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The healthcare system in the United States is frequently in the news as the government, insurers, and medical services providers try to expand access to healthcare while keeping costs under control. Naturally, plenty of American men want to know if the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as “Obamacare”) covers treatment for erectile dysfunction.

You’ll probably have to do some digging to find out if your health insurance covers medications for erectile dysfunction. The overarching, unsatisfying answer is, “It depends.” Here are some frequently asked questions about Obamacare, healthcare reform, and coverage for treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Binge drinking is a common cause of erectile dysfunction, and chronic alcohol abuse not only ruins your overall health, but also wrecks your erection health. Drinking in moderation, neither binge drinking nor consuming alcohol steadily over time, won’t ruin your erection health, though alcohol affects each man individually.

Just as you know your limits for general functioning under the influence of alcohol, you have to learn your limits for sexual functioning under the influence of alcohol. This can help guide your choice in erectile dysfunction drug, and whether you plan to drink at all while taking it.

Nobody denies that alcohol can be helpful in lowering inhibitions, and for many men that’s important to being able to relax, have a good time, and get to know your date or potential partner. Overdoing it not only causes a lot of men to make fools of themselves, it can cause unpleasant or dangerous interactions with some erectile dysfunction medications (Cialis), and can keep any erectile dysfunction drug from working optimally.

There’s no definitive figure for how prevalent erectile dysfunction is at 50 or any other age. That’s because there’s no universally agreed-upon criteria for what exactly qualifies as erectile dysfunction.

Is erectile dysfunction inevitable with age? Far from it!

If erection problems prevent sexual activity more than half the time, and this situation lasts for three months or longer, a doctor will probably diagnose erectile dysfunction, either by itself, or as part of a constellation of physical conditions. For example, erectile dysfunction is more common in men with obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels.

That said, a 2003 study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found the following correlation between age and erectile dysfunction:

Age Percentage of men reporting first ED experience
Under 40 ——02%
40-49 ——–04%
50-59 ——–26%
60-69 ——–40%

One of the most eye-opening findings of this study was that in men age 65 to 79, chronic disease and unhealthy lifestyle habits (like smoking) had the most pronounced effect on the presence of erectile dysfunction. Older men who exercised at least three hours per week had a 30% lower chance of having erectile dysfunction compared to sedentary men in the same age group. Overall, the study concluded that erectile dysfunction affects up to 20 million American men across all age groups.

Following are some of the most frequently asked questions about age and erectile dysfunction.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes a person to have pauses in breathing, or very shallow breathing during sleep. Some of these breathing pauses can last for longer than a minute, and when normal breathing starts again, it often starts with a loud snore or a choking sound.

When you have sleep apnea, you sleep lightly and have difficulty moving into deep sleep. In other words, sleep quality is terrible when you have sleep apnea, and it makes you tired during the day. Furthermore, it can lead to heart problems, and in rare cases, even death.

Sleep apnea is also associated with erectile dysfunction. Men who have erectile dysfunction are more than twice as likely to suffer from sleep apnea as men who do not have erectile dysfunction. Conversely, over 60% of men who have severe sleep apnea also have erectile dysfunction. When oxygen levels repeatedly drop during sleep because of sleep apnea, endothelial dysfunction results.

Endothelial dysfunction means that blood vessels (including blood vessels serving the reproductive organs) have difficulty regulating blood flow, and inadequate blood flow is the primary reason for erectile dysfunction. The good news is, treating the sleep apnea effectively can also improve erection health.

Not at all! If you have unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking or chronic health conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol, addressing these can often improve erection strength without your having to take medication. That’s because smoking and chronic health conditions like diabetes are associated with narrowed, clogged arteries, and restricted blood vessels are a major contributing factor to erectile dysfunction. Better circulation equals better erections, and whatever you can do to improve your circulation will help.

The healthier your everyday lifestyle, the less likely you are to have erection problems. Of course, these remedies aren’t as convenient as taking a pill, but they have countless other benefits as well, such as helping you shed excess weight and increasing your stamina, both of which can boost confidence in the bedroom. And even if you take prescription medications for erection problems, taking the additional steps of improving your lifestyle can help them work better than they would on their own.

On the contrary, many men find that sex gets better with age. With young couples, the speed with which a man becomes aroused can make timing a bit difficult. But after age 50, many couples find that their sexual urges and pace become better harmonized as erections become a bit slower and less insistent. People say that age is just a number, and to a great extent that is true.

Remember: It’s not how old you are, but how you are old.

If you’re healthy physically and mentally, you’re more likely to enjoy an active and satisfying sex life than if you suffer from physical or mental disease. The good news is that most medical problems that exacerbate erectile dysfunction can be successfully treated medically.

Erectile dysfunction is more likely with age, and if you’re in the 50 to 64 age group, you should know that about one-third of your peers experience erectile dysfunction. Though common, it’s far from inevitable, and you have significant control over the health of your erections. Your doctor isn’t just trying to make you feel guilty by telling you to ditch the cigarettes, eat more fiber, and get out there and exercise more. All these steps affect your health overall, and more specifically, they affect the circulatory system which, after all, supplies your sex organs as well as your heart and brain.

Erectile dysfunction may become more common with increasing age, but there’s no reason to accept it as inevitable. Doctors know far more about the condition, its causes, and treatments now than ever before in history.

It’s a complex connection. Creatine contains a substance called ATP, which helps the body produce the energy needed for muscle contractions. But when a person relies upon creatine on a daily, long-term basis, it can affect the body’s normal hormonal production system.

Basically, long-term overload of creatine can stress the kidneys’ and liver’s detoxification systems. In turn, these systems produce less of the enzymes necessary for hormone synthesis. Once hormone production slows, to things happen: the body has a harder time sending brain signals needed for producing an erection, and sex drive can fall. The almost inevitable outcome of this situation is erectile dysfunction. In other words, while creatine can help performance in the weight room, too much of it over too long a period can hinder performance in the bedroom.

It’s a complex connection. Creatine contains a substance called ATP, which helps the body produce the energy needed for muscle contractions. But when a person relies upon creatine on a daily, long-term basis, it can affect the body’s normal hormonal production system.

Basically, long-term overload of creatine can stress the kidneys’ and liver’s detoxification systems. In turn, these systems produce less of the enzymes necessary for hormone synthesis. Once hormone production slows, to things happen: the body has a harder time sending brain signals needed for producing an erection, and sex drive can fall. The almost inevitable outcome of this situation is erectile dysfunction. In other words, while creatine can help performance in the weight room, too much of it over too long a period can hinder performance in the bedroom.