Men's Health News and Information


Impotence and Heart Disease - Linked?

Impotence, or Erectile Dysfunction (ED), may actually be an indicator of a more serious problem. An estimated 30 million men suffer from ED. Although serious, impotence is not life threatening, yet doctors worry most about heart disease when treating men for impotence. An estimated 50% of diabetic men are impotent, and that other 50% will become impotent over time. Erections depend on a healthy blood flow to the penis; the vessels in the penis become enlarged with blood which produces the erection. Diseases that affect blood vessels, such as Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and Hypertension (high blood pressure), can cause abnormal blood flow to the penis and can affect a man's ability to have an erection.

Although, that doesn't mean that every man with heart disease is impotent or vice versa. "It's not a simple relationship between the two conditions by any means," says Ira Nash, MD, spokesman for the American Heart Association and associate professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City . Yet doctors always keep in mind that heart disease may be a possibility in men with erectile dysfunction.

But there are several other known factors that cause impotence, such as low testosterone production and disruptions between the brain signals and the nerves that respond to start and stop erections. Even poorly managed diabetes, Multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries can cause erectile dysfunction.

WebMD Health states that, “Erectile dysfunction seems to have become the proverbial canary in a coalmine, especially for older men. That's because it can be caused by any combination of various health problems that strike men later in life.”

Your body knows when something isn't right and requires immediate attention. So be sure to pay attention to any and all signs your body gives you. It could save not only your sex life, but your overall wellbeing.

Resources:

- www.my.webmd.com

-Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Balch, Phyllis A. and James F. New York. 2000.