Conservative estimates suggest that at least 30 million men experience difficulty maintaining an erection, writes Dr. Edward Schneider in 'What Your Doctor Hasn't Told You and the Health-Store Clerk Doesn't Know.' With aging, there's a normal decline in sexual function. Testosterone, the male sex hormone, decreases -- and with it goes some of a man's muscle mass, bone strength, and, of course, libido. Yet these difficulties do not need to interfere with healthy and enjoyable sex.
A Frustrating Problem
As a man grows older, it may take longer to become aroused. Erections are usually less firm, ejaculations less forceful and the time between erections lasts longer. It was once thought that erectile and arousal problems were psychological in origin. These days, we tend to assume that libido woes are a matter of biochemical imbalance, to be cured with a pill, but you should consider all the options available.
Is a Pill the Answer?
In 1998, Viagra was introduced, and men discovered diminished sexual function was no longer something they just had to live with. Although Viagra doesn't rev up sexual desire, it does help the body to maintain erections when taken anytime between 30 minutes and four hours before it's needed. Now there are newer prescription medications which last longer than Viagra. But they also have side effects such as headache, flushing and even priapism.
Consider Alternatives
Since Viagra costs more than $8 per dose, many men consider responding to the ubiquitous e-mail advertisements for potency herbals and aphrodisiacs. Viagra, Levitra and Cialis also interact with prescription drugs, including nitrates taken for heart disease, and alpha-blockers, which are used to lower blood pressure. Given the perils surrounding conventional drugs, many would prefer safe, low-cost alternatives.
Try Losing Weight
Did you know that you can improve sexual performance without drugs? Recent studies suggest that exercise and appropriate weight loss are effective bedroom boosters. According to the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, regular physical activity appears to reduce impotence risk by nearly a third. When obese men lose weight, many regain their sexual functioning.
Ginseng's Promise
Like Viagra, ginseng relaxes the muscles in the penis and allows it to fill with blood. In one study, nearly two-thirds of men with erectile dysfunction experienced improvement when using this herb. The trial was only preliminary -- it was fairly small and took place in Korea and Brazil, where strong scientific standards are not always in place -- but it's promising. Ginseng hasn't been subjected to long-term studies, but it appears relatively safe when taken for short periods of time.
The L-arginine Question
Viagra works by enhancing the action of nitric oxide as it relaxes the muscles in the blood vessel walls in the penis, helping maintain erections. L-arginine, an amino acid that increases blood levels of nitric oxide, has been marketed to aid performance. It's too early to say whether L-arginine works and you need to ingest daily doses of L-arginine for any effect to continue. Amino acids can be powerful and their effects aren't well understood. This is only part one.....
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