Does constant masturbation cause erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction should be treated because sex life increases well-being and maintains testosterone levels.

It is a common belief that excessive masturbation can lead to erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction refers to the difficulty of getting or maintaining an erection until the end of intercourse. This belief is a myth that is not based on facts or research data. However, there are a few factors that can negatively affect erections: for example, excessive viewing of porn, according to research, can impair sexual performance.

Although erectile dysfunction is usually not directly caused by masturbation, it can be a impaired ability to react to a sexual partner. If you masturbate regularly, you may get used to a certain type of contact, making it more difficult to have an orgasm with your partner. If you watch a lot of porn, you can get bogged down in certain images and physical intimacy. However, in most cases, erectile dysfunction is due to health issues such as circulatory diseases or mental factors such as tension.

The role of porn in the background of erectile dysfunction

Recent studies show that regular masturbation while watching porn can lead to a decrease in potency in the bedroom. However, a clear link between pornography and loss of potency has not been proven.

Excessive masturbation is a form of addiction that is exacerbated through watching porn. When a person starts watching porn, the brain releases dopamine, which creates a feeling of pleasure. Over time, the sensitivity of dopamine receptors to dopamine decreases, and normal physical intimacy is unable to produce enough dopamine to stimulate dopamine receptors in the brain. The more porn you watch, and the harsher the material, the more porn you need to get an erection. If the cycle continues for a long time, erectile function may be impaired and sexual intercourse with a partner will not produce more pleasure. As the potency weakens, other erectile dysfunction can occur, such as frustration and tension, exacerbating the problem.

How, then, is excessive masturbation defined? Daily masturbation is not necessarily a problem if it is a conditional act. If masturbation negatively affects work, social life or sex life, it should be a concern. Often, however, the erectile dysfunction caused by porn can be cured quickly: stop watching porn and resist the need for masturbation as much as possible. After about 6 to 12 weeks, brain dopamine sensitivity returns to normal levels.

The most common causes of erectile dysfunction

Male sexual arousal is a complex process involving brain function, hormones, emotions, muscles, blood vessels, and the nervous system — if changes or problems occur in the functioning of these bodies, it can lead to impaired erectile function. Stress and other mental factors can also impair potency. Erectile dysfunction can be caused by physical or mental factors, and in some cases is the sum of many different factors.

Physical causes of erectile dysfunction include:

• injuries that affect nerves or blood vessels that are important for an erection
• certain medicines, such as antidepressants, antihistamines and medicines used to treat high blood pressure, pain or the prostate
• high cholesterol
• overweight
• diseases of the circulatory system
• diseases such as Parkinson's disease or MS

Psychiatric factors that impair erection include:

• stress or difficulty with intimacy in romantic relationships
• stress or anxiety at work or in everyday life
• depression and other mental health problems

Treatment of erectile dysfunction

Medication is one of the most popular ways to improve potency in the case of erectile dysfunction due to physical factors. If your performance is impaired by psychological factors such as porn addiction and excessive masturbation, it is recommended that you seek therapy as your primary treatment. At a sex therapist's office, a long-term solution to sex problems can be sought and normal erectile function restored.

Medication

For prolonged erection problems, help can be sought from PDE5 inhibitors , which include e.g. Viagra , Cialis , Levitra and Spedra . Medicines relax the walls of blood vessels and speed up blood circulation to the penile tissue, making it easier to get and maintain an erection.

However, erectile dysfunction drugs may not be suitable for all patients, as, for example, people with stress chest pain or other heart problems use nitrates to treat their ailments, which should not be used concomitantly with erectile dysfunction drugs. Concomitant use of the products can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Erectile drugs should also not be taken in combination with alpha-blockers, which are often used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Erectile drugs can cause significant side effects, but often the brand or dosage can be changed to achieve the desired result.

Other treatment options

If medication is not a suitable treatment for you, you can try a penis pump or alprostadil, for example, to treat erectile dysfunction. The penis pump causes an erection with a vacuum, which puts the blood in the penis - after using the pump, a penis ring should be used to prevent the blood from returning to the rest of the body.

Alprostadil is injected into the penis before intercourse or inserted into the urethra as a small stick; the drug causes an increase in blood flow to the penile tissue.

A penis implant is often the last resort in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and is only recommended for men who suffer from severe, prolonged erectile dysfunction, for example after radical prostate surgery.

Effect of lifestyle changes on erection

By making lifestyle changes, you can significantly affect your ability to get an erection, especially in cases where your erection is impaired due to physical factors.

Erection to a new rise

Almost one in three Finns aged 50–70 suffers from moderate to severe erectile dysfunction, but the threshold for seeking medical attention is still high.

The main causes of the disorders are diseases of the circulatory system and the drugs used to treat them, as well as diabetes. Erectile dysfunction may therefore predict coronary artery disease because endothelial changes impair flow in the swollen small arteries earlier than the coronary arteries.

Many treatments for prostate cancer and neurological diseases, as well as a decrease in testosterone levels and, for example, thyroid dysfunction, also impair sexual function. Mental factors, on the other hand, affect sexual desire.

At the reception, it is important to try to find out the nature, duration and severity of erectile dysfunction. Is intercourse successful, is sexual desire reduced and are morning erections stopped? It is a good idea for the patient to have at least a general blood count and a urine sample and to measure creatinine, PSA and testosterone levels as well as thyroid values.

If necessary, the patient should be encouraged to make lifestyle changes. Quitting tobacco and heavy alcohol consumption, losing weight, correcting fat levels and increasing exercise will improve the conditions for an erection.

Viagra, or sildenafil, introduced in 1998, has revived many sex lives. Even today, the treatment of erectile dysfunction is mainly based on phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. Contraindications to their use are untreated coronary artery disease and, on the other hand, short- and long-acting nitro preparations used for its treatment.

Ashwagandha - a natural remedy for erectile dysfunction

Aswagandha is a highly valued and widely used natural remedy, especially in India and East Asia, which is believed to be useful in the treatment of a number of diseases and disorders. It is one of the best known organic favorite herbs that is claimed to increase libido in both women and men and help with erectile dysfunction. Ashwagandha is known by numerous different names, including:

What is ashwagandha (herbal collection)?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant whose roots and flowers have been exploited for centuries because of the ingredients they contain. Ashwagandha is one of the cornerstones of Ayurveda, or traditional Indian folk medicine, and is used in Ayurveda to treat numerous ailments. In appearance, the ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub with flowers oval in shape and green to calyx yellow in color. Ashwagandha blooms and produces berries in October-November. Its root is thick and light brown. Ashwagandha grows mainly in arid areas of the subtropical zone in the Indian subcontinent, South Asia and Africa.

Ashwagandha is Sanskrit and means the scent of a horse. The name refers to a horse-like fragrance of ashwagandha. This:

• promote health
• improve vitality
• increases physical and mental performance
• strengthen the body
• supports the body's recovery from stress
• regenerates and strengthens the nervous system
• increase libido
• soothe and rejuvenate
• guarantees a long life
• improve learning and memory

In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is used to treat geriatric problems, chronic fatigue, dehydration, muscle tension, rheumatism, and memory loss, among others. Ashwagandha has been found to promote memory especially in children and the elderly with memory problems as well as people who have memory problems due to a head injury or some illness. It has also been found to have the ability to promote the formation of dendrites of neurons. It also acts as an anxiolytic, relieving anxiety and stress.

Ashwagandha leaves have been found to have antioxidant and bacterial effects, and their anti-inflammatory properties are useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ashwagandha has also been claimed to work in the treatment of neurological disorders and cancers, but more research is needed to demonstrate its effectiveness in the treatment of such diseases.

Ashwagandha active ingredients and effect on the body

Active substances

Ashwagandha contains numerous alkaloids and withanolides. Its alkaloids include tropine, nicotine, and couscohygrine, and withanolides withaferins A and D and withanolide G. To date, studies have been able to isolate 12 alkaloids and 35 withanolides from ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha activities

1. Ashwagandhan has been found to increase antioxidant activity, improve cardiovascular health and relax.
2. It has been found to be beneficial to respiratory health, to help in stressful situations, and to act as an adaptogen, thus helping the body to adapt to prevailing conditions.
3. Ashwagandha is claimed to have a beneficial effect on reproduction as well as increase testosterone production in men. It also helps with erectile dysfunction and impotence.

Erectile dysfunction is a common but often silenced ailment in men of all ages. Because erectile dysfunction is perceived as embarrassing, many of those who suffer from it look for opportunities to treat their erectile dysfunction themselves instead of going to the doctor. Those looking for opportunities online often come across aphrodisiacs made from plants or herbs, i.e. natural medicines that increase libido and fertility. Most of these natural remedies contain ashwagandha as well as a promise to increase willingness and improve erection.

Use of Ashwagandha (herbal collection)

The method and amount of Ashwagandha used to depend on what it is used for. Because ashwagandha has been studied relatively little, it has not been determined for the optimal dose that would be appropriate for most of its users and for the treatment of all the ailments it treats. However, the daily upper limit for Ashwagandha is set at two grams (about half a teaspoon) and should not be exceeded.

A daily dose of more than two grams increases the risk of side effects as well as nausea and vomiting. The average daily dose for people using Ashwagandha is 450 milligrams, according to surveys. It is recommended to start using Ashwagandha at a low dose, which can be increased if necessary.

Ashwagandha is sold in most health and health food stores as well as online. It is available in capsules, powders, and liquids. Ashwagandha powder can be mixed with cold or hot drinks, juice, or even porridge or smoothies. Ashwagandha tastes bitterly sweet.

Side effects and contraindications

Often, when a product is mentioned as "herbal" or "natural", less attention is paid to its possible side effects than when it is chemically produced. Nevertheless, herbal medicines can also cause similar side effects as chemically formulated medicines. In addition, they may have adverse interactions with some medications for the user. Chemical drugs have been tested for a long time, and the tests have been used to determine their possible side effects.

Herbal medicines have not been tested as extensively. Based on comprehensive tests and long lists of side effects in drug packs, it easily seems that chemically formulated drugs have more side effects than herbal ones.

The side effects caused by Ashwagandha have been little studied in clinical trials, but it is primarily a well-tolerated drug in low doses for short-term use. The side effects caused by high doses or long-term use are not yet known. For this reason, ashwagandha is recommended for use only in small doses and short periods.

Who should avoid using ashwagandha

Clinical trials on the efficacy of ashwagandha

Recent studies have shown that ashwagandha can benefit its users. Despite studies, many of the effects of the alkaloids and withanolides contained in ashwagandha on the human body are still unknown. In contrast, animal studies have been promising.

Animal experiments have shown that ashwagandha prevents stress-induced gastric ulcers as well as carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage. In rats, it was also found to relieve pain. Ashwagandha is also believed to be useful in the treatment of stress-related disorders, neurological disorders, and cancers. However, its effectiveness in treating these has not yet been scientifically proven.

Efficacy of Ashwagandha compared to the most well-known erectile drugs

Ashwagandha is often referred to as a favorite herb that improves both fertility and erectile dysfunction. Due to increased demand, its effect in the treatment of erectile dysfunction has been tested in both humans and animals. Experiments in rats have not yielded unambiguous results, and in some rats, natural drugs appeared to harm erections. A 2011 study found that products containing ashwagandha had little effect on male erectile dysfunction or impotence. In Ayurveda, however, ashwagandha is known as an effective medicine to increase erectile function. It is also considered an erection-enhancing drug in the rituals of tantrism.

Research findings on the effectiveness of ashwagandha contradict the views of Ayurveda. From the perspective of clinical trials, ashwagandha appears to be less effective than known and widely used erectile drugs such as Viagra. Instead, from the Ayurvedic point of view, ashwagandha seems to be a very effective erectile drug. New studies on the efficacy of ashwagandha in erectile dysfunction have been initiated in the 2010s. Upon completion of the studies, ashwagandha and its effects as an erectile dysfunction drug will provide additional information.