Alternative Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is among the biggest sexual health problems faced by men. Around the world, an estimated 140 million men are not able to achieve or maintain their erection during sexual activity, and this creates problems in their relationship and deeply affects their psychological state, harming their self-confidence and self-worth. There exists a stereotype that erectile dysfunction is something that only affects older men, but this is not true. Often, men experience erectile dysfunction as a side effect of the drugs they take.

Sometimes, it manifests itself as a symptom of an illness, such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or a neurogenic disorder. Many men experience it as a result of doing drugs or smoking, and some have psychological issues that cause it. To give power back to men in the bedroom, Viagra was invented. Sold in the form of a little blue pill, Pfizer’s miracle drug allows men to get an erection within a short period after taking the drug, as long as they are properly sexually stimulated. While this is a widely-sold ad very popular drug, some men decide against taking it because they want to avoid its side effects, are not satisfied with how the drug works, or for other reasons. Instead, they opt for different alternatives to Viagra and Generic Viagra, which will be examined below.

Cialis at Canadian Pharmacy

Although Viagra was introduced first and was generally effective, it was quickly confronted with other competitor drugs like Cialis. Cialis (tadalafil) is a drug of the same type as Viagra – a PDE-5 inhibitor, which means that it has the same mechanism of action, with only small variations in the drug’s qualities. PDE5 inhibitors work by inhibiting the PDE5 enzyme in the body. This is an enzyme that inhibits erections, so by blocking it Cialis allows the smooth muscles in the penis to relax and encourages the increased blood flow necessary for erection. Canadian Cialis is also sold in the form of a pill and is considered to be slightly faster than Viagra in its effect and longer-lasting, sometimes staying effective for as long as 36 hours.

Levitra

Levitra is another alternative to Viagra that is popular and sold all over the world. Just like Cialis and Viagra, this is a PDE5 inhibitor with the same mechanism of action. However, what sets it apart from its competitors, is its effectiveness in treating a specific category of patients – diabetics. Though the link is still being investigated, the clinical evidence has been piling that those who suffer from diabetes may get a better result by choosing Levitra. Levitra lasts for about four to six hours and should be taken no more than once a day, anywhere between half an hour and an hour before sex.

Tackling the Root of the Problem

While drugs like Viagra provide quick relief for an embarrassing problem, they are temporary and do not solve the problem in the long term. Many conditions and circumstances that cause erectile dysfunction are unavoidable and irreversible, but a lot can be done in other cases. For example, giving up smoking, heavy drinking, drugs, and engaging in a more healthy and active lifestyle can work wonders for some men while tackling psychological issues like depression and performance anxiety can resolve this problem for others. Obviously, treating the underlying condition is not always this simple. Diabetes, kidney disease, neurological disorders, atherosclerosis and vascular disease are all serious conditions that require long-term treatment, but this could benefit many erectile dysfunction patients in the end.

Natural Remedies

The concept of enhancing male sexual performance is one as old as human civilization, and many cultures have relied on natural ingredients like herbs and berries to make men more potent and fertile. Today, men are offered a wide variety of natural remedies for erectile dysfunction. Science and medicine may not support or confirm the effectiveness of such treatments, but they are still interesting to many men, having been passed down for many generations and forming certain cultural traditions.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a therapy widely practiced all over the world and believed by some to treat men’s sexual problems. Acupuncture is conducting by inserting needles in the body. This has a relaxing and stress-relieving effect, but scientists and medical professionals alike dispute the other claimed health benefits of this practice. A recent study conducted by South Korean researchers aimed to determine whether the theory of acupuncture as a solution for erectile dysfunction had any merit, but the results did not yield any evidence of this.

Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid found in some types of food and is part of many dietary supplements. Arginine is known for boosting the production of a compound known as nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is known for dilating blood vessels in the penis, so the theory is that more nitric oxide would cause better erections. Studies conducted in 1993 and 2003 found that the amino acid really did improve sexual function in some male patients, but this group had abnormal metabolisms, thus rendering it a solution limited to a fraction of patients.

DHEA

DHEA is a hormone which is converted into testosterone and estrogen. As you may know, testosterone is a hormone important to male sexual development, while estrogen plays the same role for women. Taking DHEA supplements improved some men’s erectile function due to the boost of testosterone they experienced, but it also caused several unfortunate side effects caused by the increase of estrogen levels, including hair loss, acne, and poor pituitary function. Due to these harmful side effects, the professional medical community discourages use of these supplements.

Ginseng

The Ginseng root is a popular plant with well-known health-improving properties. This root has been applied in Asian medicine for centuries, and western civilization has only recently begun learning about it and investigating its qualities. Ginseng is believed to alleviate symptoms of erectile dysfunction, and there is some evidence to support this claim. A 2002 study that sampled ginseng’s effects on 45 men showed that many of them did experience an improvement in sexual function, and this was attributed to the synthesis of nitric oxide (similar to arginine). However, follow-up studies have not yet been conducted, and this evidence remains limited in its scope.

Pomegranate juice

This is another traditional solution to erectile dysfunction passed down as folk wisdom. Though it is true that pomegranate juice has many health benefits like improving heart function and combatting hypertension, its effect on men’s sexual health is still undocumented and speculative in nature.

Yohimbe and Horny Goat Weed

Yohimbe and Horny Goat Weed are two herbs often marketed as male sexual enhancers. Before the introduction of Viagra, Yohimbe was used to produce a drug for treating sexual dysfunction, but it was not significantly effective. In fact, it was even criticized for the side effects it caused, including headache, hypertension, anxiety, and several others. According to scientists, the effect of the drug was fine-tuned for treating erectile dysfunction, but consuming the herb itself would yield an even smaller effect. Due to the adverse effects associated with Yohimbe, doctors discourage patients against taking the herb in any form. On the other hand, Horny Goat Weed is much more popular, mainly because a team of Italian researchers found that the herb’s active substance icariin was very similar in effect to PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is a tree known for its medicinal properties in traditional Chinese culture and traditional medicine. Many supplements have ginkgo biloba as their main component used for improving brain function or treating erectile dysfunction. Since such products act as an antioxidant and improve blood flow to the brain, there are grounds to say that these supplements would improve cognitive ability and would possibly be useful in treating memory problems, but there is no evidence to support the belief that Ginkgo Biloba is helpful in treating erectile dysfunction. There was one study conducted in 1998 and published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy that found positive correlation between the supplements and potency, but this evidence was quickly disproven by a more comprehensive one conducted in 2002 and published in the Human Pharmacology journal. Since then, the link has not been further investigated.

While taking a natural and traditional approach may be appealing to some due to the generally low costs and minimal effort it is associated with, most men opt for medically approved treatments like Canadian Viagra, Generic Cialis, and Levitra, because they know that they will get a successful result in 99% of cases.