Is it safe to take Viagra if I don’t have erectile dysfunction?

When a man hears about an erectile aid such as Viagra, it sounds like a miracle pill that will do what nature can’t. With all the hype surrounding the drug, you would think that Viagra would turn you into an insatiable sex machine that can last for days. Because Viagra is seen as a wonder drug for sex, many men consider investing in a bottle of the little blue pills, even if they don’t suffer from erectile dysfunction. “After all,” the think, “it doesn’t hurt to have a little help in the bedroom, right?” But is this true, or is taking Viagra without a prescription possibly dangerous?

Well, first, let’s clear up a misconception: Viagra is not a wonder drug that turns you into a sexual dynamo. Rather, it simply aids the body in achieving an erection. The erection is not instantaneous, and must be achieved the old fashioned way, i.e. through stimulation. Once you reach orgasm, your erection will subside, just like normal.

So if you’re considering Viagra solely as a means of improving your sexual performance, you will be seriously disappointed,

But that’s not to say that Viagra can’t be helpful for men that don’t suffer from erectile dysfunction. As long as a man takes a small dosage, such as 25 to 50 mg, Viagra can help exponentially in the bedroom. If you occasionally struggle to achieve an erection, an occasional Viagra pill can help aid your erection strength and ensure that you have no problem performing.

If you are seriously considering Viagra, it would be wise to speak to a doctor before making a decision. But if you’re simply looking for a safety net for the occasional missed erection, a low dosage of Viagra may be just what you’re looking for.

Can yohimbe bark help me overcome my erectile dysfunction?

As long as the world has existed, there have been those that seek out solutions to their ailments naturally. Were you to ask a naturalist for the best way to treat your medical issue, they would surely have a laundry list of roots, plants, and teas to recommend. One of the most commonly suggested natural remedies for erectile dysfunction is that of yohimbe bark, which has been said to be used to treat erectile issues for thousands of years. This bark originates from the yohimbe tree, which is found primarily in western Africa, where locals harvest the bark, grind it up, and sell it as a natural cure for ED.

But can yohimbe really help a man to overcome erectile dysfunction? Well, that depends on how the bark is acquired, really. You see, there are two common methods of acquiring yohimbe: Either via supplements, or by prescription.

Yohimbe supplements tend to play up the aphrodisiac aspect of the bark, and is marketed as both a dietary supplement and a bedroom aid. As it is not, strictly speaking, medicine, the success rate on yohimbe supplements is a mixed bag, and it is not recommended to rely solely on those supplements to overcome your ED.

But prescribed yohimbe is a different story. Yohimbe hydrochloride is a prescription treatment for erectile dysfunction that has existed in one form or another since the early 1930s. Prescription yohimbe isn’t utilized as much these days, what with the rise of Viagra and other erectile aids, but it is still an effective treatment method.

If you are looking to use yohimbe to fight your erectile issues, speak to your doctor about yohimbe hydrochloride and skip the supplements.

I can achieve an erection while masturbating, but not during sex. Do I have erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction is a tricky thing. While many health ailments affect the body in uniform ways, erectile dysfunction isn’t quite the same. It can be caused by physical issues, or by mental hang-ups. It can be temporary, or it can be permanent. And it can strike at the worst times. If you consistently struggle to achieve an erection during intercourse, it can be easy to classify your problem as erectile dysfunction. But what if you can achieve an erection perfectly fine elsewise? What if erections aren’t a problem when masturbating, but are solely problematic during sex? Does this still count as erectile dysfunction?

Well, like stated earlier, ED is a tricky thing. It can rear its ugly head in a variety of ways, and those ways differ greatly. For instance, if erections are impossible during both intercourse and masturbation, odds are good that your erectile woes may steam from a physical issue, i.e., artery build-up, heart issues, etc.

However, if you cannot achieve an erection during sex, but you find you have no issues achieving an erection during masturbation, this indicates that your ED may be mental in nature.

The brain is a powerful thing, and it can hold sway over your body even when you don’t realize it. So if you have unaddressed sexual hang-ups, such as first-time nerves or jitters about fetishes, it can translate into the brain blocking the signals necessary for achieving an erection, translating into missed erections.

So, yes, if you struggle with erections during sex but can achieve an erection just fine alone, you do still suffer from erectile dysfunction, albeit a form of ED that is mental in nature. Speak to your doctor or mental health professional to work out ways to overcome this issue and get your sex life back on track.

My job requires me to sit in an office chair 8 hours a day. Can consistently remaining stationary cause erectile dysfunction?

Ah, office life. After battling through traffic, you pour yourself a cup of coffee, plop down into your reasonably comfy office chair, and then remain in that reasonably comfy office chair for eight hours, all before you punch out, head home, and do it all over again tomorrow. Plenty of people have jobs that require they stay seated throughout the day, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If a man has an office job that requires a lot of sitting, but he continues to eat well and make positive lifestyle choices outside of the cubicle farm, the sitting should have no bearing on his ability to perform in bed. But men that sit professionally and don’t look after their bodies outside of work are a totally different story.

When it comes to your heart, nothing does it a better service than staying active. Doing as little as walking for 30 minutes a day can ensure that your heart stays healthy and active, allowing it to perpetually pump the necessary blood to your body. But living a sedentary lifestyle, compounded with eating poorly, can lead to heart issues.

If you stay in that office chair for 8 hours, and you decided to indulge of a large cheeseburgers and some cheese fries, you won’t be doing your heart any favors. Poor eating habits and skipping on exercise has been found to lead to heart issues, which causes restriction of blood flow to spread throughout the body. It is typically the smallest arteries that are affected first, and some of the smallest arteries in the body are responsible for supplying blood to the penis. This means when your heart and arteries begin to have problems, your erection will be one of the first things affected.

So if you professionally sit, make sure to eat well and incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Something as simple as setting aside 10 minutes a day at the office to engage in crunches or squats could seriously help your heart, and, by association, your erection.

Can acupuncture help with erectile dysfunction?

It sounds crazy on paper: A person slowly pricks your body with specially constructed razor-sharp needles until whatever health issue you have been dealing with is defeated. While it might sound akin to torture, the ancient art of acupuncture is an honest-to-goodness form of medicine that helps to heal the body with stabbing. This Chinese medicinal field has been utilized as an alternative to traditional medicine for generations, and more followers of the ways of acupuncture are popping up every day. But can this Far East practice help a man to overcome erectile dysfunction?

Well, to be clear, acupuncture is not, in fact, based on any particular field of scientific knowledge. The teachings of acupuncture derive from what is known as the TCM theory, which many researchers dub as pure pseudoscience. So whether or not acupuncture really can help medicinally is up for debate.

But there are thousands of people around the world that swear by the ways of acupuncture. Experts in the field claim that by pricking the body with needles in specifically designated areas, stress that causes arteries to shrink and reduce blood flow to the penis can be dissipated, allowing the arteries to open up once more and get the blood necessary for an erection.

While the science behind acupuncture is not agreed upon by all in the world of scientific medicine, that’s not to say that exploring alternative avenues of treatment such as acupuncture is a bad idea. Feel free to introduce acupuncture into your battle against ED.

But do not rely solely on acupuncture to overcome erectile dysfunction. It is advised to speak to a doctor about the best methods of treating ED, and it would be wise to invest in ED medication. But as long as you see acupuncture solely as a helping hand, rather than the cure-all some purport it to be, it can certainly help you to beat erectile dysfunction that much quicker.

I’ve heard red wine can be very helpful for the heart. Can red wine help to prevent erectile dysfunction?

While it used to be known as the perfect pairing for a delicious Italian meal, in recent years red wine has taken on a new a label: Miracle cure-all. According to a variety of studies, red wine has strong restorative properties, and can be used to aid in a variety of health ailments. Depending on who you ask, red wine has been said to help with health issues ranging from crow’s feet to cancer. With all the medical hubbub surrounding the delicious drink, men surely wonder: Can it help my erection?

The assumption that red wine can help with erectile dysfunction isn’t as misguided as you might think. After all, red wine is full of the antioxidants resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, which have been aid the body in numerous ways, including keeping the blood vessels open and healthy. Could these miracle antioxidants help defeat erectile dysfunction?

Well, polishing off a bottle of the red stuff every day will likely just lead to cirrhosis of the liver and no positive erectile benefits, but when enjoyed in moderation, red wine can actually aid in keeping the erection healthy.

Research has found a glass of wine every other day helps keep the heart and blood vessels working properly, which ensures blood flows through the body unimpeded, which means sections of the body that require blood to function get all the blood they need, which means, you guessed it, better erections.

That’s not to say that a glass of wine will be able to overturn the effects of erectile dysfunction singlehandedly. Rather, think of red wine as an aid to defeating to ED. Continue to make positive lifestyle choices and follow the directions given to you by your doctor, and mixing red wine into the equation could just give you the helping hand you need in beating ED.

I haven’t had sex in a while, and I’m worried I’ll have erectile dysfunction issues next time I have intercourse. Can not having sex often cause erectile dysfunction?

When it comes to the erection, it’s move it or lose it. At least, that’s what a rumor that is seemingly as old as time itself claims, and it’s a rumor that has only grown among the male populace. No one knows where this old wives originated from, but there are men that swear by the adage. According to these men, if you don’t stay sexually active, your brain can translate any sexual feelings, be it intercourse or masturbation, into jitters and nerves, leading to the body being unable to achieve an erection.

Obviously, this claim sounds ridiculous, as how often you engage in sexual activity should have no baring on your erection. But, in actuality, the rumor isn’t as wrong as you would think; rather, there is a kernel of truth in the claim, but its not entirely accurate.

To clear things up, no, not engaging in sex does not cause the body to develop erectile issues. However, studies have found that men that stay sexually active tend to not develop ED as frequently as men that do not have much sex.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine, European scientists found that infrequent sex can increase the chances of developing erectile dysfunction. The study tracked 989 men over 50 for five years, charting their sexual history. The study found that men who reported having intercourse less than once a week are twice as likely to develop ED as their sexually active counterparts.

The science behind this phenomenon is understandable: Regular sexual activity helps to keep the nerve fibers and blood vessels responsible for regulating erections active and healthy, which translates into lessened chances of ED.

But, again, this doesn’t mean not having sex is a guarantee of erectile issues. While regular sex can lessen ED chances, men who having sex daily are just as likely to develop erectile dysfunction as men who never have sex.

At the end of the day, your sexual history doesn’t matter. Simply make positive lifestyle choices, eat well, and get active, and your erection should be just fine.

How can I tell if my erectile dysfunction is caused by a mental or physical issue?

When erectile dysfunction rears its ugly head, it can be easy to resort to panicking. After all, you suddenly find yourself unable to achieve an erection, effectively killing your sex life and potentially driving a wedge between you and your partner, so it’s easy to fall right into panic. But by keeping a level head and taking note of the factors of your erectile issues, you can better understand the root cause, allowing you to better fight it and regain your erection.

There are two causes of erectile dysfunction: Mental and physical. While erectile dysfunction manifests in the same way for either cause, how the ED develops differs radically for each cause.

If the cause of your ED is mental in nature, it has typically developed as a result of a recent jarring change in your life. If you developed erectile issues after experiencing stress at work, or having money troubles, or breaking up with your partner, odds are the ED is mental in cause. Additionally, if your body retains the ability to achieve an erection through masturbation or while you are sleeping, then it is a mental hang-up that is causing your erectile woes.

For physically induced ED, the erectile issues affect you both during sex and while you are alone. If you find yourself incapable of achieving an erection no matter the situation, it is likely that your ED is being caused by a physical issue, i.e., an artery blockage, heart issue, or growing waistline.

No matter what the root cause, erectile dysfunction is not an issue you should take lightly. Figure out the cause, speak to your doctor, and work on beating the issue. Only with hard work will you be able to recover your erection.

I typically don’t floss, but I hear poor oral hygiene can cause erectile dysfunction. Is this true?

Whenever you visit the dentist, there is one remark you’re almost guaranteed to hear: “You need to floss more.” It doesn’t matter if you floss after every meal; to a dentist, you’ll always need to invest in more floss. But while the dental chiding can be obnoxious, your dentist isn’t wrong. Flossing can be a pain in the neck, but it’s the cornerstone of good oral hygiene. With it, you can have a winning smile. Without it, you just might lose your erection.

Yes, while flossing and your erection seem as unconnected as humanly possible, the truth is that regularly flossing just might save you from developing gum-related erectile dysfunction.

Brushing and flossing regularly are surefire ways to avoid oral issues such as gum disease. But by skimping on brushing or skipping on flossing, gum disease can develop. Gum disease cause the gums to become inflamed, which can lead to bleeding when brushing. Internally, this gum disease can lead to tooth decay, as immune cells in your mouth attack the gum disease pathogens, leading to the spreading of bacteria.

This bacteria then seeps into the bloodstream, leading to damage to the blood vessels, starting with the smaller blood vessels first. This includes, you guessed it, the blood vessels leading to your penis. With damaged blood vessels, your body cannot supply the necessary blood to the penis, leading to erectile dysfunction.

And this isn’t just conjecture either; Turkish researchers have found that men with gum disease are three times more likely to develop erectile dysfunction.

So, while it’s certainly not a fun activity, regular flossing could mean the difference between an active sex life and a dead bedroom. So look after your teeth and gums and your erection will thank you.

I regularly ride my bike to work. Can regular biking cause erectile dysfunction?

Sure, it’s hard to be the convenience of a car, but sometimes you just want to get out and enjoy the fresh air. Bicycling to work is becoming increasingly prevalent among urban dwellers, leading to more and more men spending their commute on a Schwinn. Surely there can’t be any negatives to this biking craze; after all, regular biking is great exercise that helps to keep you healthy. But can all that bike riding actually be causing issues with your erection?

While the connection might sound flimsy, don’t scoff just yet. It might sound like an old wives tale, but it’s actually true: Regular biking can lead to erectile dysfunction. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw out your fixie just yet. It’s not bike riding itself that causes ED to develop; rather, it’s the bike seat.

Having a good bike seat is paramount for staying comfy on your ride, but it can also play a vital role in your ability to perform in the bedroom. This is because the bike seat puts a lot of pressure on the perineum, a bundle of nerves and arteries found smack-dab in the middle between the anus and the scrotum.

A hard, narrow bike seat can make this perineum pressure downright dangerous, as having constant pressure on this area can lead to nerve and artery damage, which translates into the body struggling to achieve an erection.

Thankfully, the work around here is easy: Invest in a better bike seat. A cushy seat that contours to your body is recommended, but something as simple as a softer seat can definitely help. If you regularly bike, ditch that old unforgiving seat and invest in something that will ensure your ride is smooth and your erection stays healthy.