If you are between 20 and 30, you would think that your man down there is invincible. You are at your peak. You can do anything you want without worrying about weak knees or losing your breath. You can have sex all day, anytime, anywhere with any girl you want. What could go wrong down south?
The truth is, a lot. Believe it or not, erectile dysfunction or ED is not just an old man’s problem. According to the National Institutes of Health, ED affects up to 30 million men in the United States alone.While this is common among men in the retirement bracket, there are men below 40 who also have trouble either getting it up or maintaining an erection.
How is that possible? Read on to learn more about ED, what’s causing it, and tips on how to prevent it from knocking at your door.
Erectile Dysfunction And Generation Y
Also known as impotence, erectile dysfunction is a condition where you are unable to get or sustain an erection, which is sufficient for intercourse.
Erection requires participation from your brain, hormones, nerves, muscles and circulatory system.
When these systems are in great shape, they are able to work together and stimulate blood flow in your genital area. However, any imbalance on these systems could affect your ability to get your man up.
Erectile dysfunction is commonly associated with old men. Did you know that it could affect younger men, too? According to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Sex Medicine, ED is more common among younger men these days. In fact, this condition affected 26 percent of men below 40, with almost half of them suffering from severe ED. The question is, what went wrong? Here’s the top 10 reasons ED is not just a problem for older men:
1. Performance Jitters
Admit it. You always feel the pressure to be at your best in bed. Regardless if you’re in it for long-term relationship, or you prefer casual hookups, you want to make sure that you give it your all in every performance.
There is nothing wrong with this kind of mindset. You want to make an impression; however, the thought of being at your best could get into your head, which makes the desire to perform well in bed a bit overwhelming. The result: not being able to perform at all.
According to experts, performance anxiety that leads to the inability to get it up is often associated with younger men. Although this is a temporary situation, this could lead to something permanent, especially if you constantly worry about sex. The more you worry, the worse it could get.
Relax. Sex is a pleasurable experience, not a stressful one.
2. Too Much Booze
Drinking alcohol helps ease tension and pressure inside the room. It also gives you an extra boost to talk to a girl and eventually ask her out after a few. It can even make you look more confident and minimize any social inhibitions.
However, too much alcohol could do the opposite. One to two bottles of beer are okay, but if you go beyond that, then booze could affect not just your speech and stance, but also your performance in bed.
According to a Chinese study involving 1,506 men, those who drank three or more drinks every week are more likely to have erectile dysfunction or some other form of issues down there. Keep in mind that alcohol is a depressant. This means it triggers your brain to feel down, thereby affecting your performance inside the bedroom. When taken in higher quantities, alcohol could reduce your sexual desire and ability to perform, in case the situation calls for doing something without your clothes on.
3. Obesity and Your Man Down There
Being on the heavier side does not necessarily follow that you will have issues down there. However, there is a connection between obesity and erectile dysfunction.
Obesity could lead to vascular diseases or type 2 diabetes, both risk factors for ED. If you are significantly overweight, also referred to as morbid obesity, the excess fat in your body could cause hormonal changes and affect your ability to get it up.
That’s not all. Obesity could cause physical limitations inside the bedroom. You get tired easily, you are less flexible, and you might be unable to do certain positions, which you partner might want to try.
4. Condom Trouble
Fact: That rubber thing you wrap in your penis during sex could do so many things for you. It prevents you from fathering a child and protects you against sexually transmitted diseases and other types of infections.
Did you know that condoms could also be one of the reasons why you can’t get it up? Believe it or not, the simple act of putting condom could stress you out and lead to erectile dysfunction. According to a study conducted by experts from Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, 25 percent of subject young men lost their erection while in the act of putting a condom.
The reason: you lose momentum. Putting on a condom means taking a break from stimulation. At the same time, having that rubber down there could reduce sensation and makes sex less exciting for you.
Still, this doesn’t mean you should stop wearing a condom. They say practice makes perfect, so you know what to do. Never skip this part unless you are sure you won’t get anyone pregnant or is safe from STD.
5. Depression
Women and depression are two concepts that sometimes go together; however, even men are also prone to depression.
When you find yourself feeling sad, hopeless and empty, then don’t be surprised if your man down south feels the same way. Believe it or not, depression could make it difficult for you to get it up.
According to the experts, the biggest effect of depression manifests on your sexual desires, and libido. Depression could affect men of all ages. Regardless of how old or young you are, once you experience depression, you might find it hard to get it up, or keep it in an erect state.
6. Hormones
Another fact: You need hormones to make your man down there work. Anything that disrupts the balance could affect your sex drive, erections and even performance inside the bedroom. This explains why hormonal changes are often associated with various situations, mostly negative ones.
Hormonal issues, such as low testosterone could lead to erectile dysfunction. Low T could also affect your bodily functions, including cardiovascular health and muscle growth. An increased production of prolactin, a type of hormone produced by the pituitary gland, could also result to erection issues. If your thyroid hormone level is either high or low, your ability to get it up is likewise affected. What does this mean? Your hormones are crucial in your erection. Make sure to maintain balance among them.
7. Heart Conditions
Aside from hormones, your heart is crucial in the process of erections. Keep in mind that erections rely heavily on blood flow. If your heart is healthy, your brain will alert the nerves connected to your manhood and enable the arteries to expand.
This allows your heart to pump enough blood down south, which makes your penis healthy and functional, as well. If there is not enough blood flow, then it will be challenging to get it up. That’s not all. Poor blood flow indicates vascular issues, including coronary artery disease. Unless you get treatment, this might also lead to heart attacks.
8. Drug Abuse
If too much alcohol is bad for your junk, what more could drugs do down there? Using illegal substances,such as cocaine and ecstasy damage your health and also your penis. Specifically, studies show a connection between cocaine and priapism.
Priapism is a painful penile issue wherein an erection lasts for more than four hours. This condition requires immediate medical attention, since it could potentially damage your man down south. The effect of cocaine on your man down there may not be instant. However, prolonged use could potentially damage it and lead to priapism.
9. Too Much Masturbation
There’s nothing wrong with spending some alone time inside your room doing you-know-what. However, if you masturbate too much and seldom get real life action, you allow your body to experience a certain kind of pleasure.
Once the opportunity calls, it might be harder for you to get it up because you are used to doing it yourself. This could be problematic and disappointing. Although masturbating is normal, make sure to take it easy. Teach your body to experience other kinds of pleasure aside from what you could give.
10. Stress
Yes, men are also affected by stress. You can get it from your job, money issues, relationship problems, kids and even your mom. Wherever you go, stress will always find a way to knock at your door and ruin not just your health but also your sex life and erection. When you notice some trouble with erection, just relax and don’t panic. Try to identify what went wrong or what particular situation stressed you out. Add healthy in your lifestyle by eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, and kicking those bad habits.
Get enough sleep, find ways to combat stress, and solve any psychological issues. Make sure to discuss and be open about your condition with your partner, as well as your doctor.
Your doctor can pinpoint the cause of the problem and give you the best treatment options available today. They can also monitor your progress and suggest helpful options along the way. Don’t be too embarrassed to talk to your doctor. They deal with ED issues quite often, and will know what to do.