We all know that exercise can benefit our mental and physical health, but did you know having an active lifestyle can directly impact a man’s interest in sex and his ability to get an erection?
Erectile Dysfunction (ED), sometimes referred to as impotence, is when a man fails to get or keep an erection consistently. It’s more common in men over 40 but it can affect men of any age and can be caused by underlying health issues such as diabetes or mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. In their lifetimes, erectile dysfunction will affect 50% of men in the UK.
A man’s ability to get an erection is reliant upon a network of blood vessels to keep blood in his penile tissue and when this flow of blood to the penis is disturbed, it can result in ED. When someone exercises consistently, blood circulation improves and strengthens the heart which pumps blood around the whole body. Exercise also dilates the blood vessels, opening capillaries to allow improved flow of blood into the tissues.
Regular exercise, along with other lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight can also reduce your risk of developing other health problems which can go on to cause ED. Physical health conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes can cause impotence, in fact, 80% of erectile dysfunction cases are caused by health conditions like these.
When we exercise regularly, our resting blood pressure is lowered, it strengthens our heart and lungs (cardiovascular system) and helps control our blood sugar, all of which improve blood flow around the body and reduce the risk of developing ED.
On the other hand, too much high intensity exercise could lower libido (sex drive) due to overtraining, leading to low testosterone which could impact a man’s ability to maintain an erection.
Here at MAC Clinical Research, we understand that new improved treatments are needed for erectile dysfunction as it’s estimated that 30-40% of men have little to no response to current treatments such as Viagra and Cialis. Therefore, we are looking for volunteers to take part in a ground-breaking clinical trial developing a potential new treatment for ED, which works on the brain and blood flow into the erectile tissue of the penis.
The investigational medication enhances the effects of substances in the body such as dopamine to help stimulate an erection (helps sexual desire) and relaxes smooth muscle in the penis to help produce and sustain an erection.
MAC are dedicated to improving the lives of men with ED for whom lifestyle changes or other over the counter medicine hasn’t worked, and hope that this new study medication will help. If you’re interested in finding out more about this ED research and the £1,496 reimbursement eligible volunteers will receive, visit MAC’s ED Research webpage.
