— From Editor Craig Jackson
I’m so excited (no pun, I swear) about this issue of the “Just For Guys” Newsletter…
We’ve lined up a team of medical professionals to give you the straight, hard truth (again, honestly, I’m not trying to be an idiot) about, you guessed it:
Our erections.
Dr. Steven Lamm, author of “The Hardness Factor” and renowned expert on penile health, reveals the TRUTH about what you may not want to admit to yourself — much less to your wife or girlfriend — about the strength and resilience of your erection.
And Dr. Jeffrey Fuhr, our contributing sex therapist, has tips for all of you who might be worried about being a little “crooked”…
… Plus those who have the problem of erections that DISAPPEAR at the worst possible times.
Finally, Dr. Z, naturopathic physician, weighs in on the circulatory issues that cause Erectile Dysfunction, and lays out a number of preventative steps any man can take.
So without further delay…
Phallic Fallacies: Nine Outright LIES About the Hardness of Your Erection
— By Dr. Steven Lamm, M.D.
When it comes to the quality of your erections — your “hardness factor” — there are more than a few long-held myths that men have come to believe.
These phallic fallacies are cause for great concern and anxiety, and affect not only your sexuality but also your overall quality of life. It’s time men were able to differentiate fact from fiction.
The fact is, you are never too young to be concerned about hardness. And you are never too old to do something about it.
Almost ALL men at ALL stages of their lives should be able to get as hard as the proverbial rock.
The following fallacies are the top nine lies that men tell themselves, their wives and girlfriends, and each other about the quality, or hardness, of their erections.
Fallacy #1: I already have rock-hard erections and don’t have any problems initiating or maintaining my erections.
REALITY: That is probably not exactly true, and you know it. Always admitting to having a rock-hard erection is often a fallacy, just one of the many little lies that most men don’t want to acknowledge to themselves, let alone to their sexual partners or male friends.
All men are at risk for erection problems, so don’t delude yourself that if you are functioning adequately at 25 or 35 that you are going to continue to function just as well in later years.
Knowledge is power. When you know your hardness risk factors — diet, alcohol, drugs, and lack of sleep and exercise — you will be able to stop and reverse any erection problem you are having and prevent others from developing, now and in the future.
Fallacy #2: I’m 35 and have intercourse three times a week; therefore my erections are hard enough, and I’m okay.
REALITY: Again, don’t delude yourself. Most men do not understand that they are always at risk of slowly diminishing hardness.
My research has proven that there is great variation in EQ, the erection quality. While you have a seemingly healthy sexuality, this does not mean that your hardness factor is in the optimal or healthy range for your age.
I have found that while one 35-year-old can have a rock-hard reading of 1150 grams on the Digital Inflection Rigidometer (the FDA-approved device I use for measuring penile axial rigidity, or the hardness of the erect penis), another 35-year-old can have a hardness reading of 500, which is the bare minimum needed for penetration.
While one man is functioning optimally, the other is borderline soft, which may be a tip-off to undiagnosed diabetes or blood pressure problems.
If you don’t exercise regularly and eat a low-fat diet, you may actually be at the lower level of hardness and not even realize it.
While you may be able to have intercourse several times a week, a low hardness factor reading often implies an undiagnosed or impending health problem.
Fallacy #3: I’m hard enough already.
REALITY: Oh, really? Granted, many men can have intercourse without optimal hardness but they are at high risk for eventual failure.
A harder penis comes from increased blood flow to the penis, which means more penis sensitivity and optimal sexual pleasure.
There are steps you can take at any age to achieve optimal health and hardness.
Fallacy #4: Men are confident that they can perform on command, on a regular basis.
REALITY: Don’t bet on it. Each erection requires an intricate biological orchestration involving the brain, neurons, and blood vessels. When it comes time to perform on demand, many men can’t, no matter what they say.
It will be difficult to initiate and maintain an erection if you have had too much alcohol, if you are a smoker, or if you are overly fatigued.
In addition, my erection studies have shown that a man’s hardness diminishes with age. How he performs at 25 is vastly different from how he performs at 40 or 50 in regards to initiating and maintaining a hard erection.
Fallacy #5: If I cannot get hard, it’s my partner’s fault.
REALITY: The relationship with your partner is important and, due to physical attraction or sexual experience, you may find that you respond more to one partner than you do to another.
However, if you are consistently having trouble initiating and maintaining an erection, you are more likely to have an underlying hardness problem that makes it difficult to have sustainable erections with any of your partners.
Fallacy #6: My erection problems are linked to my blood pressure medication.
REALITY: Perhaps. Hypertension itself influences hardness by affecting blood flow, and that has to be acknowledged.
Then, too, erection difficulties may be exacerbated by a particular blood pressure medication, so you need to speak to your doctor about switching to one of the dozen or so other hypertension drugs.
Fallacy #7: My partner is right to be upset that I don’t come to bed with an erection.
REALITY: In most cases, the answer is no, your partner is not right to be annoyed.
Too many people make the mistake of confusing matters of biology with matters of intimacy.
Erections occur for a variety of reasons and, nine times out of ten, the act of going to bed is not erection-producing.
However, if you have a willing partner who’s eagerly awaiting you in bed… if you are planning on continuing what had been started elsewhere in the home… or if your imagination is inflamed with thoughts of past dalliances, you may have to rightfully use some care in getting into bed.
Fallacy #8: Antidepressant medications cause erection problems.
REALITY: Depression is a serious disorder that requires medical supervision and treatment. Some of the various antidepressant medications can have a negative impact on libido while others delay ejaculation.
Speak to your physician about other medication choices if you have either of these hardness issues. With a vast array of antidepressants now available, you should be able to have powerful erections and satisfying sex without any problems.
Fallacy #9: I cannot have sex because I have had a heart attack.
REALITY: You may have difficulty achieving an erection because the same conditions that caused the heart attack — poor blood flow and circulation — influence your hardness.
Cardiac medications you may be taking can also cause erection difficulties, but they can be adjusted or changed.
My bottom line: If you can walk up a flight of stairs — this is the amount of energy needed to have sexual intercourse — then you will probably be given medical permission from your cardiologist to have sex.
Reproduced with permission from www.TheHardnessFactor.com.
The Truth About Erectile Dysfunction
—By Dr. Z, Naturopathic Physician
The last decade has brought about a transformation in our awareness and understanding of Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Thanks in large part to the prevalence of new drugs like Viagra, the general public can speak openly about this problem that was once extremely private.
Yet there are still a number of misconceptions about exactly what Erectile Dysfunction is, and how we as an aging population can deal with it.
Let’s start by defining exactly what ED is: It is the inability of a man to maintain a firm erection long enough to have sexual intercourse at least 25 percent of the time.
Now let’s clear up some of the common misconceptions about ED…
What Erectile Dysfunction Isn’t
The following is a list of what Erectile Dysfunction is NOT…
- Erectile Dysfunction is NOT an inevitable part of growing older: Although erectile dysfunction is more common in older men, it is not as common as the media tend to have us believe, and the majority of healthy men can lead active, healthy sex lives into their 80s and beyond.
- Erectile Dysfunction is NOT a psychological problem: Contrary to previously held beliefs, most cases of ED are not psychological but physical in cause.
- Erectile Dysfunction is NOT an isolated ailment: It is estimated that up to 90% of ED is associated with circulatory problems. ED can be an early indicator of cardiovascular disease, meaning disease of the heart and blood vessels.
Now that we’re aware what ED is not, let’s talk about why so many of us suffer from this difficult problem.
A Weighty Matter
Two of the greatest contributing factors to Erectile Dysfunction are obesity and diabetes.
The blood vessels of diabetic men — especially the very fine blood vessels that supply blood to the kidneys, eyes, toes, brain, and penis — become damaged and inflamed by the elevated blood sugar levels, which ultimately leads to narrowing and blockage of the arterioles.
Diabetes itself is typically linked to lifestyle factors like excess weight and an over consumption of refined sugars. Here are a couple of statistics to make you stop and think about your own risk of developing ED:
- The average North American consumes more than 150 pounds of white sugar per year.
- Two thirds of American men are overweight.
If men knew that excess weight and an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to impotence, there would perhaps be more interest in trying to prevent these issues. Let’s have a look at a few more statistics that are sure to get you thinking:
- At least half of all diabetic men suffer from ED, usually within ten years of diagnosis.
- Overweight men who initiate weight loss in mid-life have a 70 percent lower risk of ever having ED than those who remain sedentary and keep their love handles.
- Weight loss has also been shown to reverse erectile dysfunction that has already set in.
When ED is associated with circulatory problems caused by excess weight or diabetes, you have options to improve your condition naturally. Let’s have a look at a few naturopathic remedies for ED…
Preventing and Treating ED — Naturally
The easiest ways to reduce your risk of ED are as follows:
| Lower Risk of ED by… | Reduces Risk of ED by… |
|---|---|
| Maintaining a healthy weight | 70% |
| Quitting smoking | 80% |
| Exercising 3-5 hours a week | 30% |
Of course, there are a number of nutritional supplements and herbs which may help also. The following table lists the names of different naturopathic remedies for ED, plus their known positive effects, and possible side effects.
| Remedy or Supplement | Known positive effects | Dangers and possible side effects |
|---|---|---|
| CoQ10 | Coenzyme Q10 is involved in energy production at the cellular level and is found in greatest abundance in the heart. Used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, angina, mitral valve prolapse, as well as in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and in weight reduction. | Coenzyme Q10 is well-tolerated and no serious side effects have been reported. |
| Ginkgo Biloba | Ginkgo may help with erectile dysfunction by improving blood flow to the penis. Ginkgo does improve blood flow to the extremities and brain and can be useful in the treatment of diabetes. | Ginkgo has been reported to cause blood thinning, which could increase the risk of bleeding. This could be dangerous if you’re going to have surgery or you take a blood-thinning medication such as aspirin or warfarin. |
| Ginseng (Panax ginseng) | This plant has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine as a valuable tonic to improve energy, circulation, and blood supply. A few studies of American and Asian ginseng show possible benefit in treating erectile dysfunction. | Side effects, due to overdosing, may include sleep difficulties, euphoria, nausea, headaches and changes in blood pressure. Reactions to ginseng are rare. It can cause mania when taken with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant. |
| Cordyceps sinensis | Cordyceps sinensis is a special kind of fungus from Tibet which has been shown to improve energy production and circulation. There is promising research showing beneficial effects in ED. | Side effects may include nausea and digestive problems. |
| DHEA | DHEA, a building block for sex hormones, may help some men with erectile dysfunction, especially if they have low testosterone. DHEA levels decrease after age 30. DHEA has many other health benefits, including helping with weight loss, normalizing blood lipid levels, depression, fatigue, etc. | DHEA, being a hormone, can cause acne and hormonal disturbances in overdoses, including feminizing effects in men. Should be taken only under supervision by a health professional trained in this area. |
| Folic acid & Vitamin E | Both folic acid and vitamin E have a long history of cardiovascular benefits, including treatment of atherosclerosis. When taken along with Viagra, research shows that a combination of these vitamins may help men who didn’t get an erection when taking Viagra alone. But more studies are needed to determine whether there’s a clear benefit. | Except in high doses, there’s little risk of side effects from these vitamins. |
If you suffer from ED, I would strongly advise you to see a natural health care professional like a naturopathic doctor, holistically trained medical doctor, or nutritionist before beginning a new regimen of supplements and natural remedies.
And don’t forget: your best bets for preventing — and reversing — ED involve leading a healthy, active life.
“Just For Guys” Fun Fact…
A smaller non-erect penis will
increase in length by 100% when erect.
A larger non-erect penis
will increase by only 75% when erect.
See You Next Time!
So there we have it: the plain, honest truth about the quality of our erections…the problems we face with Erectile Dysfunction…and even the problem of being a little on the “crooked” side.
These are the kinds of issues that we need to talk about — and this is the place where we can do it.
So don’t forget: Any time you have a question for our experts or a topic you’d like to see covered in an upcoming issue of the “Just For Guys” newsletter, just visit us at www.JustForGuys.com and let us know.
Or you can contact us any time at editor@justforguys.com and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
To better living,Craig JacksonEditor, JUSTFORGUYS.COM