Category: Erectile Dysfunction

What To Expect During An Erectile Dysfunction Exam

When a man is having concerns about erectile dysfunction, it may take him a while to finally address the topic with his doctor. There may be a lot of anxiety and fear about a diagnosis and even about having an erectile dysfunction exam. We can ease some worry by giving you an overview and what to expect during an erectile dysfunction exam.

Continue reading “What To Expect During An Erectile Dysfunction Exam”

How Obesity Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is the inability to achieve and to maintain an erection long enough to have sexual intercourse. It is believed that 12 million men between the ages of 40 and 79 have issues with ED. Many factors can cause erectile dysfunction, but there is one consistently strong link between obesity and ED. Let’s understand how obesity can cause erectile dysfunction.


Some Convincing Statistics About Obesity And ED

If you have doubts about this premise, let’s start with some convincing statistics.

  • A fourteen year long study completed in 2019 concluded that obesity by itself can be a risk for ED.
  • Another study found 79% of men with erectile dysfunction are obese. Eight million men with ED are diabetic and obese.
  • Obesity may increase the risk of ED by 30 to 90% as compared with normal weight men.
  • Those with ED have a greater waist size than those without ED.

An overweight man sitting on his bed.
Now that you are aware of some facts about obesity and ED, let’s find out why this is so.

Some Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction

An erection happens when blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and hormones work together. Erectile dysfunction occurs when any of these functions are disrupted, and obesity affects many of them.

Inflammation
When someone is obese, there is a high level of inflammation in the body. This causes problems in the endocrine system (hormones), and the endothelial layer which is the lining of the blood vessels. With excess inflammation blood vessels can have difficulty opening up for better flow if there is an issue. Instead, they constrict.

Excess Fat
Excess levels of fat cause an issue with blood flow as well leading to blood vessel blockage.

Atherosclerosis
With obesity comes cardiovascular problems like cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels which impact blood flow to the organs like the penis.

Low Testosterone
Obese men have a lower level of this important hormone for sexual function. Side effects of low T are low libido, depression, and decreased energy. It can affect both the ability and desire for sexual activity.

Some Final Thoughts

As a side note, it seems men with ED may be predisposed to having coronary artery disease later in life causing heart attack and stroke.

Obviously, make it a priority to lose weight to help with ED, but whatever your main motivation, seeing Dr. Terry will help with both issues and give you the occasion to confront your overall health.

Schedule a Erectile Dysfunction Consultation

If you are struggling with ED Contact Dr. Terry at (520) 348-7900 if you are overweight and having issues with sexual dysfunction.

How Sexual Dysfunction Affects Your Marriage

It is difficult enough to maintain a happy marriage with financial worries, children, and both spouses working full time jobs. Add in sexual dysfunction and your life can be turned upside down. Whether you are in a long term relationship or married for many years, how sexual dysfunction affects your marriage is up to the parties involved. Let’s look at the best ways to handle this common issue.

Continue reading “How Sexual Dysfunction Affects Your Marriage”