Impotence Treatment by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Impotence treatment with herbs and natural supplements

Is there a natural male Impotence cure or natural impotence treatment that works?

Are you searching for an impotence drug, vitamin, or herbal impotence cure or remedy? If so, you're on the right page. Many people can improve their sexual pleasure through the use of natural supplements. Although there are several effective impotence medications on the market, many people are seeking a natural alternative to overcome impotence. Drugs such as Viagra and its cousins Levitra and Cialis have helped many men. On average, they have an effectiveness rate of 60 to 70 percent as a treatment for male impotence; but, in rare cases, they could cause serious side effects. Several cases of blindness have been reported from the use of these prescriptions impotence medications. Although very effective in improving blood flow to the penis, these drugs do not have much of an influence on libido, and they certainly do not enhance genital sensation. Natural supplements address the whole area of sexual enhancement. They improve blood flow, increase sex drive, enhance sensation, and increase stamina. The advantage of the impotence drugs is that they often work within an hour or two whereas the impotence herbs take a few hours or, more often, several days to be most effective.
   Below I discuss the various causes of impotence. I also discuss Passion Rx, a highly effective and popular all natural sexual enhancement product.

Caution: Impotence can be due to physical causes (from high blood sugar, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, medication use), or due to psychological causes (from marital problems, stress, lack of confidence, insecurity, guilt, memories of poor performance in the past). All men with physical impotence, particularly older men who are more likely to have physical impotence than younger men, need a medical evaluation, detailed cardiac assessment, blood pressure measurement, lipid profile and blood sugar tests, as well as lifestyle advice regarding weight management, diet improvement, smoking cessation, sleep quality improvement, stress reduction, and exercise. See diet for suggestions. If you have impotence, make sure to have a full medical evaluation before starting therapy, whether with an herbal product or a drug. Some herbs are very potent and have a tendency to accelerate heart rate or increase blood pressure which may not be well tolerated by those who have cardiac or cardiovascular problems. Even though herbs are safer than prescription medications, they do have side effects in high doses. There is a higher rate of heart disease in men with physical impotence.

Impotence herbs
There are dozens of female and male impotence herbs available over the counter that have sex enhancing properties, including Horny goat weed, Catuaba, Ashwagandha, Tribulus,
Ginseng, Maca, Mucuna pruriens, Muira puama, yohimbe, and Tongkat ali. It is nearly impossible to predict which single herb will be effective in any particular person. These herbs take several days to work best, not an hour like Viagra or other impotence drugs. Often, products that have combinations of several herbs are more effective since they take advantage of the benefits from the various herbs.

PASSION Rx for a natural way to enhance sexual pleasure and libido --  Formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
I am glad to report that after several years of research, I have found a combination of herbs that works extremely well to enhance sexual pleasure, stamina, sensation, and sex drive. Please read on...

Passion Rx is a Bestseller
How quickly does Passion Rx enhance sexuality?
Passion Rx improves blood flow, sensation, stamina, and sexual urge within a few days of use. Some people may notice the effects within a few hours, for others it may take a week or two. Our feedback thus far indicates more than 80% user satisfaction by the end of the first two weeks. There are two versions of Passion Rx: with, and without, yohimbe.

A Unique Formula
Dr. Sahelian, bestselling author of Natural Sex Boosters, and his research staff have tested various doses and extracts of exotic herbs from a number or raw material suppliers to determine the ideal dose and combination for optimal libido enhancement with fewest side effects. After years of trial and error, a unique proprietary blend with 15 herbal extracts, has been created. The exact dosage, potency extracts and raw material sources in this unique blend is a close kept secret known only to Dr. Sahelian and his research staff. You will only find this exact combination in Passion Rx.

Click here for more details on Passion Rx, additional sex herbs, or to sign up to a FREE newsletter
Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month we email a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including herbal impotence treatment, and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Passion Rx supports and enhances:

In recent years science has made breakthroughs in the understanding of impotence and sexual dysfunction. But, for hundreds of years, civilizations around the world have known about locally grown herbs that achieve wonderful results with far fewer side effects than prescription drugs. Now, renowned physician and herbal expert Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of Natural Sex Boosters, has discovered a combination of exotic herbal extracts from the Amazon jungle, India, China, Malaysia, and Africa, that provides a natural solution for those seeking an alternative to synthetic drugs.

Dr. Ray Sahelian says: "I have tried Viagra and Passion Rx. Viagra works well for erections, but that's about it. I much prefer Passion Rx since, in addition to supporting erectile function, it naturally enhances sensation, sex drive, stamina, and overall enjoyment."


The potent impotence herb extracts in Passion Rx include ashwagandha, catuaba, cnidium monnieri, horny goat weed, maca, mucuna pruriens, muira puama, passion flower, rhodiola, tribulus terrestris, tongkat ali and yohimbe. There is a version of Passion Rx without yohimbe.


What is the cause of male impotence?
Impotence (the medically preferred name is erectile dysfunction) can be classified simply under two headings. Psychogenic Impotence: that is, due to mental factors; or Organic Impotence, also known as physical cause of impotence: that is, due to some form of bodily malfunction. A symptom of impotence is the inability to maintain an erection long enough to have satisfactory penetration. Later on I will discuss the five major causes of male impotence.
     Organic male impotence becomes more common as men get older. Is there a natural male impotence remedy, impotence medication, treatment or herbal impotence cure? Although we cannot promise an impotence cure, you should take a close look at Passion Rx, a highly evolved, medical doctor formulated, and time tested herbal sex product which can be considered an herbal alternative for impotence drugs, particularly since some impotence drugs such as Viagra may have detrimental effects on vision.

Psychological Impotence - Mental causes of Impotence
The causes of psychological
male impotence are numerous, and it is difficult to list them all, but most often impotence is related to depression, performance anxiety, marital stress or relationship problems, life crisis, financial difficulties, religious repression, or some type of mental illness. Impotence treatment in these cases depends on the cause. Anxiety is a very common reason for impotence, so is depression. Psychotherapy may help some individuals overcome psychological impotence. Herbal products may also help.

FOUR major causes of Physical
Impotence

1. Vascular causes of Impotence
Alterations in the flow of blood to and from the penis is thought to be one of the common causes of
impotence. For instance, medical conditions such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high cholesterol, hypertension, or diabetes reduce blood flow to the penis and genital organs thus leading to difficulty with erection or genital swelling.  Impotence  could be an early indication of oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction. A vascular problem in the penis may precede a wider, systemic problem in other blood vessels in the body. Patients with cardiovascular disease and patients with diabetes represent the largest group of patients with impotence. Lowering cholesterol and total body weight through diet, supplements, or medicines improves impotence problems. I have seen many patients with diabetes who have impotence. Diabetic impotence can be addressed with certain herbs and natural supplements.
   Additional factors that can impede blood flow include penile injury and surgery in the pelvic and abdominal area. Smoking can reduce genital blood flow therefore one cause of impotence is smoking. It would take many years of smoking to lead to impotence.
  
Men who smoke risk developing impotence — and the more cigarettes they smoke, the greater the risk of impotence.

2. Neural causes of Impotence
Nerve damage from disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and stroke affect the brain’s ability to respond to sexual stimulation and cause male
impotence. In women, abdominal or pelvic operations can occasionally lead to nerve damage. Impotence is common in men undergoing surgical treatment for prostate enlargement or prostate cancer. Impotence often occurs after prostate surgery - prostectomy. Impotence rarely occurs after vasectomy.

3. Hormonal Impotence cause
Low levels of androgens, such as testosterone, are a major component of male and female
impotence. Testosterone levels decline about 1 percent each year in men, which may contribute to erectile dysfunction with aging. Testosterone also declines with age in women leading to a decrease in female libido. Women who have had surgical removal of the ovaries notice a drop in sexual interest. Impotence treatment by replacement of androgens can be helpful in those with age related erectile dysfunction. Testosterone is available by prescription only. An over the counter hormones, such as DHEA, converts into testosterone and thus has a positive influence on impotence and in some cases can be considered an impotence treatment. Pregnenolone is another over the counter hormone that may increase testosterone levels and thus improve impotence. Many herbal aphrodisiacs also have a positive influence on impotence, with some having an effect on hormonal output. Prominent diseases of the endocrine system, such as diabetes mellitus, hypogonadism, and hyperprolactinemia, may cause impotence. The problem with hormones is that even though they may offer a good impotence treatment, they can have significant side effects.

4. Drug induced
Impotence
Drugs that cause impotence include some anti-hypertensives, SSRIs (like Prozac), sedatives, and beta-blockers. Impotence can be caused by a beta blocker such as propranolol or atenolol. I'm not sure about statins such as Lipitor or Zocor. Impotence due to steroids is a possibility. An impotence cure can be achieved when some of these drugs are stopped.
     Finasteride, a drug used to treat enlarged prostate and to stimulate hair growth, may decrease
libido, and in some individuals cause male impotence and ejaculatory dysfunction. This is not very common but nevertheless does occur. Finasteride is known as Propecia or Proscar. Few doctors realize that impotence and Finasteride use are related since the loss of sexual interest happens so gradually.
     SSRIs cause erectile dysfunction mostly due to their effect on serotonin metabolism. Serotonin has an inhibitory effect on erectile function and sexuality. Therefore, impotence treatment in those who are on SSRIs may require switching to another drug or natural herb or supplement. An impotence cure can be as simple as stopping an impotence causing drug or changing to another medicine that does not have sexual side effects.
    
Some chemicals involved in the human sexual response include dopamine, acetylcholine, and nitric oxide. All these three natural chemicals and others can be manipulated n the treatment of
impotence. Alcohol's negative affect on sex drive increases with age. Alcohol can be a common cause of impotence. Heavy smoking is an important risk factor for impotence in men and a reason for impotence.

Impotence and Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions cause male
impotence or reduce libido, performance, or enjoyment. These include hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular or heart disease, obesity, peripheral vascular disease, neurological disorders, and insomnia. Diabetes and impotence are quite common. Diabetic impotence is first addressed by trying to keep optimal blood sugar levels, Obesity and impotence are also related. One solution to impotence is losing weight.
     Sitting on a bicycle too long. Men who log several thousand miles a year on their mountain bikes suffer scrotal damage that could reduce their fertility or cause
impotence. When cycling, find a bicycle seat that has space for the nerves leading to the penis not to be crushed and take frequent breaks off of the bike. Masturbation does not cause impotence, but when done too often, it just makes the penis less sensitive to stimulation.

Impotence and Heart Disease
A large study of men age 55 and older adds to evidence that impotence can be a warning sign for heart disease. Men with impotence were more likely than other men to experience chest pain, a heart attack or a stroke during the next seven years, the study found. The results suggest that men who see their doctors for impotence drugs also should consider getting screened for heart disease since this is a cause for impotence.

Male Impotence and Cardiac Patients
Impotence is common in cardiac patients and shares the same risk factors - smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Sexual activity is not unduly stressful to the heart and, providing patients are properly assessed using established guidelines, sexual intercourse can be enjoyed without increased risk. Impotence in asymptomatic patients may be a marker of silent vascular disease or increased vascular risk factors and should alert the physician to the need for cardiac risk screening.
     Physical fitness positively influences sexual desire and performance. Moderate exercise may help boost sexual function in men with heart failure. The results may be good news for some men with impotence, because Viagra and other similar impotence drugs can have dangerous interactions with medications commonly prescribed to treat heart failure.

A note about Viagra and
Impotence pill
Viagra (sildenafil), approved by the FDA in 1998 as an impotence solution, has been the most popular impotence medicine for the treatment of male impotence. Viagra works very well in dilating blood vessels in the genital region leading to an erection or increased blood flow to the vaginal tissues, however it does little to directly increase libido or sexual arousal. The effect of Viagra is often noticed within an hour after taking a pill of 50 or 100 mg, and ease of erection may last up to 12 hours. Side effects of Viagra include headache, flushes, nasal congestion or runny nose, malaise, nausea, changes in blood pressure, irregular heart beats, visual disturbances including rare cases of blindness, and chest pain. Viagra may cause stickiness of blood platelets. Although Viagra is an effective impotence remedy, it does little for sensation, libido, or sensuality.
    I personally find an alternative herbal remedy for impotence, such as an impotence herb or nutrient combination, preferable to pharmaceutical drugs and other male impotence aids such as pumps.
    A Houston man filed a lawsuit in June 2005 in federal court against Pfizer, claiming he suffered blindness after taking its best-selling impotence drug Viagra. James Thompson filed the civil suit against Pfizer in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and is seeking more than $75,000 for his vision loss from the drug promised as an impotence medication. He is also seeking class-action status because it has been estimated that since 1998, 23 million people have taken the impotence drug Viagra, the trade name for sildenafil.

Impotence and Eye Disease
Impotence drugs such as Viagra and Cialis can increase the risk of vision loss in men who have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure. In a small study, scientists at the University of Alabama in Birmingham found that men who had suffered a heart attack were 10 times more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had been taking leading anti-impotence pills. “For patients with a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), we did observe a strong and statistically significant association suggestive of a link between the use of Viagra and/or Cialis and an increased risk of NAION,” Dr. Gerald McGwin, who headed the study, said in a report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), is the most common cause of acute optic nerve disease in people over 50 years old. It can cause permanent loss of vision in one or both eyes. Viagra, made by Pfizer Inc and Eli Lilly and Co.’s Cialis, are leading impotence treatments. McGwin and his team questioned 76 men, half of whom suffered from NAION, who were treated at a specialist eye clinic in the United States, about their smoking and drinking habits and use of anti-impotence pills. Tens of millions of men have used Viagra and Cialis since the treatments were launched. In May, 2005 the Food and Drug Administration said it had received more than 40 reports of NAION involving impotence drugs but had not determined whether the treatments were responsible.


Is Food related to Impotence?
Yes and no. I am not aware of any foods you can eat that can have an immediate effect on sexual function, however a life long healthy diet can prevent or reduce the occurrence of male impotence. If your impotence is due to vascular problems, eating cold water fish, such as salmon on halibut, or taking fish oil capsules could perhaps make a difference after a week or two by thinning the blood or improving circulation.

Impotence Treatment with Viagra and Statins
Lipitor, a commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug, may have extra benefits for men with impotence. Specifically, in men who are not initially helped by Viagra (sildenafil), treatment with Lipitor (atorvastatin) seems to improve sexual response. Impotence, also referred to as erectile dysfunction, may involve a generalized disturbance of the lining of the blood vessels (endothelium). The endothelium could be made healthier through cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins, or through natural supplements that lower cholesterol levels or improve endothelial function.

Beware of Impotence Pills laced with Viagra or other prescription impotence drugs
FDA routinely checks different brands of natural herbal impotence pills to see if any contain pharmaceutical drugs. In July 2006, FDA found some products touted on the Internet as natural alternatives to impotence drugs such as Viagra illegally contain the same active ingredients as the prescription impotence medicines. FDA warns consumers not to buy or use these herbal impotence supplements. The list includes a product called Zimaxx, sold by Herbal Remedies, which FDA testing showed contains sildenafil, the same active ingredient in Viagra. A message left for Herbal Remedies USA, a Casper, Wyoming-based company that sells Zimaxx on its Web site by the Associated Press was not immediately returned. Besides Zimaxx, the other products warned by the FDA are: Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx and 4Everon. Testing showed these herbal impotence products contain either chemical ingredients that are similar to sildenafil or a second drug called vardenafil. Vardenafil is the active ingredient in Levitra. tDr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says in a statement, "These products threaten the public health because they contain undeclared chemicals that are similar or identical to the active ingredients used in several FDA-approved prescription drug products. This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure." A search on google for Zimaxx led to the first listing as Herbal Remedies, but the product Zimaxx could not be found, apparently Herbal Remedies had removed the Zimazz product from the page. A search for Zimaxx on the Herbal Remedies search bar again showed no listing for Zimaxx.

Impotence Research - Erectile Dysfunction Research Update
December 2005 - Seven years after Pfizer made Viagra a cultural touchstone and commercial blockbuster, the market for impotence medicines appears to have fallen short of what was once predicted. Heavy advertising to consumers, totaling more than $400 million in 2004, made Viagra and its newer competitors, Cialis and Levitra, among the best-known drug brands in the United States, and their combined global sales reached $2.5 billion last year. But the number of new prescriptions for the drugs has fallen steadily this year. Doctors wrote about 10 percent fewer new prescriptions in October than they did in October of 2004.Some of the decline is a result of reports, disputed by some specialists, that linked the drugs to a rare form of blindness, say urologists who specialize in treating impotence. But a more fundamental factor is also hurting sales - many impotent men have chosen not to take the drugs, even though the drugs work about 70 percent of the time. The drop in impotence prescriptions comes as sales of other heavily marketed medicines, like antidepressants, are also stalling, and it may be another sign of the limits of consumer advertising to drive demand for drugs. As many as half of men over 40 have at least mild or occasional impotence, but Pfizer estimates that only about 15 percent of those men get prescriptions for Viagra, Cialis or Levitra in a given year. In the hopes of increasing that figure, Pfizer is about to begin two major new ad campaigns, one for Viagra and a more general one about erectile dysfunction, the company's preferred term for impotence. The U.S. government will spend nearly $2 billion over the next decade to pay for male impotence drugs for elderly and disabled patients under Medicare, according to a congressional estimate. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who has written legislation to outlaw Medicare coverage for "recreational sex drugs," said the Congressional Budget Office had tallied the costs of Pfizer Inc.'s Viagra and other medicines to fight impotence. Medicare will start broad prescription drug coverage in January 2006.

Impotence may serve as an early warning of heart disease down the road, even in men without traditional risk factors for heart trouble. In a study of 143 middle-aged men, Italian researchers found that those with vascular impotence were nearly four times as likely as those without the condition to show high levels of calcification in the heart arteries. Calcium deposits, along with fat and other substances, are part of the artery-clogging "plaque" that accumulate in atherosclerosis, a "hardening" and narrowing of coronary arteries that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Computed tomography (CT), a specialized X-ray technique, can detect these calcium deposits, and it is sometimes used to screen for heart disease before symptoms are apparent. In the new study, CT scans revealed that arterial calcium deposits were more common and more extensive in men with impotence -- even though traditional heart risk factors, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, were not.

S
moking may raise the risk of impotence, particularly in younger men. Researchers found that among the more than 1,300 men they followed, those who smoked were at greater risk of impotence than either former smokers or non-smokers. Smokers in their 40s, the youngest group in the study, showed the highest smoking-related impotence risk. Compared with other men their age, they were nearly three times more likely to have impotence. Smoking was also linked, to a lesser extent, to impotence among men in their 50s and 60s, but not among those in their 70s. This age difference is not surprising, according to Drs. Naomi M. Gades and Steven J. Jacobsen of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, two of the authors of the study. Older men often have a number of risk factors for impotence, including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. In younger men the association between smoking and impotence is less likely to be "masked" by these other medical conditions.

Erectile dysfunction under age 40: etiology and role of contributing factors.

ScientificWorldJournal. 2004 Jun 7;4 Suppl 1:171-4.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the cause of impotence in patients under the age of 40 years. Eighty one patients were included in this study. All patients underwent a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach by color Doppler ultrasonography, dynamic pharmacocavernosometry (optional), selective pudendal pharmaco-arteriography (optional) and nocturnal penile tumescence monitoring. Mean age of the population was 32 years. Psychogenic impotence was diagnosed in 50% of the patients and organic impotence was diagnosed in 45%. After the 3rd decade of life, a vasculogenic etiology was the most common cause of impotence . Smoking and hypertension played a major role as chronic contributing factors in the overall study population. Primary impotence was diagnosed in 11 patients who were unmarried. The rate of organic causes was 45% in this group (all vasculogenic in nature). Cause of impotence in younger patients and in patients with primary impotence is due mainly to organic causes, usually vascular in origin. Natural cure for impotence.

Saddle pressure can cause temporary impotence for men who take part in long distance cycling events, but bike adjustments may decrease the risk. However, bicycle seats with "cutouts" designed to relieve the pressure that may contribute to impotence could actually put certain men at greater risk for the problem. Researchers found that among 463 men who'd taken part in long-distance cycling events, just over four percent developed short-lived impotence within the following week. And while many of those who reported using a cutout saddle were at lower risk of temporary impotence, others -- namely, those who felt numbness in the groin during the ride -- were more likely to develop impotence if they used a cutout seat. The researchers also found a greater impotence risk among men who used a mountain bike for the road race, and those with handlebars higher than the saddle. SOURCE: The Journal of Urology, August 2004.

Viagra is not just for old men. The blockbuster impotence pill is being used by a growing number of men under the age of 55. The study of more than 5 million insured adults from 1998 to 2002 found the fastest-growing segments of users was men aged 18 to 55 years. And fewer of these men are using Viagra because they need to for impotence. These findings suggest increased use of Viagra as an enhancement or recreational agent. However, most Viagra users are over 56.

The endocrinologist as the focus in a multidisciplinary approach to management of male impotence.
Section of Endocrinology, Lahey Hitchcock Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Endocr Pract. 1997;3(1):1-8.
To present an approach to the complete but cost-effective office evaluation and treatment of impotence. Methods: The numerous medical, hormonal, and psychologic causes of impotence are reviewed, and the various treatment strategies are outlined. Results: impotence, which might also include libido and ejaculatory disturbances, is the most frequently encountered type of sexual dysfunction seen in office practice. Before 1960, the assessment of impotence was dominated by psychiatrists; later, urologists assumed a role. More recently, physicians in internal medicine have become involved in the management of impotence. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and tobacco abuse are the three most common causes of impotence in men older than 50 years of age. In addition to optimizing the management of diabetes, the endocrinologist can treat other endocrine problems associated with impotence. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation and treatment of impotence is logical, and the endocrinologist--because of an extensive background in internal medicine and expertise in hormonal diagnosis and treatment--should be the focal point of this diagnostic and therapeutic team. impotence.

The cause of impotence and contributing factors in different age groups in Turkey.
Int J Urol. 2004 Jul;11(7):525-529.
The aim of the present study was to determine the pathophysiological factors which cause
impotence, as well as the risk factors in different age groups in Turkey. Methods: A total of 948 patients with male impotence who were admitted to three andrology clinics were evaluated in terms of cause. Impotence was classified as primarily organic, primarily psychogenic, mixed or unknown in etiology. Results: Psychogenic impotence was diagnosed in 65% of the patients and organic impotence was diagnosed in 34% of patients overall. In patients under 40 years, the rate of psychogenic impotence was 83% and the rate of organic impotence was 17%, but in the patients over 40 years, the rate of psychogenic erectile dysfunction was 40% and the rate of organic erectile dysfunction was 59%. The causes of organic impotence were identified as arteriogenic erectile dysfunction, 40%; cavernosal factor (venogenic) impotence, 10%; neurogenic impotence, 12%; endocrinologic impotence, 1.8%; mixed type impotence, 11%; and drug induced impotence, 4%. Conclusion: these data represent a higher ratio of impotence in patients under 40, which a mostly psychogenic impotence cause, This finding potentially results from local social and cultural differences. Natural treatment for impotence should be sought.

Exercise and weight loss can improve the sexual performance of obese men suffering from impotence. Therefore exercise and weight loss could be considered a natural impotence treatment.

U.S. health regulators have accused Vivus Inc. of misleading consumers by downplaying risks associated with its little-used
impotence treatment called Muse. Vivus failed to include risk information and made false claims about the drug's effectiveness both on its Web site and in television advertisements that ran in 2003. Therefore to reduce impotence safely cannot count on this product.

Prostate cancer patients underwent an operation called a bilateral nerve-sparing retropubic radical prostatectomy. More than 90 percent of these men who had the operation suffered from
impotence
afterwards. Prostatectomy is often a cause for impotence.

A third of older men have impotence and the problem only gets more common with age. The good news is that there are many things men can do to reduce their risk of impotence. The figures come from a survey of nearly 32,000 men, 53 to 90 years of age, who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The results are reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Dr. Constance G. Bacon, from Harvard School of Public Health, and associates found that 33 percent of the men reported erection problems in the previous 3 months. Moreover, for each decade beyond 50 years of age, overall sexual function, desire, and orgasm frequency decreased sharply. Physical inactivity and obesity had a lot to do with impotence. Men who ran for at least 3 hours per week or engaged in a similar amount of exercise were 30 percent less likely to have erectile dysfunction than men who barely exercised at all. Similarly, non-obese men were 30 percent less likely to develop these problems than obese men, the researchers note. Other "risk factors" for impotence included smoking, drinking alcohol, and watching television. SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine August 5, 2003.
  Dr. Sahelian adds: Diet also plays an important role in reducing the risk of
impotence. I recommend eating lots of healthy, organic vegetables and adding fish to the diet.

Male Impotence emails
Q. Do you consider arginine to be a male impotence cure? I am a young man with impotence. It may be psychological due to my youth.
   A. I don't. Arginine, by itself, is not enough to have a strong influence on erections. There are other impotence herbs that are more effective. Teenage Impotence is most of due to stress or psychological reasons.

Q. I need impotence advice. Is there such a thing as female impotence or impotence in a woman?
   A. I believe the proper term is female sexual dysfunction.

Q. There are so many impotence products on the market, do any of them work?
   A. There are literally hundreds or more herbal impotence product sold online or in stores. I have only take a few and some of them did work to improve erection function and sexual interest. A reliable future treatment for impotence may be herbal. Herbal impotence treatment by doctors is likely to begin within a few years as more physicians find out about their potential.

Q. Do you think there is such a thing as a natural impotence cure? I visit an impotence clinic and I am involved in an impotence forum. There is a big debate whether a natural remedy exists for impotence. Any information on impotence you can shed would be helpful.
   A I am 100 percent convinced that there are herbs and nutrients that have a positive effect on sexuality. Impotence is caused by many factors, and there are some of these causes that can be addressed by diet and herbs, but not all of them. There are hundreds of herbs and impotence products, and some of them do offer a real herbal impotence remedy or cure. For instance, certain herbs can promote nitric oxide which helps with impotence by dilating blood vessels. Other herbs help release hormones or dopamine and hence improve impotence symptoms.

Q. Does acupuncture help impotence?
   A. I don't know. I have not come across any information regarding acupuncture treating impotence then again I am sure Chinese doctors have tried it, perhaps successfully.

Q. Does DMAE help with erectile impotence? I have ejaculatory impotence.
   A. DMAE has a very mild effect, I would not really call it a true impotence vitamin or nutrient. There are many other nutrients that are more effective, for instance choline.

Q. Can bicycle riding cause impotence? I ride a bicycle for 2 hours a day. I am now taking a male impotence drug to overcome it.
   A. Yes, riding a bicycle for prolonged periods can lead to impotence, it may numb the nerves that lead to the penis.

Q. I am dealing with impotence and depression. Is there anything I can eat that can be an impotence solution? Is there a natural impotence remedy?
   A. If I were to choose one food, it would be fish, particularly wild salmon or halibut. Diet and impotence are related. Eating junk food for many years clogs arteries reducing blood flow. I guess you could say your kitchen is your natural home impotence remedy.

Q. Does caffeine cause impotence? What about alcohol?
   A. I don't think caffeine causes impotence. Alcoholism does lead to impotence, without a doubt.

Q. Is and ACE inhibitor involved in impotence? I take an ACE inhibitor for high blood pressure.
   A. I don't know.

Q. What's your opinion of the impotence medicine Viagra?
   A. Viagra works for impotence, but I think the herbs over time are more holistic, meaning they improve erection, sensation, libido, and orgasm, not just erection. I prefer the herbal impotence remedy approach.

Q. Is masturbating too much an impotence cause?
   A. Masturbation - at least too much masturbation - can reduce the sensitivity of the penis to stimulation, and reduce sperm volume, but it is not a cause for impotence since the penis should recover after a couple of days of rest. If your penis is not as sensitive, stop masturbation for a few days and your impotence (weak erection) will improve.

Q. How long does it normally take for an impotence pill to work? Is there such a thing as an herbal impotence cure, I am looking for an alternative to Viagra?
   A. It depends on the formula. An impotence pill with yohimbe can work within hours while some herbal impotence pills with gentler herbs may take several days for a full effect. I have seen great results including herbal impotence cure with good products.

Q. Can an herbal impotence pill be combined with an impotence drug like Cialis or the impotence medication Levitra?
   A. Caution is advised when mixing herbs and drugs. Herbs can be quite potent and they have side effects. It would be best to take an herbal impotence pill and an impotence drug on separate days. Often, though, and fortunately, an herbal impotence pill can have a positive effect on erection and sexuality even a day or two after taking it, so on the off day, if your doctor approves, you could take less of the dose of the impotence drug.

Q. Is impotence in a man final. What I mean is, once you have impotence, can it be reversed?
   A. Depending on the cause of impotence, many times impotence can be reversed if the underlying medical problem is treated.

Q. What do you think of chocolate as an impotency remedy? Also, is there an impotence vitamin?
   A. Cocoa has flavonoids that dilate blood vessels, but I don't think cocoa is a potent impotence remedy, at least not if you expect a quick result within hours or days. The common vitamins A, B, C, D, E, are not considered impotence vitamins.

Q. I need impotence help. I have diabetes and I consume three alcohol drinks daily.
   A. Losing weight, keeping blood sugar under control, trying nutrients such as lipoic acid for nerve health, a little bit of acetylcarnitine, and a a slow approach with some sex herbs could make a difference as an impotence solution. Medical supervision is advised and keep dosages low. Drinking a lot of alcohol may cause impotence, so you may consider reducing your alcohol intake to one drink a day, preferably red wine.

Q. Does smoking 10 cigarettes a day lead to impotence?
  A. Probably not, but it would still be a good idea to reduce it to half the amount of smoking since smoking can reduce blood flow. Without a doubt, a high amount of smoking and impotence are related. By reducing or stopping smoking, you reduce one less problem causing impotence.

Q. I have diabetic impotence, can lipoic acid be helpful?
   A. I have not seen studies evaluating lipoic acid for diabetic impotence. Lipoic does help with blood sugar in diabetes, whether it is a natural impotence treatment in a diabetic has yet to be determined.

Q. Viagra improved my impotence but did not help my libido. Is there a natural impotence treatment that could improve my libido?
   A. Yes, many herbal products can help with libido. Some of these herbs are found in Passion Rx.

Q. My doctor says he does not believe in an alternative impotence treatment. Why don't doctors keep up with herbal medicine?
   A. There are lots of reasons, including economics and money that steer education towards drug therapy for impotence. Herbs are a wonderful alternative impotence treatment. They may take a little longer to work, but I prefer them to Viagra and the other impotence drugs.

Q. I have psychological impotence since my doctor told me that I am healthy and young and he could not find a medical cause of my impotence. He recommended therapy. I saw a psychologist a few times but my penis is still sleepy. I want to try a natural impotence treatment. Could an herb help with psychological impotence?
  A. It's worth a try. I know a few patients with psychological impotence who have noticed improvement using an aphrodisiac herb or a combination herbal product.

Q. I have prostate cancer and impotence from the radiation. Is there a natural impotence treatment for someone like me?
   A. This is difficult to say. I have not seen any studies with herbs being used for or treating prostate surgery and radiation induced impotence. But it's worth a try.

Q. Thank you for your amazing site. I noticed that one of the Q&A topics on your impotence page deals with finasteride Propecia as a possible cause of impotence. I'm writing to commend you for making that known to your readers. I've been suffering with finasteride -induced impotence for two years, and I know there are hundreds more men who have the same story. (I'm part of a web forum where I'm in contact with these men often.) My question for Dr. Sahelian is: What can a man do if he has impotence caused by finasteride? Is the treatment the same as other men, or is there a special way to treat this type of impotence? Do you think Passion Rx can help men with this problem?
   A. We have found that in many cases Propecia finasteride -induced impotence can be reversed by herbs, including Passion Rx and certain individual sex herbs as found in the Passion Rx formula. Finasteride is sold as Propecia and Proscar.

Q. Hi, I was doing a search for yohimbe on google and came across a website called Impotence Guide. This website was claiming that Zenerx is a number one pick and claimed that products such as Passion Rx were dangerous since they have yohimbe. Can you tell me more about Zenerx. How does the website Impotence Guide know whether Zenerx is better than other sex products?
  
A. There are several so called sexual product review sites on the internet that make it appear that they are independent but are actually a front for the company that sells the top listed product. One such notorious site is Impotence Guide. In the case of Zenerx, we have not tested this product ourselves, so we don't have a Zenerx review. In our opinion, the information on the website Impotence Guide cannot be relied on. Impotence Guide is just a front for Zenerx.

Q. Can some sex herbs be an impotence cure?
   A. Impotence causes are many. Some sex herbs can be an impotence cure for some people but it is difficult to predict which herbs, in what combination, in what dosages and in which people would lead to an impotence cure.

Q. My doctor doesn't want to give me an impotence treatment with Viagra since I had open heart surgery and I have heart rhythm problems. Is there a male impotence cure besides the prescription medications that would work in a person with heart problems?
   A. Most of the impotence herbs stimulate heart tissue and would not be advised to those with heart disease. Perhaps a capsule of Prostate Power Rx every other day may be a gentler but slower approach if your doctor approves. Also, eating fish or taking fish oil capsules could help, along with eating ginger herb. However, anyone who has heart disease must have approval by their doctor before taking any supplements as a male impotence treatment.