Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Did you know that the longest recorded erection lasted over 6 months?! The unlucky gentleman who holds this record suffered an injury to his perineum which affected the blood supply to his penis. Eventually, he required surgery to drain the erection and restore his life to normal.
Although I’m sure no man would aspire to having an erection for significantly longer than the time required to enjoy a romantic and fulfilling sexual interaction… All men crave the assurance that their equipment will work well when the time is right. When the ‘soldier won’t salute’, it can cause significant distress.
I have had numerous patients tell me: Doc, I had to get to know you first before trusting you with this problem I’m having. I feel so ashamed and embarrassed.
Erectile problems cause feelings of inadequacy, affect self-esteem and can impact significantly on the harmony of intimate relationships.
Whenever I chat to my patients about erectile dysfunction, they are astounded by how common the problem is. Men are quite happy to discuss their prostate issues at the pub, but it seems they are not keen to share their experiences when ‘the elevator gets stuck between floors’.
If you are a man over the age of forty, there is a higher-than-fifty percent chance that you will experience erectile difficulties with your next sexual encounter. And, if you are over 70, that figure rises to over 70%. So, ED is a super-common and very frustrating problem.
The good news: Erectile function can be improved with lifestyle change.
Here’s a case study to illustrate how effective lifestyle change can be at completely reversing severe ED.
Frank came to see me. He was 59 years old, and his wife had died some years before. He had recently met a lovely lady who he was very romantically interested in. She was a bit younger, and Frank confided to me that she had high expectations in the bedroom. He had not had ANY erections for more than 5 years. No morning glories. And, when he and his new love interest had become a little cosy, ‘the souffle did not rise’. He was anxious and frustrated.
He said: ‘Doc, please give me whatever medicine you can that works well so I can prove I’m worthy’.
I asked about his medical history. He was taking medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. He was a smoker. The only exercise he did was play golf once a week, but he moved around on the course in his golf cart and his caddy pushed his golfing equipment around for him. His sleep was OK, but apparently, he had always been a champion snorer.
When I examined Frank, I could see that he was physically unfit and the blood circulation at his ankles wasn’t fantastic.
We did some blood tests and confirmed a high level or inflammation in addition to high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high uric acid and low testosterone. His blood count was also higher than optimal because of years of smoking.
I explained to Frank that medicine for erectile dysfunction has limited power if we don’t address the underlying causes, in his case: Poor blood supply, high inflammation affecting blood vessels and nerves, high blood sugar and low testosterone.
Frank agreed that he would do whatever he could to ‘get air in the tires again’.
- He stopped smoking overnight!
- He got a personal trainer twice a week to improve his strength and cardiovascular fitness
- He agreed to walk the golf course instead of drive and skip the ‘19th hole’
- He changed his diet: Low-carb Mediterranean Diet with a focus on fresh produce that improves circulatory health and hormone balance
- We organised a sleep study which confirmed sleep apnoea and he started using a CPAP machine
Initially, I treated him with natural supplements and testosterone injections as well as medicine specific to erectile function that he could use ‘when required’. He agreed to practice his skills alone to build confidence before trying to engage in another romantic interlude, because failure can have very negative psychological effects that lead to ‘stage fright’ and perpetual poor performance.
Happily, Frank improved his overall health through all these lifestyle changes, and he achieved good success in the bedroom. He was able to stop medicine for high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes He and his new lady friend got married and he doesn’t need to take any erection-enhancing medicine anymore 😊
Here are my Top Three Lifestyle suggestions to improve Erectile Function:
- Exercise (Especially Strength & Cardiovascular Training) – Improves circulation, nitric oxide production (which helps dilate blood vessels), and testosterone levels, all essential for erectile function.
- Diet Rich in Nitrate-Rich Vegetables & Healthy Fats – Beets, leafy greens, and omega-3s improve blood vessel health, reducing vascular-related ED.
- Stress Management & Sleep Optimization – Chronic stress and poor sleep increase cortisol and lower testosterone, impairing erectile function. Breathwork and quality sleep help restore balance.
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