In addition to drug treatments, natural solutions exist to relieve patients affected by erectile dysfunction.
- Different factors can cause erectile dysfunction.
- Regular physical exercise helps reduce erectile dysfunction.
- Smokers are also more likely to have difficulty maintaining an erection.
Common from the age of 50, erectile dysfunction results in an inability to obtain or maintain an erection sufficient to have a satisfactory sexual relationship. A man is considered to suffer from erectile dysfunction when erection problems last for more than three months and recur with each intimate encounter.
Different causes can cause erectile dysfunction. This symptom can in particular result from a physical condition (hormonal disorders, blood circulation disorders, excess weight, etc.). Psychological factors, such as stress and anxiety, can impact the quality of erections. Taking certain medications can also cause erectile dysfunction.
The effects of physical activity on erectile dysfunction
In the event of erectile dysfunction, it is recommended to consult your doctor. Depending on the cause, the healthcare professional will indicate the treatment to follow. Before implementing a drug treatment, like Viagra, it is generally recommended to improve your lifestyle to alleviate erection problems.
Non-drug ways to treat them include the positive effects of regular exercise. In a study published in the journal The Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2023, scientists have found that aerobic activities, which work on endurance and breathing, help reduce erectile dysfunction. American researchers found that the more severe the problems, the more physical activity had a positive impact on the ability to obtain and maintain an erection.
To combat sexual impotence, diet also plays a key role. Certain products, in particular saturated fatty acids, refined sugar and salt can induce high blood pressure, which disrupts blood circulation and leads to erectile dysfunction. It is therefore better to eat healthy and varied foods to protect your erectile function.
Limit smoking to prevent and reduce erectile dysfunction
Smokers are at greater risk of having difficulty maintaining an erection. Indeed, nicotine, carbon monoxide and other free radicals contained in tobacco can cause vasoconstriction, in other words a dreduction in blood vessel diameterwhich can impair erectile function.
Apart from a healthy lifestyle, plants can be allies in tempering erectile dysfunction. In an interview given to Parents.fr in 2022, Sabine Monnoyeur, naturopath, recommended therhodiola, a plant which helps alleviate problems due to stress or fatigue, ginseng, an aphrodisiac, which helps increase sexual potency, or massa, which is a hormonal stimulant.
However, certain plants may be contraindicated depending on the patients’ medical history. It is therefore better to seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist before drinking herbal tea or using a plant-based essential oil.
