I know a lot of people that complain about military spending. But the truth is, when it comes to medicine, a lot of what has been learned on the battlefield, eventually makes its way into the emergency rooms and operating rooms of civilian medicine.
So, while it may surprise, or even seem inappropriate to some, to hear the recent reports that the Pentagon has spent millions of dollars treating and studying erectile dysfunction (ED) among our troops, I for one welcome such research.
Some of the latest research, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, revealed that 33% of US servicemen 40 or younger suffered from ED. For men in the same age range among the civilian population, the number is significantly less – only 7%.
Why the big discrepancy? Stress, and the other emotional challenges of combat most likely. Think about it. The typical male soldier is in phenomenal physical shape. They are young, usually less than 30, have lower body-mass indexes, high testosterone levels, and fewer incidences of other medical conditions than their older, out of shape civilian counterparts, and yet, the incidents of ED are more than 5x higher!
What else than stress could account for this?
In fact, according to the study, for non-active military personnel who are suffering from PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, the percentage of men with PTSD and ED is a staggering 80%.
ED and Stress
There are many causes of ED. Physical and hormonal changes as men grow older certainly contribute to ED, and that is why it is more common as men age. But, in younger men, once physical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease that can contribute to ED are ruled out, stress and anxiety are almost always the culprit. The research from the pentagon would seem to verify this, since this is a large population of younger males experiencing the problem, all in a particularly physically and emotionally stressful environment.
There are several conditions that we refer to as “co-morbid” that occur in men who are under a lot of stress and anxiety. They almost always also have high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol. Both of these conditions also contribute to ED.
The relationship of erectile dysfunction and stress can become one of a vicious cycle. Stress leading to ED, then, having trouble in the bedroom makes a man feel more stressed, and so on, and so on and so on…
Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Options
What can we take away from this study? For one thing, it would seem clearly there is a link between stress, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction. It stands to reason therefore that men experiencing ED, should practice some stress reducing techniques to help cure the problem.
Meditation, yoga, tai-chi, deep breathing exercises, are just a few methods to reduce stress. Stress management is important as you age. Teaching stress reduction techniques is always part of any optimal aging plan I develop for anyone who comes to me with any performance issues, sexual or otherwise.
Specifically for men with erectile dysfunction, there are a number of treatment options that can help, such as Viagra, Trimix injections, and new procedures such as my own Gains Enhancement.
The Gains Enhancement is a breakthrough ED treatment that uses the growth factors in your own blood to improve your ability to achieve and maintain an erection. In addition, the Gains Enhancement is the only ED treatment that can improve erectile function and also increase penis size!
What do you do to reduce stress?
Do you suffer from any sexual wellness issues? Have you or anyone you know tried any male sexual dysfunction treatments? What were the results?
Start the conversation below.
