A Holistic Approach to Erectile Dysfunction...And Vascular Health
Erectile dysfunction can have multiple causes but the single greatest factor is unhealthy blood vessels. Erectile dysfunction (or E. D.) is a sign of potential trouble brewing in the arteries and a warning of increased risk to future heart attack and stroke. So, you ladies who may not find erectile dysfunction of particular interest should realize that the same factors apply in part to female sexual dysfunction, hypertension (high blood pressure) and to overall cardiovascular health.
Endothelial dysfunction, the term that refers to failure of blood vessels to relax and expand, is the cause of most cases of erectile dysfunction. The endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels and is where nitric oxide is produced. Nitric oxide causes the blood vessel to relax and dilate. Nitric oxide is necessary for blood to flow into the penis to produce an erection. The E.D. drugs, like Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra don't work if there is not adequate nitric oxide produced by the body. The fact that these drugs fail half the time is probably related to age-related decline in nitric oxide levels.
Does this mean that age is the sole determinant of nitric oxide levels? No. There are many factors that can impair nitric oxide status at any age and there are also ways to increase nitric oxide at any age. Increasing nitric oxide levels is probably the single most important strategy for naturally improving erectile function. Approaches to increase nitric oxide levels can be combined with the E.D. drugs. However, I think it is dangerous to simply rely on the drugs. If you don't want your blood vessels (below and above the waist) to become more diseased and contribute to heart attack or stroke, you need to investigate why your nitric oxide is low and address those causes.
How exactly is nitric oxide formed in the body? One way is from the amino acid L-arginine (or, more simply arginine). An enzyme converts arginine into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide leads to blood vessel relaxation and dilation. This causes blood flow to improve and the sexual organs to become engorged with blood.
Arginine converts to nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels, decreases blood pressure and enables erectile function.
You might think that arginine supplementation should take care of low nitric oxide levels. It rarely does. The problem lies with the enzymatic conversion of arginine to nitric oxide. Unfortunately, many things can reduce arginine conversion to nitric oxide. For instance, a biochemical called ADMA inhibits conversion of arginine to nitric oxide. If ADMA levels are high then less nitric oxide is produced. High ADMA levels are associated with erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.
ADMA is produced by all cells. Various factors can increase ADMA production or slow its breakdown, which is bad for erectile function. For instance, in the presence of high insulin levels, ADMA breakdown slows, levels thus increase, and nitric oxide production from arginine suffers. A diet high in refined carbohydrates is one factor that raises insulin levels, initiating this negative domino effect. (For more on insulin, see my article, "Reversing the Number 1 Cause of Illness, Obesity, and Accelerated Aging").
ADMA reduces nitric oxide, which constricts blood vessels, raises blood pressure, reduces blood flow and impairs erectile function.
What else can raise ADMA? Would you believe the little "purple pill" you may be taking for your gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn)?
Could your "stomach acid" medication lead to E.D.?
There are many seemingly unrelated factors that can contribute to low nitric oxide and resultant E.D. (Finally!...the ""floss your teeth" connection). The inflammation produced by periodontal disease can contribute to endothelial and erectile dysfunction. In a fascinating study of 120 men with moderate or severe erectile dysfunction and chronic periodontitis, the effect of periodontal treatment on erectile dysfunction was examined. Periodontal health improved in the 60 men who were treated when compared to the 60 who were not. Three months after treatment there was an improvement in erectile function in the treated compared with the untreated group.
In an upcoming blog post on nitric oxide you will learn even more important life-changing facts about this miracle gas (including how to measure your nitric oxide levels). I'll also give you the "mouthwash connection" to erectile dysfunction. If you can't handle the suspense and you would like a thorough (and technical) discussion of this subject, I had a paper published in the professional journal Nutritional Perspectives. Click the link below to access my article: "A Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Approach to Erectile Dysfunction".
