Erectile dysfunction or ED is the inability to achieve and sustain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. About 1 in 10 adult males suffer from ED on a long-term basis.
In this study, Erectile dysfunction in men with angiographically documented coronary artery disease, done in 2007, using the SHIM questionnaire, they found that men with erectile dysfunction (ED) were more likely to have more blockages in their coronary arteries.”
The right stimulus to the brain, healthy nerves and blood supply to the penis are necessary to achieve an erection. Coronary artery disease has something in common with erectile dysfunction. Both conditions have the same underlying problem in the inner lining of the blood vessel (endothelium). That is called endothelial dysfunction.
The Vascular Cause of Erectile Dysfunction
The normal endothelium has properties that protect against any damage like stiffness and clot formation (anti-atherogenic property). Insulin resistance causes endothelial dysfunction.
A common way that insulin resistance develops is from eating carbohydrates and, to a lesser extent, protein. As we eat carbohydrates, especially sweets or refined sugar, the hormone insulin has to put the glucose away into storage.
Once the storage areas (liver and muscle glycogen) become full, the excess glucose becomes fat stored inside the abdomen. Those are called visceral fat.
Frequent rises in insulin make the body resistant to the effects of insulin (insulin resistance) and then type 2 diabetes.
The excess visceral fat start to substances pro-inflammatory molecules (cytokines) like IL-6, TNF, PA-I and cause inflammation throughout the body.
The inflammation manifests as hypertension, diabetes, high sugar, atherosclerosis, and erectile dysfunction.
There are physical and psychological causes of erectile dysfunction. The majority (70%) of the material cause is from vascular issues like atherosclerosis, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
That is why the same conditions that lead to heart attacks and strokes can also cause erectile dysfunction.
Lifestyle Change and Erectile Dysfunction
Intermittent fasting improves diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. Fasting lowers blood sugar by making the body more sensitive to insulin.
Decreased insulin resistance will lower insulin levels and increase blood vessels’ size and blood flow to the penis. Less insulin resistance allows the endothelium to resume its normal function and improves the blood vessels all over the body.
That is why lifestyle change not only treats erectile dysfunction but can lower the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Exercise increases the HDL that removes the cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels.
Quitting smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol intake also improves endothelial function.
Take Away Message
Erectile dysfunction is an early sign of atherosclerosis and hypertension, and you may be at risk for a heart attack and stroke.
Taking a prescription pill like sildenafil (Viagra) will only temporarily solve the ED but not address the blood vessels’ disease, which is the root cause of the problem.
Fasting and exercise effectively reduce visceral fat, improve general circulation, diabetes hypertension, and resolve erectile dysfunction.
Related Readings:
- How to Do Intermittent Fasting
- The Kaizen Way of Fasting
- Early Time-Restricted Feeding is Intermittent Fasting In Sync with the Circadian Rhythm
- Diseases of the Male Urinary and Reproductive System Associated with Metabolic Syndrome
- What Starts Atherosclerosis?
- The Magical Endothelium
- Understanding Heart Failure Treatment
- Coronary Stents and Blood Thinners
- How Effective is Quitting Cigarettes?
- Hair Loss and Heart Attacks
- The Real Effect of Statins on Heart Disease
- Erectile Dysfunction is a Sign of Coronary Artery Disease
Sources:
- Thomson IM, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ, et al. Erectile Dysfunction and Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA. 2005;294(23):2996-3002.
- A. Sai Ravi Shanker, B. Phanikrishna, C. Bhaktha Vatsala Reddy. Association between erectile dysfunction and coronary artery disease and its severity. Indian Heart J. 2013 Mar; 65(2): 180–186.
- Shin D, Pregenzer G Jr, Gardin JM. Erectile dysfunction: a disease marker for cardiovascular disease. Cardiol Rev. 2011 Jan-Feb;19(1):5-11.
- Rodriguez JJ, Al Dashti R, Schwarz E Linking erectile dysfunction and coronary artery disease. Int J Impot Res. 2005 Dec;17 Suppl 1: S12-8.
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Erectile dysfunction. kidney.niddk.nih.gov
Image Credits:
Penis Anatomy By Geng Long Hsu – Own work https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2164/jandrol.109.008532, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75888226
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