Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection firm and long enough to have sex. If this is your case, it is very likely that you paid a little attention to the advertisements of natural products to improve erections or to “increase your sexual performance”. And this is completely natural. But the question is could they work for you? Are natural products or supplements effective and could they help you find the erections you had before?
First of all, what is the mechanism of erection?
When a man is sexually stimulated, the blood vessels in the two chambers of the penis relax, open, and fill with blood. This mechanism triggers a firm and rigid erection.
The mechanism of erection may seem very simple. However, an erection is the result of a complex process involving the brain, blood vessels, nerves and certain hormones. In the event of failure of one of these elements, it happens that the penis does not fill with enough blood, hence leading to erectile difficulties. Before being considered a medical problem, erectile dysfunction must persist for at least three months.
When it comes to prostate cancer, different degrees of erectile dysfunction are also common after radical prostatectomy, even when the surgeon preserves the erectile nerves. Most men treated with surgery experience an improvement in their erections over time. Some, however, may never regain the ability to get a spontaneous erection, which means without the boost of medication.
So what about natural products to improve erections?
Supplements for erectile dysfunction and other natural remedies have long been used in Chinese, African and other cultures. But unlike prescription drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), and tadalafil (Cialis), herbs and supplements have not been well studied or tested. Some may cause side effects or interact with other drugs. And the amount of the active ingredient can vary greatly from product to product.
Beware of herbal sildenafil
A number of over-the-counter products claim to be herbal forms of sildenafil. Some of these products contain unknown amounts of ingredients similar to those of prescription drugs, which can cause dangerous side effects. Some actually contain the real drug, which should only be given by prescription. Although Health Canada and the Food and Drug Administration have banned many of these products, some potentially dangerous remedies for erectile dysfunction remain on the market.
Be careful and talk to your doctor
Just because a product claims to be natural doesn’t mean it is safe. Many herbal remedies and dietary supplements can cause side effects and dangerous interactions when taken with certain medications. Talk to your doctor before trying any other treatment for erectile dysfunction, especially if you are taking medication or if you have a chronic health problem like heart disease or diabetes.
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