfunction should consider taking essential fatty acids such as those found in flaxseed oil or borage oil. This helps the prostate maintain normal levels of hormones. Magnesium is another good choice in order to relax the nervous system and relieve anxiety. Lastly, Vitamin E to strengthen hormonal and reproductive function.

Recommended herbal treatments--

Damiana is considered an aphrodisiac
Fo-ti also known as ho shou wu is a blood tonic
Ginkgo biloba helps restore blood flow to the genitals
oat straw has been shown to increase desire
Saw palmetto has been used for centures for prostate health


If erectile dysfunction is found to be due to psychological reasons, stress reducing activities such as meditation or yoga can be helpful.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.