Drug dysfunction erectile medication daily news.

Aug. 30, 2000 –The popular drug Viagra has improved the lives
of millions, but regular exercise could make it obsolete, according to a report
in the journal Urology.

In the first study of its kind, researchers showed that
physically active men have a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED)
than inactive men, even if they don’t begin exercising until midlife. But
surprisingly, the study found that reducing tobacco and alcohol use and losing
weight in midlife didn’t reduce a man’s risk of developing erectile
dysfunction.

“Our study showed that men who burn 200 calories a day,
often by walking briskly for about two miles, can lower their risk of ED
significantly,” says study co-author Irwin Goldstein, MD, a professor of
urology at Boston University School of Medicine. “And men who burn more
than 200 calories a day can lower their risk even more.”

Defined as the inability to have or maintain an erection,
erectile dysfunction affects over half of all men between 40 and 70 years of
age, but isn’t part of aging.

For their study exploring the effects of lifestyle changes on
ED, Goldstein and colleagues nearly 600 healthy men ranging from
40-70 years of age. After their body mass was calculated, the were
polled about their physical activity, smoking habits, alcohol use, and sexual
function. Eight years later, the process was repeated.

Unlike regular exercise, smoking cessation, alcohol reduction,
and weight loss in midlife didn’t reduce the risk of developing erectile
dysfunction, according to the study. “This suggests that midlife changes
are too late to reverse their effects,” Goldstein cautions, “and
highlights the importance of adopting healthy behaviors early in life.”

One of the major causes of erectile dysfunction is hardening of
the arteries, which reduces the amount of blood that can enter and enlarge the
penis. “That’s why we say that good heart health is needed for good
sexual health,” says William Steers, MD, professor and chairman of urology
at University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

“In fact, ED may be an early warning sign of a future heart
attack or stroke,” Steers tells WebMD. “So think about some other ways
to reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes,” he urges. For example,
men should:

• Stop smoking cigarettes and cigars
• Get their blood pressure under control
• Reduce dietary fat to lower their
• Lose excess weight for their height
• Limit alcohol to one or two drinks a day

But even men who get started on a healthy lifestyle early in
life may experience impotence occasionally. “Psychological factors like
depression and anxiety can put the brakes on sexual function, but stress is
probably a bigger issue,” says Drogo Montague, MD, director of the Center
for Sexual Function at Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the American
Urological ED Guidelines Panel. “It can even lead to
persistent difficulty, so look for ways to relax and clear your mind.”

He also advises that men looking to avoid ED:

• Get adequate sleep to reduce fatigue
• Plan some time together with their partner, away from the kids
• Avoid alcohol before sex

Also, “a common cause of permanent impotence is physical
trauma like spinal cord injuries and pelvic fractures, so remember to wear your
seat belt,” Montague says.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of
Health.