What Causes ED, Anyway? Let’s Ask the Experts

Not randomly, but male acquaintances. From different age groups and professions. Varying ethnicities and backgrounds. (Definitely anecdotal evidence.)

This is how the eclectic group answered the cause of ED question: 

• Cell phones
• Sleep deprivation
• Not enough raw fruit and veggies
• Not enough sun
• Work stress
• Mother-in-law
• Kids, including babies
• Kids in the next room
• Lack of energy
• Bad diet
• Weight gain
• Performance anxiety
• The availability of porn
• Nightly news
• Too much alcohol
• Netflix
• The Stock Market
• Financial worries
• Dogs in the bed

Plenty of common sense in that thinking. A few unusual reasons, but not exactly shocking. Not one mentioned their partner, notably, nor did any share scientific information, though a few mentioned age/aging and or “hormones.”

In case you’re interested, these were some of the proposed solutions for ED: 

• “Dancing girls”
• Hypnosis
• Sleep for a solid week
• Win the lottery 
• Eat more red meat
• Quit smoking
• Soundproof the bedroom 
• Banish sleeping pets from the bed
• Eat nuts and berries, and raw kale 
• Homemade Puttanesca sauce 
• Poop more (“gut stuff”)
• Take supplements (no idea what kind) 
• Camp under the stars
• A personal trainer 
• A different job 
• “Try not to have sex, rather than the other way around” 
• “A hot sex therapist scantily clad” 
• “A dick doctor”

Yes, there was levity! These two questions, out of the blue, clearly brought out the comic in some of them. Puttanesca sauce tonight? Anyone?

There are reasons to celebrate, actually. And some of their solutions have merit, even links to research. 

For instance: 

• Exercise
• Sleep
• Healthier diet
• Less alcohol
• Supplements   
• Hydration 
• Fiber 

Each is on every list for healthier living. They have the right idea! Full recovery is dependent upon a number of factors, of course.

An awareness of various causes is one way to understand why it’s such a common condition.

Afterward, we’ll point you in the direction of detailed information about treatments.

Information is Power is one of our shared beliefs. The more we know about the causes of our illness and dysfunction, the more common sense the solutions seem. Probably many of us would guess the primary cause of sexual dysfunction.

Unfortunately, Aging Means Damage

We can point to the changes, if we want. The skin on our hands, our etched faces, widening waistlines, and thinning hair. 

There are numerous industries devoted to covering up the visible signs of getting older, and a growing number who claim to repair aging, imperfect exteriors. 

An analysis of ED depends upon a careful examination of how our body is aging inside, however, and medical technology now makes that possible. 

(Don’t look below!)

Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, is the most common cause of ED. Our survey group did not mention any of these but did mention a highly-specialized doctor! Definitely on the right track. A specialist is indeed best.

Damage most often occurs when a man has repeated penile injuries, as the penis heals the small tears with new healthy tissue, but this new tissue doesn’t expand like the old.

Peyronie’s disease, for example, is caused by formation of scar tissue in the erectile tissue, which creates painful and curved erections. It most often occurs when a man has repeated penile injuries.

If you or someone you know has experienced Peyronie’s disease, they’re aware of the possible causes. And probably remember exactly when it happened, including the sharp blow to the genitals which left the penis sore or bruised.

• audible snapping or popping sound
• sudden loss of erection
• severe pain following the injury
• dark bruising above the injured area
• bent penis
• blood leaking from penis
• difficult urination

If you’ve experienced penile trauma, a doctor who specializes in treating these injuries is essential. A future-forward practice with the latest medical technology can ensure a return to a satusfying sexual life. As with most dysfunction, the waiting is far worse than the condition itself. Treatments involving sound waves, for instance, are virtually pain free.

Takeaway: Penile damage from internal aging and also from a serious injury can be successfully treated by an experienced practitioner with the latest medical technology. 

There are also illnesses that serve as indicators of erectile dysfunction, based upon years of clinical data.

Disease Creates Dysfunction

70 percent of ED cases are linked to the following diseases: 

• Vascular disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease 
• Atherosclerosis 
• Multiple sclerosis 
• Chronic alcoholism
• Neurologic disease

To be fair, a few from that list could be inherited rather than the result of lifestyle choices. As you can begin to see, however, there are many different potential causes of erectile dysfunction.

In fact, most people are not aware of just how common male sexual dysfunction actually is. 

There is one disease, however, that practically guarantees ED will become an issue: diabetes.

Over the age of 50, the likelihood of difficulty with an erection occurs in approximately 50 to 60% of men with diabetes. Above age 70, there is a 95% likelihood of having some difficulty with erectile dysfunction. (These days, 70 is still young! Or at least it can be, with the right  functional medical practice as your coach.)

(Short answer: It’s complicated.) The causes of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes involve impairments in nerve, blood vessels, and muscle function. 

Takeaway: Both injury and male sexual dysfunction due to disease are treatable in a practice that specializes in it, has a track record of success, and the latest medical technology.

There are diseases in the above (in the diabetes link list) that are associated with actual human behavior, however. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can lead to Type 2 Diabetes, as we know, just as it can be inherited genetically. Vascular  disease, atherosclerosis, and chronic alcoholism are each linked to human behavior, of course. Our life choices, therefore, equally responsible for our physical health, are a separate category.

Choices Count

Other lifestyle choices with links to ED include: alcoholism, smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity. These are referred to as modifiable risk factors for ED, by the medical community. Modifiable because our actions can increase or decrease risk, depending upon our behavior.

Properly motivated, these changes are easiest to make, though when discovered, they have already done their damage. Recent developments have made regeneration possible, however. The most important thing is to do the research needed to find the right provider for your particular needs. And to ask plenty of questions.

…metabolic conditions are strongly associated with a pro-inflammatory state that results in endothelial dysfunction by decreasing the availability of Nitric Oxide (NO), which is the driving force of the blood genital flow. Lifestyle and nutrition have been recognized as central factors influencing vascular NO production, testosterone levels, and erectile function. Moreover, it has also been suggested that lifestyle habits that decrease low-grade clinical inflammation may have a role in the improvement of erectile function. In clinical trials, lifestyle modifications were effective in ameliorating ED or restoring absent ED in people with obesity or metabolic syndrome. Therefore, promotion of healthful lifestyles would yield great benefits in reducing the burden of sexual dysfunction.

How Can You Fix ED If You Don’t Know the Cause?

Plus the temporary fixes don’t restore optimal functioning. They mask symptoms of more serious issues, most often. As we’re aware, healthy male sexual functioning requires the support of a number of delicate systems. If one or more are out of whack, ED shows up, often as an indication of an underlying issue. 

The question is how to escort the party crasher from the premises most effectively.

That’s where truly advanced medical testing comes into play. We’re talking about being able to get accurate readings on the functioning of truly intricate systems. Not hypothesizing, but being able to actually identify the causes of dysfunction. To do that, requires advanced medical testing. 

Knowing the actual causes of dysfunction or disease is critical to any legitimate treatment. Only after that can it be eliminated. And only after its exit, can full functioning return.

In general, the news about ED is very good. For the vast majority of ED causes, there are solutions. What kind of treatment and how administered depends upon your individual issues, the options your provider offers, and your specific goals. 

For answers to your questions and explanations of how each treatment or procedure functions in the journey to full recovery from sexual dysfunction, please download our free eBook.