Let’s talk about some non-pill-based ways to address erectile problems.
If you’re a man past age 30, you’re probably wondering “is this as good as it gets”?
Remember the good old days when merely thinking about Susie’s sweater would be enough to put you in a froth? Remember when the bell to end the class would ring and you couldn’t stand up because you had a pole in your pants?
Okay, so you’ll never be 18 again, but you can still enjoy a rich, vital and frisky sex life until you breathe your last breath. Even if you’ve had problems in that department lately, here’s some natural, healthy tips that will help, without prescriptions or side effects:
1. Quit smoking already! As if the smoke isn’t enough to turn off most women (or men, for that matter), over time all that tobacco will damage blood flow to your penis to the point where it’s just not going to work. By the time symptoms begin, the damage is already there.
2. Power train. Jogging may be great if you like to race, but there’s nothing like lifting weights to stimulate testosterone and enhance libido and erectile function.
3. Check your medicine cabinet. Certain prescription and even over-the-counter drugs can devastate your sex drive and leave your erections weak. Antidepressant drugs, beta blocker drugs, statin drugs, even antihistamines can contribute to taking the air out of your balloon.
4. Make sure happy hour stays happy. When you’re young, alcohol relaxes inhibition and could be a sexual enhancer. As you mature, the sedating power of the drug takes over, leaving you tired and not much of a partner when the lights go off.
5. Lose the beer gut. If your abdomen measures greater than 40 inches in its largest circumference, odds are the fat cells are converting testosterone into estrogen. This process called “aromatization” happens more vigorously as your weight goes up, especially as it gathers in the midsection. Reduced sex drive and difficulty with erections come first, Beware! Gynecomastia, aka man boobs, may be next!
6. Try some supplements. L-arginine, ginkgo biloba, Co-Q 10, DHEA, and pregnenolone among other can have restorative value to your energy and hormone levels.
Dr. Stephen Petteruti is a board-certified family physician specializing in functional medicine. His practice Intellectual Medicine 120 is in Warwick, Rhode Island.
7. See your doctor. Lost sex drive and difficulty with erections should be considered a vital sign, and can be a symptom of something even worse. If things are not working well for you in the sexual department, see your doctor. Heart disease, brain tumors, hormonal irregularities can all be contributing to this condition. This is a solvable problem for almost every man. If your doctor cannot lead you to the promised land, find a new physician.