What Is The Most Common Cause Of Erectile Dysfunction
The male sexual arousal is very complex process and involves not only the brain but also the hormones, emotions, nerves and blood vessels. Erectile dysfunction can be a result from any number of the above problems. As well, stress and mental health concerns can also be the cause or even worsen erectile dysfunction.
It can also be a combination of both physical and psychological issues which cause erectile dysfunction. A few physical causes of erectile dysfunction include:
- Heart disease
As mentioned, psychological issues can also be a cause for erectile dysfunction including:
- Depression
- Other concerns
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How To Increase Erection Size
Blood flow
Increasing blood flow is a recurring objective for increasing penile size and hardness. Since erections depend highly on optimal blood flow for its size and hardness, the most common solution for erection-related problems is to increase blood flow as much as possible.
In fact, increasing blood flow is so impactful in erectile function that its the focal activity of erectile dysfunction medication.
Vasodilation is the key function that helps improve blood flow as it dilates blood vessels to allow a greater blood volume to pass through the blood vessels. This is done by increasing nitric oxide levels in the blood and inhibiting the PDE-5 enzyme.
Nitric oxide helps regulate blood pressure by allowing the smooth muscles in blood vessels to relax, allowing them to dilate. This function effectively improves blood flow issues caused by obstructions in the bloodstream and increases the volume of blood that flows to the corpora cavernosa of the penis. The restriction of PDE-5 prolongs the vasodilatory effects of nitric oxide, allowing for a more robust erection.
Testosterone
Testosterone is the key agent that increases sex drive, and an increase in testosterone greatly increases the sensitivity to sexual stimulus, increasing the likelihood of sexual arousal.
Erection is primarily responsible for the chain of events that lead to an erection, from getting sexually aroused, to focusing blood flow to the penis to gain an erection.
Penile Tissue Elasticity
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Low Testosterone And Ed: Frequent Questions About Low Testosterone And Impotence
Here are common questions about low testosterone and erectile dysfunction:
Are there treatments available for men with low testosterone and erectile dysfunction?
There are several ED treatments available for men with low testosterone and impotence. Men should consider that erectile dysfunction is often a symptom of another health issue.
Therefore, men with low testosterone and erectile dysfunction should seek medical advice from an expert for the right ED treatment.
I have low testosterone and oral ED medications do not work for me. Is this normal?
This can be normal. Oral ED medications are effective in relieving ED symptoms. However, effectiveness may vary according to the severity of the case.
Some oral ED medications wont work with other patients. Although, there are other safe and effective ED treatment options available.
Does low testosterone therapy have sexual side effects?
The most common effects of testosterone treatments are often nonsexual in nature. Low testosterone therapy is a common treatment and side effects may greatly vary.
Low testosterone therapy can potentially damage the liver. Thus, it is important to talk with a doctor prior to having an ED treatment.
Prostate-related issues are another concern that requires prompt ED treatment. Low testosterone levels could be an adverse effect of your current medication. However, there are other options that can reverse these effects without interfering your current medications.
Does Low Testosterone Cause Ed The Link Between Low Testosterone And Erectile Dysfunction
Can low testosterone cause ED?
Its not uncommon for men to have erection problems from time to time. In fact, according to the UNC School of Medicine, erectile dysfunction affects roughly 50% of men over the age of 40. However, men who have erectile dysfunction are unable to get or maintain an erection to have sexual intercourse.
Testosterone is the most abundant hormone in men. It not only plays a role in libido, but muscle building, bone strength, and even fat distribution.
Heres what you need to know about a possible link between low testosterone levels and ED.
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What Are The Tests For Testosterone Deficiency
Many older men with testosterone deficiency are never diagnosed. Often the general problems of tiredness, low sex drive and erectile dysfunction are thought to be due to the normal ageing process. Therefore many men don’t go to see a doctor to see whether they have testosterone deficiency.
Testosterone deficiency is often identified if you see your doctor about decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction. Your doctor will arrange tests, which will include your blood testosterone level.
Men who don’t respond to the medicines that are used to treat erectile dysfunction , should also have their testosterone level checked.
If tests confirm you have low testosterone, further testing can determine if a problem with your testicles or a pituitary gland abnormality is the cause. These further tests may include:
- Testing for other hormone levels .
- Testicular biopsy.
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Can Low Testosterone Cause Premature Ejaculation
As we discussed earlier, low testosterone can cause erectile dysfunction in a small number of cases. It is this presence of erectile dysfunction that is a common contributor to premature ejaculation. So in some cases, it is definitely possible.
For the majority of cases, premature ejaculation is connected to erectile dysfunction that has other causes outside of low testosterone.
What Causes Testosterone Deficiency
Testosterone deficiency can be caused by normal ageing. However, there are many other different causes of testosterone deficiency. Some causes of testosterone deficiency can be inherited. Testosterone deficiency may be present at birth or it may develop later in life.
Being significantly overweight or obese at any age may be linked to testosterone deficiency.
Temporary testosterone deficiency may be caused by a physical illness, surgery or emotional stress. The testosterone level will go back to normal once the underlying problem has been treated.
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Can Low Testosterone Cause Ed
Weve all heard that testosterone is the main hormone for men, right? So, could low testosterone cause erectile dysfunction ? The answer is a little more complex than you might think. However, theres some evidence that testosterone may play a role in sexual health and erections.
Low testosterone can affect your libido and erectile function, but testosterone injections may help you get back to normal.
Around of men in the U.S. suffer from ED. Your risk for ED increases with age, much like your risk for low testosterone. This has led many researchers to look into a possible link between testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction. The key to remember is that ED is a complex condition that can have multiple different causes and effects, so symptoms, severity, and treatment may be different for each person.
Does Testosterone Increase Sex Drive
Although the relationship between testosterone and erections is debatable, theres a very clear link between testosterone and your sex drive.
Research shows that men with low sex drive are more likely to have low testosterone than their peers.
Other studies have found that men with low testosterone who are treated with TRT are likely to experience an increase in sexual desire.
Interestingly, this research also found that men with low testosterone often report getting better erections following testosterone treatment.
This may be caused by testosterones effects on your level of interest in sex and the stimulation required to get an erection.
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Erectile Dysfunction And Low Testosterone Risk Factors
While low testosterone doesnt necessarily cause erectile dysfunction, many of the potential contributing factors for both conditions overlap.
For example, low testosterone is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
These are also common risk factors for erectile dysfunction that can compromise blood flow to your penis and affect your sexual performance.
If youve been diagnosed with any of these risk factors and have ED, you may want to consider talking to your healthcare provider about checking your testosterone levels.
Does Testosterone Replacement Help With Erections
While testosterone replacement isnt generally the first-line therapy for treating ED, some studies suggest it may help. In men with both low testosterone and ED, some studies have found that testosterone injections can help with erections, as well as other symptoms of low T like fatigue and libido.
Research of using TRT for erectile dysfunction is still ongoing. However, one study found that 40-60% of men with both ED and low T noted improvements with erections. So, if you have ED and other symptoms of low testosterone like low libido, low energy, or loss of muscle, our provider may recommend starting a testosterone replacement regimen to help. However, not everyone notices significant improvements in erectile function with TRT, so you may need more traditional ED medications, like sildenafil.
Some men even respond better to sildenafil when taking testosterone if they have both ED and low testosterone. Researchers are still studying this, but it makes sense because though sildenafil helps increase blood flow to the penis, it likely wont help with low libido due to low T.
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Signs Of Low Testosterone In Men Under 30
Low testosterone and age
When you think of declining levels of testosterone, you might think of middle-aged or older men. But men under 30 can also experience low testosterone, or low T.
According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone levels tend to peak in men during adolescence and early adulthood. Those levels typically decline by about 1 percent each year, starting around age 30. But in some cases, you may experience declining testosterone at a younger age.
Low T is a medical condition where your body doesnt produce enough of the hormone testosterone. Both men and women produce testosterone, but its called the male hormone because men produce a lot more of it. Its critical for many male characteristics, including the maturation of male sex organs, sperm development, muscle mass development, voice deepening, and hair growth. Low T can cause a variety of symptoms, including erectile dysfunction, infertility, muscle mass loss, fat gain, and balding.
If you think you might be experiencing low T, make an appointment with your doctor. In some cases, it is caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits that you can change. In other cases, it is caused by an underlying medical condition that requires treatment. Your doctor can help you identify the cause of your symptoms and learn how to manage them.
Safe Ways Of Increasing Low Testosterone Levels
There are many ways to increase testosterone safely, which are largely to do with your lifestyle. It may sound like this is too simple to have any impact, but even just looking after your testicles is a good place to start.
Testicles need to be kept cooler than the rest of the body, so choosing loose fitting boxers over suffocating briefs, and doing all you can to keep your scrotal area generally cool, will help your testosterone levels.
A sedentary lifestyle is never good for any body function, and testosterone production is not excluded from that. Which is why men who fall in the obese category, are significantly more likely to experience low-T.
Therefore, getting regular exercise will contribute to boosting your testosterone levels naturally especially when you incorporate weight lifting and other high-intensity exercises.
Of course, diet factors into this also combining both a healthy diet with exercise reduces weight, raises testosterone levels and lowers the chances of experiencing obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease all typical causes of ED.
You should try to get plenty of nutrients in your diet vitamin D, magnesium, zinc to name a few, in addition to healthy fats and branch chain amino acids.
Having read this information, you should be more assured by the fact that having low testosterone levels does not mean you will definitely develop erectile dysfunction as a result.
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Role Of Thyroid On Testis Function
Thyroxin can affect the male reproductive system. Hyperthyroidism has been associated with an increase in total serum testosterone levels but with normal unbound or bioactive testosterone. This is caused by the increase in the SHBG levels associated with hyperthyroidism. The increase in SHBG causes a relative decrease in the free testosterone levels, which leads to an elevation of the serum LH , a further increase in serum testosterone and, by peripheral conversion, an increase in serum estradiol. As a result of the increase in circulating estrogens, these men with hyperthyroidism may complain of or present with gynecomastia, spider angiomas, and a decrease in libido., Treatment of the thyrotoxicosis reverses the symptoms and signs of the disorder.
In hypothyroidism, LH and FSH are usually elevated, which is consistent with testicular resistance to gonadotropins. The serum testosterone and SHBG are usually decreased, while the free testosterone has been reported to be increased, decreased, or normal. Some men with hypothyroidism may complain of ED in this setting, replacement with thyroxin rarely improves potency.
How To Test For Low Testosterone At Home
If you and your doctor have discussed your symptoms and decide to go ahead with testing your testosterone levels, the next step is to go for a blood test which your doctor will write you a referral for or fill out a form for you to take to your local blood testing clinic.
For a conventional doctor to diagnose a man with low testosterone, the blood test reading would need to come back at less than 300 ng/dL. However, depending on which country you get your test done in, this could be lower than 264 nd/dl.
According to the Endocrine Society in the USA, new guidelines were agreed upon after a new study helped to refine the definition of the normal ranges for men. This was 264 916 ng/dL for men who were aged 19 years to 39 years old and were not obese at the time of testing.
In some countries, it is possible to do a testosterone test at home. These tests vary as some collect saliva which will give you the results of free testosterone in your system, others are home testosterone blood test kits which give the results of free and total testosterone to the proteins albumin and sex hormone-binding globulin.
If you want more insightful and accurate results, id recommend going the blood test route the process is pretty simply once your kit arrives in the mail and usually includes a free return address envelope as well.
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What Should You Do If You Think You Have Low T
If you suspect that you might have low T, make an appointment with your doctor. They can use a simple blood test to determine your testosterone level.
If your doctor finds that your testosterone level is lower than normal, they may order additional tests or do an exam to investigate why. Your treatment plan will depend on your diagnosis and medical history. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes or testosterone replacement therapy.
You should always talk to your doctor before taking new medications, including testosterone replacement therapy and supplements. According to research published in
Male Testosterone Levels Can Be Linked To Erectile Dysfunction How Can I Help Mytestosterone Levels
Stuart Brown
12 minutes
How does low testosterone cause ED? Low testosterone levels in men are not uncommon, in fact they affect almost 40% of men aged 45 and older, although its also important to remember that low testosterone levels can affect men of any age. Changes in testosterone levels have been associated with a number of health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart problems and Erectile Dysfunction.
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is an important hormone in the human body, and it plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass, and the growth of body hair. Testosterone levels can be measured easily with a simple blood test.
What causes lower testosterone levels?
There are many different factors that are linked with lower testosterone levels.
Food/diet:
A healthy diet is crucial to keeping levels of testosterone in check and can prevent those levels from falling too low.
1) Soy & Soy-based products: food items such as edamame, tofu, soy milk and miso may cause a drop in testosterone levels. Soy foods are also high in phytoestrogens, which are plant-based substances that mimic the effects of oestrogen in your body by altering hormone levels and potentially reducing testosterone.
2) Mint: some research shows that mint can cause a drop in testosterone levels.
Inherited traits:
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Maintain A Healthy Weight
Research has found that obesity may reduce testosterone levels by suppressing the hypothalamicpituitarythyroid axis — a part of the neuroendocrine system thats responsible for regulating hormone production.If youre overweight or obese, try to lose weight. Its best to aim for a BMI in the normal range, which is between 18.5 and 24.9.