Discerning Fact From Fiction on Men's Sexual Health

Issues on men's sexual health are generally a hush-hush topic even among men themselves. Whereas women are more open in discussing personal and sexual matters with their peers and with their doctors, men are generally reticent to seek advice from other people even with medical professionals on matters of men's sexual health. It may well be within the nature of men to keep to themselves on personal matters, what more on men's sexual health which can be a delicate issue. As adolescents, young boys get information about their sexuality from their peers, and eventually, men's sexual health and issues are closed door topics in locker rooms in college.

Although the information they have acquired during these stages may be titillating or interesting, almost often they can be inaccurate or incorrect. Men are less likely to discuss matters on their sexual health with other men whereas women have the tendency to confer such concerns easily and openly. Consequently, men are often dazed when concerns on men's sexual health arise as they are left to themselves. With the extensive invasion of the Internet technology however, there is a massive dissemination of information on men's sexual health. This is tremendously advantageous for men as they can have access to information on men's sexual health - an anonymously at that - as countless websites offer vast data on the matter.

It must be noted however that there are also innumerable sites conveying bogus and incredible information on men's sexual health, therefore a questioning intelligence and sharp discernment are also necessary to acquire the accurate facts from the internet. There is a broad range of topics on men's sexual health. Like for instance, the use of condoms. The use of condoms is basically seen as the proper means to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and as a contraceptive as well. However, a large percentage of men do not comply with this preventive measure against STD and unwanted pregnancy for the woman.

A men's health forum online on men's sexual health can prove to be remarkably helpful in this matter. Risks, tips and personal experiences can be shared and discussed in this mode of communication among men. Erectile dysfunction or impotence is also one of the most covered concerns on men's sexual health. As impotence is a sensitive issue of masculinity, a large proportion of men find it embarrassing to discuss this topic with their peers or even their physicians. Pharmaceutical advances have tried to develop means to combat this condition, but still the issue of impotence connotes personal humiliation. By visiting credible information sources online, men can find the answers to their queries thereby alleviating their anxieties and making them look for options to correct the problem.

Another issue on men's sexual health is the improvement of the libido. Online forums can be an avenue to address underlying medical issues and lifestyle related matters that can affect their sexual desire such as fitness, diet and weight management. Other men's sexual health questions can be very specific ranging from the inability to retract the foreskin, Peyronie's disease, venous leakage and abnormal development of the urethra. Of foremost concern on men's sexual health are STDs. Much information derived on STD's such as HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, herpes and syphilis are sometimes borne out of misinformation and sheer ignorance. Accurate information on men's sexual health is the cornerstone for a healthy sexuality and in enjoying sexual relationships to the fullest.

Men's health forums online are excellent avenues for education and awareness among men and would encourage them to take measures and seek medical attention as well.

Poor Sexual Health - A Natural Alternative

For many, poor sexual health and aging go together. Because of the sensitive nature of sexual health the exact statistics are a little murky, but the following one stands out:

Erectile dysfunction affects 50% of the male population over 40!

When I read that statistic I thought it might be on the high side. That was until two other pieces of information came to my attention:

First, Google lists over 17 million web pages that incorporate the word "Viagra." That compares to 3.3 million web pages for the word "aspirin" and 936,000 web pages for the word "Tylenol." When I did an overture search for "Viagra" there were over 310,000 searches. "Buy Viagra" had over 82,000 searches. "Erectile dysfunction" had over 97,000 searches. There are a lot of people (I suspect mainly men) who are looking for information on Viagra and what it can do for them.

Secondly, I went to my doctor for my annual checkup. For the first time he asked me if I was having any erection problems. I'm not going to reveal my answer but I asked him why he wanted to know. His answer had nothing to do with poor sexual health. The reason why he asks that question is because erectile dysfunction is a warning sign for diabetes and/or circulatory problems.

Creation or Evolution or Both!

Whether you believe the Bible and we are created by God or you believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution and we evolved over time, sexual health is important to both. At one time poor sexual health, especially ED, was thought to be a mental and/or spiritual issue. More and more research is slowing that poor sexual health is really a function of poor cardiovascular health.

The development of Viagra is a fascinating study. It incorporates male physiology, chemistry, and the nervous system all working together to create an erection. It also provides keys to slowing down the aging process. One key in particular will help you find a natural alternative to Viagra; one that won't have side effects!

How Viagra Works!

Since we all know that Viagra is designed to help males achieve an erection we need to talk a little anatomy. In its simplest terms, an erection is the change in position of the male sex organ from a limp position to a firm, hard and upright position. When you want to move any part of your body you use muscles. Unfortunately this doesn't work for the male organ. Why? Because there are no skeletal muscle contractions involved in an erection. It is all done by pressure. More specifically blood pressure.

The male organ contains two cigar-shaped structures called corpora cavernosa that run the length of the organ. Arteries bring blood into these two structures with veins carrying the blood away from them. In a non-erect state, the blood flow from the arteries is restricted while the veins are open to drain the blood away. When a man becomes aroused, the arterial blood vessels open up so that pressurized blood can enter the corpora cavernosa. The veins leaving the male organ are constricted. This action traps the pressurized blood allowing for the size increase, movement and full erection.

First Clue to ED!

If the arterial blood vessels leading to the male organ do not open properly, it is almost impossible for a male to have an erection. This is the leading cause of ED and poor sexual health in men. Prior to 1983, most doctors thought the problem of poor sexual health was primarily mental not physical. That was until the 1983 meeting of the American Urological Association in Las Vegas. At that meeting and on stage, Dr. Giles Brindley injected his male organ with the drug phentolamine. The result was an instant erection. And to prove his point, Dr. Brindley dropped his pants to display his drug-induced erection. Needless to say not everything done in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.

Dr. Brindley's bold presentation showed that an erection was a physiological issue more than a mental issue. To understand what happened we need to talk about muscles. Yes, I know I said muscles were not involved. Technically speaking I'm still going to hold this position. There are three groups of muscles:

" Skeletal - Skeletal muscles are those muscles that attach to the bones allowing us to move.

" Cardiac - The cardiac muscle powers the heart.

" Smooth - Smooth muscles are found in blood vessels, the intestines and the stomach. They usually act involuntarily.

Dr. Brindley injected himself with phentolamine. It is a drug that relaxes smooth muscle. Because of the location where he injected himself, the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels relaxed allowing the corpora cavernosa to completely fill with pressurized blood. Instant and uncontrolled erection!

Second Clue to ED!

The second clue to ED and poor sexual health centers on the body's ability to control blood flow. Without some type of control, there would be an even amount of blood flow to most of the body. This might be OK if we were vegetables and inactive but we aren't. We are constantly on the go so the body has designed a mechanism to help divert blood flow to the areas that need it the most. Think of your circulatory system as an elaborate design of pipes with valves. These valves can control both the flow of blood as well as divert blood to the areas that need it the most.

This is going to get a bit technical but the control mechanism incorporates the following steps:

1. The brain sends a signal to a particular never fiber. The nerve fiber ends in an NANC nerve cell located in the artery near the point where blood flow needs to be changed. This NANC nerve cell creates nitric oxide, a potentially dangerous free radical.

2. The NANC nerve cell releases nitric oxide into the blood and surrounding cells.

3. The nitric oxide acts as a signaling molecule to stimulate an enzyme called guanylate cyclase. This enzyme keeps the nitric oxide from causing damage by using it with GTP to produce a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).

4. cGMP tell the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessel to relax. This allows blood flow to increase.

5. There is another enzyme called phosphodiesterase (PDE) that deactivates the cGMP by turning it back into GTP.

6. When the cGMP is deactivated, the smooth muscle returns to its original constricted state.

Confused? Think of a cycle. Guanylate cyclase turns GTP into cGMP causing smooth muscles to relax. PDE turns cGMP into GTP causing the smooth muscles to return back to their constricted state. Nitric oxide turns this cycle on from a nerve impulse generated in the brain.

So, cGMP is produced as long as the brain is sending signals that initiate the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is produced as long as there is an adequate supply of the essential amino acid L-arginine.

Third clue to ED!

When a man suffers from ED and poor sexual health, the most common reason is the lack of nitric oxide in the blood vessels of the corpora cavernosa. When a man is aroused his brain does its job by sending the proper signal to the nerves located in his male organ. The nerves produce nitric oxide but the amount of cGMP produced is not enough to maintain an erection. The way Viagra solves this poor sexual health problem is pretty ingenious. To increase blood flow to the male organ you have three options:

1. Increase the amount of nitric oxide produced in the arterial blood vessels.

2. Increase the amount of cGMP produced in response to the nitric oxide.

3. Eliminate the PDE that converts cGMP back to GTP so that cGMP builds up. This causes the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels to properly relax and fill with blood.

Viagra uses option 3 to achieve an erection. Why PDE? Because there are 11 different kinds of PDE with only one type of PDE found in the male organ. That type is called PDE5. Talk about creative design. All Pfizer had to do was find a chemical that would selectively block PDE5 and nothing else. This chemical is sildenafil citrate. Here's how it works:

1. A male takes Viagra.

2. The sildenafil citrate is absorbed into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body.

3. The sildenafil citrate attaches to the PDE5 enzyme in the male's organ to disable it.

4. The male is sexually aroused and the man's brain does its job. A signal is sent to the nerve cell in the male's organ which produces nitric oxide.

5. The nitric oxide turns on the cycle creating cGMP to relax the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels.

6. Since the PDE5 is disabled the cGMP doesn't break down but builds up allowing the arterial blood vessels to fully dilate.

7. The man achieves a full erection.

Great stuff when it works perfectly but there are a few minor problems.

Side Effects of Viagra!

Almost every drug made by man has side effects and Viagra is no exception. Viagra blocks PDE5 but can also affect PDE6 which is used by the cone cells in the retina. This can affect color vision. For some it changes the way they perceive green and blue colors. For others they see the world with a bluish tinge for several hours. Because of this pilots cannot take Viagra within 12 hours of a flight.

The other two main side effects are headaches and flushing. The blocking of the PDE5 can spill over to other areas of the body causing vasodilatation and increased pressure. This raises the risk for stroke and heart attack. Because of this Viagra is a prescription drug rather than an over-the-counter drug. Additionally, you need to be careful not to combine Viagra with nitric oxide producing drugs like nitrates. Always consult a qualified physician before taking any product like Viagra for poor sexual health issues.

A Natural Alternative!

I'm not discounting the benefits of Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to help men with erectile dysfunction and poor sexual health. All three, when properly used under the guidance of a qualified physician, have been able to change poor sexual health into good sexual health. But understand that these drugs are treating a symptom more than the underlining problem.

The underlining problem for poor sexual health is the insufficient production of nitric oxide to help start and maintain proper vasodilatation. The creation of nitric oxide occurs in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. When the endothelial cells are damaged by high blood pressure, high sugar levels, cholesterol, and smoking this decreases nitric oxide production. That's why my physician asked me if I was experiencing any erectile problems. It's a warning sign for other potential health concerns that could affect your wellness.

The main nutrient for the creation of nitric oxide is an essential amino acid call L-arginine. Without going into detail, L-arginine has both a good side and a dark side depending upon how it is brought into your body. Please see my article, "L-arginine, Nitric Oxide and Sexual Health!" for more details.

The natural alternative to changing poor sexual health into good sexual health is to make sure you're addressing your cardiovascular system. Maintain normal blood sugar levels, keep your blood pressure in a normal range, keep your cholesterol under 200 and stop smoking. By combining this with an adequate intake of L-arginine, many males have found that they don't need to spend money on Viagra-like products to help them with poor sexual health issues.