What strikes your mind when you read or hear the term “erectile dysfunction”? The male sexual problem which affects older men? But the truth is that apart from age, there are many risk factors for erectile dysfunction, and why is the main reason why there’s a substantial increase in the number of young men getting diagnosed with erectile dysfunction each year.
As ED affects men of all ages, how can you reduce your risk? Well, you should first know what increases your risk and then try to minimize them in the best way possible. In this blog, we will discuss each of the risk factors of erectile dysfunction in brief, along with the best treatment alternative.
What Are The Common Risk Factors For ED?
Most people think that they’re protected from erectile dysfunction as they are young. However, age is just one of the many risk factors that can lead to ED. Other common risk factors include:
- Unhealthy diet
- Obesity
- Inactive lifestyle
- Tobacco use
- Alcohol/Drug abuse
- Poor blood circulation
- Medical conditions
- Hormonal imbalance
- Psychological issues
Let's dive deeper into the above ten risk factors for erectile dysfunction:
- Unhealthy diet: Modern diet is usually high in unhealthy fats, refined sugars, and processed carbs. This type of diet affects your overall health, makes you obese, and also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The processed foods contain chemicals and artificial additives, which can reduce your testosterone levels, leading to erectile dysfunction.
- Obesity: Being overweight or obese elevates the risk of numerous health problems, including erectile dysfunction. Studies suggest that 40% of men with erectile dysfunction have BMI > 25. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is a simple index for a weight-to-height ratio that is generally used to distinguish between underweight, overweight, and obesity in adults. Having a BMI between 25 and 30 increases your risk of developing ED by 1.5 times, and a BMI over 30 increases the risk by three times.
- Inactive lifestyle: Research says that men are nowadays becoming more and more physically inactive, and it is affecting more than just the waistline. An inactive lifestyle contributes to obesity and increases the risk of various health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, etc., that can ultimately lead to erectile dysfunction in men.
- Tobacco use: Cigarette smoking is the root cause of many serious diseases. Not only can it damage your overall health, but it can also damage the lining of your blood vessels resulting in poor blood circulation. Studies have found that smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for erectile dysfunction and that quitting it can help improve the symptoms.
- Alcohol/Drug abuse: Not only can smoking increase your risk for ED, but also alcohol and recreational drugs. The overuse or abuse of alcohol and drugs can diminish your physical sensations and contribute to psychological problems that may lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Poor blood circulation: Poor blood circulation is also one of the most significant risk factors for erectile dysfunction. But what causes poor circulation? It is generally caused due to an unhealthy diet, vascular disease, and heart disease. Erection is caused only when the penis receives adequate blood flow after sexual stimulation. When the blood flow is inhibited, and the penis doesn’t receive sufficient blood flow, you won’t be able to achieve and keep erections.
- Medical conditions: Medical conditions that impact your blood circulation, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, make you more susceptible to develop erectile dysfunction. Other health problems that can also have a considerable effect on your erectile function include high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Peyronie's disease, etc. If you've any of these diseases, you are at great risk for ED.
- Hormonal imbalance: Hormones play a crucial role in many important family functions, and even a slight imbalance in their levels can impact your sexual desire and the ability to achieve and keep erections. Testosterone is the significant hormone responsible for proper sexual function, and its imbalance can contribute to erectile dysfunction. An imbalance of other hormones, including those caused by thyroid or pituitary problems, can also increase your risk for ED.
- Psychological issues: Various psychological health problems, including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, also impact your ability to achieve and maintain erections. These factors boost the production of adrenaline hormone in the body, which shifts the blood flow away from the penis to the lungs and heart.
Best Remedies For Erectile Dysfunction
Here, we will discuss the best treatment available for erectile dysfunction and what you can do if it doesn’t work for you.
Oral medications
Oral medications such as sildenafil 100mg, vardenafil, and tadalafil are known to be very effective for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. All these drugs work similarly but differ in terms of the time before which they need to be taken before sexual intercourse and the time for which they remain effective. You can choose to take any of these medications to cure your ED but only after consulting your doctor. The doctor usually enquires about your symptoms, health history, lifestyle choices, etc., and prescribes the best ED medication for you.
All ED pills lead to certain side effects. However, sildenafil 100mg is known to work best for most people with minimal side effects.
What is sildenafil 100mg? It is a potent ED medication that is available in both branded and generic forms; you can use any of them depending upon your preference and your doctor’s advice. Generic sildenafil 100mg is a cost-effective solution that you can obtain from your nearest drug store or from an online pharmacy. Branded one, on the other hand, is highly expensive and is available only at selected pharmacies. Both forms of sildenafil 100mg are safe, effective, and produce similar effects.
Sildenafil 100mg is a PDE-5 inhibitor that stops the work of the PDE-5 enzyme in the body, dilates your blood vessels, and improves the blood flow to your penis. You need to follow your doctor’s instructions for the dosage, usage, and duration of the medication. Some general tips to take sildenafil 100mg are:
- Take one whole pill with a full glass of water at least 30 minutes before the intended sexual activity.
- Do not break, chew or crush the sildenafil 100mg pill; take it as a whole.
- Do not have a high-fat or heavy meal before taking sildenafil 100mg.
- Avoid consuming alcohol and grapefruit for the best results.
- If you’re allergic to sildenafil 100mg or its ingredients, avoid using the medication.
- Sildenafil 100mg interacts with certain medical conditions and medications, so share your complete medical history with your doctor.
- Do not take multiple doses of sildenafil 100mg at once, even if you’ve missed a dose. You should maintain a gap of 24 hours between two doses.
If sildenafil 100mg and other medications don’t work for you, your doctor may recommend other treatment alternatives such as:
- Penile injections
- Vacuum pumps
- Penile implants
- Surgery
Conclusion
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is a common male sexual problem that affects more than 30 million men in the U.S. alone. There are various risk factors for erectile dysfunction. Knowing about them would help you explore the best ways to reduce your risk and prevent ED in the first place. If you’ve been diagnosed with the condition recently, stay calm. There are many treatment alternatives available that will help improve your erectile function and sexual life. Sildenafil 100mg is the most effective ED medication that works for most men. If it doesn’t work for you, try other medications or treatment alternatives by consulting your doctor.
Disclaimer: Content from the ConsciousLifeNews.com website and blog is not intended to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer understanding and is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. As health and nutrition research continuously evolves, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information presented on this website.
