Males over the age of 40 commonly experience erectile dysfunction. This is a worldwide medical phenomenon that impacts the lives of many healthy men. It has many different causes and is curable most of the times. If left untreated, it may cause the man and their spouse to experience extreme emotional stress. 

To be specific, when a man is unable to get a proper penile erection strong and long enough for sexual activity, it is said to be erectile dysfunction (ED). This condition is clinically categorized as either: 1.) Psychogenic or, 2.) Organic in nature.

Psychogenic- 

Deals with relationship dissatisfactions, social pressures, anxiety, depression, etc.  

Organic-

Involves underlying medical causes or abnormalities,  such as blood flow issues or concerns about sexual performance on the medical scale.

“Up to 30% of prevalence is seen amongst middle-aged and older men (above 70). Accounting for approximately 300 million men being affected on the global scale” 

ED significantly impacts a man's quality of life by instigating-

• A loss of self-esteem,
• A decrease in confidence, 
• A tendency to avoid intimacy (and embarrassment), 
• Experiencing anxiety and despair. 

All these factors cumulatively surge sexual dysfunction. 

This has an effect on the sexual intimacy one has with their partner, adversely influencing the partner's sexual desire and satisfaction. 

The development of metabolic diseases, cardiovascular problems, and type 2 diabetes are all considered independent risk factors for ED. It is regarded as a multiplex disorder because interactions between the immune system, the brain, the endocrine system, physiology, and metabolism explain the development of the condition.

A stiff penile erection is necessary for a healthy sex life (also known as impotence). Although there is no specific timeline, men over 40 years are more likely to have it than younger men. By this, we can conclude that prevalence rises sharply with age and other elements. 

While the majority of ED patients show symptoms related to medical reasons, some patients may face it due to psychological influences. This is mostly seen in younger males. One cannot deny the impacts ED has on psychologically affected individuals. Repercussions to marriage, interpersonal and inter-couple problems, societal pressure, shame, and depression are some of the many consequences. 

The good news is that erectile dysfunction is typically curable.

In our modern-day society, a man's sexual performance is a strong identity to his manhood, it gives a sense of self-worth and confidence giving it great importance. It is a matter of pride for a man and his partner. 

You can imagine how hurt the male ego will be when a man realizes he has erectile dysfunction, especially when a man is in the prime of his youth.

It is not a serious offense to sometimes be faced with trouble getting a full-blown erection. Yet there is a threshold if a slow or non-existent erection is found to be frequent. Since there are plenty of treatments to pick and choose from, one can experiment with these remedies to see what works best.

The many ED treatment alternatives are herbal remedies, complementary therapies (diet supplements), and pharmaceutical medications.

Factors behind Erectile Dysfunction

As mentioned already, erectile dysfunction is in effect due to many factors, making it a multifactorial disease. Much like any other disease, its early detection is always beneficial for the patient in question. Depression, work stress, worrying about sexual performance and other related sexual problems are high on the psychological list of causes. 

Age is also a burning reason, along with a person's genetics, medical and/or familial history. With the advent of age, patients are often subject to heart-related problems, hypertension, and other medical illnesses that significantly aid their role in developing erectile dysfunction as many organs and cells are affected in the process. Other miscellaneous causes are neurological, hormonal, cancer, or traumatic (fractures or severe injuries). 

The Normal Chain of events

The basic chain of events that occur in the process of penile erection 

• Is the relaxation of the internal smooth muscle of the penis. 
• This allows for higher blood flow into the muscle 
• That eventually directs the penis to remain erect. 

This process is under the control of the brain. 

History and physical: What to expect

A complete medical, familial, and sexual history along with a physical examination is what you would expect to happen if ever a doctor's appointment is taken. 

Typical sexual history questions include:

1. How long can an erection last?
2. How long does it take to bring about the erection? 
3. Does the penis feel numb, painful, or in any way unusual?
4. Does the penis stay erect and rigid until immediately after penetration? (This could be a sign of anxiety.)
5. Do you still get morning erections (informally known as morning wood)? 
   • If so, are the morning erections any better or longer-lasting than the erections you get when having intercourse?
   • If not, when was the last time you had a good, morning erection?
6. Does the hardness of the erection vary much with time and days?
7. When did the erection trouble begin?
8. Was there any significant change in your life that happened at about the same time as the erection trouble started? New relationships or medications?
9. Your go-to contraception method?

Treatment and management

Treatment of erectile dysfunction involves modifications to your diet and lifestyle with the addition of herbal or other natural remedies. This will help to improve the condition with minimal damage.

Changes to your exercise regime with increased physical activity, switching diets to one with more proteins and healthy fats, or consulting a nutritionist (specialised in helping with sexual health) are some ways to treat ED. Given below are a few natural home remedies you can follow to treat erectile dysfunction. Although these are not meant to substitute the doctor's advice, it is always helpful to try them out yourself. 

Patients who deal with psychological causes should be sure to consult a psychologist who will helpfully guide them based on their sexual wellbeing. 

Are natural (home) remedies effective?

While many natural remedies for ED are available for picking like supplements and certain foods, there are a few factors that you should consider, such as safety and effectiveness. Let us look into a few options for treatment that you can use.

Oral supplements: 

Supplementing with testosterone seems to work better for treating low libido (sex drive) and demotes ED. Oral supplements alone are advised as the initial therapy for the majority of men who have both ED and hypogonadism. 

hypogonadism in males is essentially when the body does not produce enough of the hormone testosterone. As testosterone is a key factor in the growth and development of men and masculine features, a lack of testosterone causes in men causes issues such as erectile dysfunction, late-onset puberty, decreased libido, weight gain, and infertility. 

It is clear to see that oral testosterone supplements for men who have little to no testosterone in their systems will generate a significant improvement in developing erections and erectile performance.

At KindlyHis we have a variety of supplements that help men battle performance issues and improve their performance in bed. Reload is a supplement that is used in rectifying mild to moderate symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Click here to explore more.


Encouraging evidence from extensive studies prove that plant species with medicinal properties were used traditionally to treat and improve the symptomatology of erectile dysfunction. The use of naturally derived components has physiological benefits and rules out the possibilities of any major side-effects. This supplement is a perfect blend of traditionally used herbal remedies and contemporary standardised premium extracts, to cater to the present-day lifestyle.
 

Physical exercise

Ejaculatory and erectile issues can be linked to insufficient exercise. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that moderate to higher levels of exercise (especially cardio and cardio-related exercises) incorporated into a daily routine can enhance erectile function in males suffering from ED. 

Exercises that involve jumping and vigorous workouts for a short amount of time such as jump rope, swimming, running in one place, sprinting, etc seem to boost the heart rate. 

Massaging is also considered a form of exercise (at a slow pace). According to an Arabic technique that has dated back centuries, a most effective massage is with the thumb and index finger touching around the body of the penis to create the "OK" hand sign around the penile shaft. 

This method is known as jelqing. 

Men who practice jelqing would gently stretch their penises from base to the tip while being semi-erect. This method can be performed regularly to achieve good results. 

Lifestyle changes

Almost all conventional medical treatments include dietary and lifestyle adjustments, however, they may differ from person to person based on need, physique, the severity of ED, and dietary restrictions, if any. 

A Mediterranean diet when consumed by males over the age of 60 with erectile dysfunction, over a period of 12 months, was found to have lowered the prevalence of ED. This diet is abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, seeds and nuts, and olive oil. 

Typically a western diet is free of edible nuts and healthy oils. sexual drive and erective competence are bettered with the inclusion of nuts such as almonds and pistachios as they stimulate the production of hormones. 

A high protein, moderate carbohydrate diet is preferred to reduce ED progression. A nutritious diet heightens testosterone levels that would have otherwise been low. 

Here, we have highlighted a few nutritious foods that you can take easily in the comfort of your home. 

Pumpkin seeds 

Pumpkin seeds are a common and popular snack when roasted and salted. These seeds are filled with antidepressant qualities. Eating pumpkin seeds affects the prostate gland in the male reproductive system which is crucial to his masculinity. pumpkin seeds support healthy hormone activity and balanced hormonal release. Additionally, muscle contractions depend on the amino acid ‘myosin’, which is present abundantly in pumpkin seeds.

Pistachios

It has been known for centuries that pistachios, being a healthy and affordable snack, have positive effects on erectile dysfunction. Individuals who regularly popped a few on a daily basis noticed a considerable improvement in their sexual life. Pistachios contain an amino acid called arginine, which is known to relax blood vessels and promote blood circulation to the penis. 

Green leafy vegetables and beets! 

Due to their high nitrate and antioxidant content, spinach, coriander, and other leafy veggies, and beets may improve blood vessel function and circulation, thus reducing the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Nitrate levels are reported to be particularly high in beets and beet-related products like juice. The blood arteries in the penis can be made more permeable by nitrates. Unbelievably, the vasodilating properties of nitrates are the foundation for several of today's erectile dysfunction medications.

Tomatoes and grapefruit

Lycopene, a phytonutrient abundant in tomatoes and pink grapefruit, is excellent for circulating. Try adding them to a salad with some olive oil and soft cheese (like mozzarella or feta cheese) for optimum effects. It is known that lycopene is better absorbed when ingested with greasy foods.

Caffeine

Erections are produced and maintained due to good blood circulation in and out of the body of the penis. You might want to continue drinking your morning coffee in light of this. This is due to evidence that suggests caffeine enhances circulation.

In today's fast paced life it's not possible to plan all your meals and consume only healthy, unprocessed food. It's important to add health supplements to your diet to make sure you're consuming a balanced diet. While choosing a supplement, it's important to select ingredients that are naturally sourced and have minimal side-effects. Check out Reload for 100% naturally sourced ingredients which helps deal with the symptoms of ED. 

4. Sleep

It is always important to get enough sleep every night for at least 6 to 8 hours. Regular and sound sleep is really effective for most problems such as stress, tension, and general wellness. It is advised that men should avoid working the night shift as their complete sleep schedule is disturbed and they are at higher risk of erectile dysfunction. 
 

People who suffer from sleep disorders, diabetes, and high blood pressure face similar problems due to low levels of testosterone levels.  

5. Stress reduction

Stress and anxiety are often linked to ED. A 2019 study found that stress was one of the main predictors of ED and anxiety and depression. It is beneficial to reduce stress in your daily life to improve your overall sexual health. 

A final note

A very critical message that needs to be known is that Erectile Dysfunction is treatable. Men should not feel anxious or inferior to seek appropriate help from a medical practitioner. However, individuals should also be wary of maintaining a healthy lifestyle by regularly exercising, eating healthy foods in good quantities, and quitting harmful habits such as smoking, and drinking. It is also recommended to treat existing medical conditions that may be underlying causes such as obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, and insulin levels in the blood.