Sexual Health: The ABCs of ED

When we think of erectile dysfunction, it’s often thought that this means a total inability to get an erection, but that’s not the whole story. It can also mean a softer erection or one that wanes while you’re in the middle of sex. And you aren’t the only one with this problem, it’s a common occurrence says Dr. Jerald Bain, professor emeritus in
the department of medicine in the University of Toronto and in the
division of endocrinology at Mount Sinai Hospital. He notes this is especially after the age of 50.

While writing about the topic, Bain came up with a simple way to remember the causes of ED that fall under the aptly titled acronym PENIS. Once you know the causes it can help you minimize your risk.

P – This is the psychogenic side of ED. This can include bad relationships, frustrations with work or money. It’s the stress stuff that bogs all of us down.

E – This refers to the endocrine aspect, meaning the hormones such as testosterone that diminish as we get past 40. Other health issues can play a part too; men who have diabetes have lower testosterone production and so do those that are obese.

N – If you suffer from a neurological problem such as MS or Parkinson’s that can affect erectile function.

I – Meaning an insufficiency of blood. Arteries start to clog up with cholesterol and plaques as we age and that can lead to heart health problems including heart attack and angina. These can lead to narrowed blood vessels in other parts of the body including the penis. This is the most common cause of ED, according to Bain.

S – This refers to all of the substances we ingest including cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs as well as prescription meds that can interfere with erectile function. Those can include antihypertensive meds, diuretics, beta-blockers and anti-depressants.

BONUS
Dr. Cheryl Fraser’s CD series of her popular weekend workshops are now more accessible if you live outside British Columbia, and don’t have a weekend to spare. Go to her website at www.becomepassion.com to order and for Zoomer readers a special promotion code of will get you a $100 discount on the series. Enter META in the offer code to take advantage of the deal.

— Jennifer Walker