Staying on top of a few clues your body gives you can ensure you don’t run into the dreaded erectile dysfunction as you age. These things also affect your body, in general, so being vigilant can not only save your boner, but also your overall health. Let’s start with the six things to keep in mind.
The first red flag is a big one: your morning forest is gone. Why is this so important? Your morning and nighttime boners have nothing to do with arousal and everything to do with biology. As you sleep at night, your brain releases less noradrenaline, the hormone that prevents erections from going on and on. When you wake up, your body is flooded with norepinephrine and you have an erection. If you don’t get an erection, it could indicate that the blood vessels that carry blood to the penis are healthy and not working as they should.
While we’re talking about brain signals, let’s talk about the second red flag: You don’t really think much about sex. It could be that low testosterone, commonly known as Low T, could be to blame. Since testosterone fuels the libido and starts the entire erection process, having too little could mean erectile dysfunction. Ultimately, you’d need to get tested at your doctor’s office to find out if Low T is to blame, but you can also look for symptoms associated with it, such as fatigue, moodiness, difficulty building muscle, and even having a bit of a gut. .
Speaking of tests, they can tell you a lot about what is going on or what may be going on below the belt. Red flag number three is labs saying you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. When one or both of these are high, it could mean that there is damage to the blood vessels, causing them to lose their elasticity. When this happens, it is more difficult for them to expand to accommodate the rush of blood that floods the penis to produce an erection.
Red flag number four relates to medication. There are certain medications known to stop erections. The medications most likely to do this are antidepressants and high blood pressure medications because they make it harder for hormones and chemical signals that signal arousal to reach the brain. When the libido drops, so do the cases of erections.
Have you been skimping on sleep? Red flag number five is looking at the quantity and quality of sleep. One thing that people seem to overwhelmingly underestimate is the importance of sleep. Not getting enough sleep can increase stress and anxiety and lower testosterone levels, resulting in decreased sex drive and real difficulty getting an erection. This is especially true for men who have sleep apnea, 70 percent of whom also have erectile dysfunction. If you’re not sure if you’re getting enough sleep, watch for these symptoms: headache upon awakening, fatigue, sleepiness during the day, weight gain, irritability, poor concentration, and confusion.
The sixth red flag may be something you wouldn’t normally associate with ED: Your gums are swollen, tender, or bleed easily. If your gums hurt, are swollen, or bleed when you floss, you may have gum disease. Gum disease can cause widespread inflammation throughout the body, which can damage blood vessels. As we know, if the blood vessels are not working properly, it is difficult to get an erection. This problem is a slow progression that doesn’t happen overnight, so be just as vigilant about dental health as you are about total body care.
So now that you know some red flags, what should you do when you see one? If you notice one of these ED warning signs, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will check not only erectile function but also the function of the whole body because often times an underlying medical condition causes erectile dysfunction. In many cases, small adjustments, either in lifestyle or medication, can be made to keep erectile dysfunction at bay.
If you are looking for another way to improve penile health, use an oil specially formulated for penile health. (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil which is clinically proven to be gentle and safe for the skin) everyday. This oil includes a host of key nutrients, most notably Vitamin C and Arginine that increase blood flow for harder, more reliable erections.