Month: March 2021

How to Get a Great Erection

Posted on by Arshad Mehmood

Erectile dysfunction isn’t just about not “getting it up.” For a lot of men, it’s about losing sensitivity, finishing too soon, or struggling to stay firm. And it’s not just something older guys deal with—ED can show up as early as your twenties. In fact, research shows up to 70% of men experience some form of ED by age 70. The good news? There are proven ways to help if you want to know how to get a great erection.

Whether it’s occasional or a constant frustration, there are real ways to improve your performance and feel confident in the bedroom again—starting with the basics. In this article, we’ll explore the most effective ways to get a strong erection naturally, as well as some non-invasive options to explore if lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough.

How to Get a Great Erection Naturally

You don’t always need a prescription to start improving your erections. In fact, some of the most effective ways to boost performance come down to how you move, eat, sleep, and manage stress. These natural strategies help support healthy blood flow, optimize nitric oxide levels, and keep your hormones in check—without the need for medication or procedures. If you’re ready to take control of your sexual health, start with these proven ways to get better erections:

  1. Exercise
  2. Nutrition
  3. Limit Alcohol
  4. Evaluate Your Stress
  5. Stop Smoking

Exercise

Research shows 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise three times per week is needed for improved erections. The key is to get your heart rate above resting and to break a sweat. Your heart and your hard on both rely on blood flow so it makes sense that they would be linked.

The blood vessels in the penis are about 1-2mm, whereas the blood vessels to the heart are 3-4mm. Research shows erectile dysfunction is an early sign of clogged arteries which could lead to heart disease, hypertension, heart attack or stroke down the road.  So, get your sweat on to improve your health and your erections.

Nutrition

Eat your fruits and veggies. Vegetables rich in nitrate and nitrites can be converted into nitric oxide (NO). NO is the key molecule to get an erection. Foods rich in NO include green leafy vegetables (kale, arugula, spinach), beets, radishes, cabbage.

Fruits can provide us with antioxidants that can help protect tissues in the body and lower risks for cardiovascular disease. A healthy diet does not mean you have to lose weight but instead improve the quality of the food you eat. Your erections are what you eat!

Limit Alcohol

A few drinks may get you in the mood, but any more than that can be a “Debbie Downer” for erections. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant decreasing overall arousal making it difficult to get and maintain an erection.

Evaluate Your Stress

75% of Americans report having stress that impacts mental and physical health. Common issues that can lead to ED include performance anxiety, relationships, jobs, and financial burdens. Psychological factors are the most common cause of ED, so it’s important to incorporate stress-reducing practices into your routine if needed. This could mean deep breathing exercises, practicing yoga or meditation, journaling, or going for walks outside.

Stop Smoking

A study at the University of Kentucky, found that when asked to rate their sex lives on a scale of 1 to 10, men who smoked averaged about a 5, while nonsmokers rated theirs a 9. Smoking also leads to restricted blood flow and depletion of NO which makes it harder to maintain erections over time. 

What to Do for ED if Lifestyle Changes Aren’t Enough

Lifestyle factors all in check and still not seeing improvements? There are more options now than ever to maximize erections without invasive procedures like implants or injections. Start with these non-invasive options to address ED:

  1. Optimize Nitric Oxide
  2. PDE-5 Inhibitors
  3. Shockwave Therapy

Optimize Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide (NO) is the chemical that penile nerves release in order to dilate the arteries which in turn increases blood flow to the penis. Simply put, no nitric oxide no erection. The key to getting and maintaining erections revolves around continuous activation of nitric oxide. Starting in your thirties, nitric oxide production begins to decline by roughly 20% every 10 years.

Most men over the age of 65 have lost 85% of their ability to make nitric oxide. We often think of erectile dysfunction as an older man’s issue when in fact it can begin effecting men in their 30’s. Factors influencing the decline in natural production of nitric oxide include aging, oxidative stress, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, diabetes and smoking. 

PDE-5 Inhibitors

Medications like Viagra and Cialis work by blocking the body from metabolizing nitric oxide. A reduction in nitric oxide will reduce arterial dilation which in turn reduces blood flow to the penis this is why many men have no problem getting an erection but have trouble maintaining one.

Picture this: PDE-5 inhibitors act as the offensive line and nitric oxide is the quarterback. If nitric oxide gets sacked, you don’t!  

Shockwave Therapy

Also known as wave therapy, shockwave therapy is a non-invasive procedure that improves the health of the blood vessels. Healthier blood vessels increase blood flow into the penis which improves erectile function. This is a painless, in-office procedure that creates “micro-trauma” or inflammation in the blood vessels of the penis. Your body responds by bringing growth factors to the area helping to rebuild and create new pathways for increased blood flow.

Take Control of Your Sexual Performance Today

When it comes to your sexual health, you should never have to settle for “just okay.” Whether you’re just starting to notice changes, or you’ve been dealing with ED for a while, there are real, effective solutions out there—from simple lifestyle upgrades to more advanced ED treatments when needed. The key is knowing where you’re at and having a plan that actually works for your body.

At Victory Men’s Health, we specialize in men’s sexual health and work with you to get to the root of the issue. Our goal is to help you feel more confident, perform better, and take back control. Contact us today to book a consultation and begin the path to enhanced health and vitality.

Strategies to Promote Better Sleep

Posted on by Arshad Mehmood

Think to yourself…when was the last time you got a great night of sleep? From working 40+ hours a week to raising children to navigating life through a pandemic, most of us are struggling in the sleep department. Have you recently heard a friend or a colleague brag about how well rested they are??  That answer is probably no. There are dozens of reasons as to why we’re not getting what we need and a lot are out of our control. On the nights your toddler or your dog aren’t crawling into your bed keeping you awake, do you have the proper sleep hygiene practices to ensure a good night’s rest? 

Blue Light

To say daily exposure to screen time has increased dramatically over the years is an understatement. Technology advancements have helped streamline and advance our daily lives but not without cost. Artificial blue light from the screens can affect sleep by throwing off our natural circadian rhythm because it suppresses melatonin, a hormone that influences our biological clock for sleep.  Blue wavelengths (Blue Light) are actually beneficial and necessary for boosting attention, reaction times and mood during the day but are disruptive at night, especially after the sun sets. There are studies suggesting that blue light has other harmful side effects aside from sleep. A Harvard study sheds a little bit of light on the possible connection to diabetes and possibly obesity. The researchers put 10 people on a schedule that gradually shifted the timing of their circadian rhythms. Their blood sugar levels increased, throwing them into a prediabetic state, and levels of leptin, a hormone that leaves people feeling full after a meal, went down. 

How to protect yourself from blue light at night:

  • Use dim red lights for night lights. Red is less likely to alter circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin
  • Avoid bright screens 2-3 hours before bed
  • If you work at night with electronic devices, consider blue blocking glasses or downloading apps that filter blue/green wavelength at night
  • Expose yourself to as much bright light during the day as you can to boost your ability to sleep at night and improve your mood/alertness during daylight

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition marked by abnormal breathing during sleep and is believed to affect 2-9% of adults in the US. The most common form of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway at the back of the throat becomes physically blocked leading to temporary lapses of breath or multiple extended pauses in breath when they sleep.  This causes lower-quality sleep resulting in fatigue, restless sleep/insomnia, decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. OSA affects the body’s supply of oxygen, leading to more serious health consequences and frequently goes undiagnosed due to the person not being aware they have it as they are asleep for their symptoms.  Often times, the partner of the person with symptoms will notice they stop breathing in their sleep followed by a noisy breath and gasps for air or loud snores. If you think you may have this condition, the best option would be to get a sleep study done for a diagnosis. 

Treatment aims to normalize breathing during sleep and address any underlying health problems; often weight loss is recommended. The options will depend on the cause and severity of symptoms and lifestyle modifications are critical steps to normalizing the problem.

Alcohol

It’s been proven that overconsumption of alcohol is detrimental to our health overtime, but a common misconception is it helps with sleep. More people use alcohol than any other sleep aid in the world due to the initial sedating effects helps the onset of getting to sleep. However, over the course of the night, alcohol is metabolized and stimulant effects kick in which often leads to sleep disruptions in the later part of a night’s sleep. Studies have shown that alcohol consumption increases both alpha and delta brain waves simultaneously. Alpha waves are present in a waking brain and delta waves are present during deep, slow-wave sleep. The push-pull between both states may result in disrupted sleep and over time by pre-sleep alcohol can have significant detrimental effects on daytime wellbeing and neurocognitive function such as learning and memory processes. Alcohol consumption before sleep also increases risk for obstructed sleep apnea by 25% for people who consume moderate or higher amounts of alcohol compared to people who consume lower or none at all. 

The take home message here is that alcohol is not actually a particularly good sleep aid even though it may seem like it helps you get to sleep more quickly. The fact is the quality of sleep you get is significantly altered and disrupted. Depending on your size, did you know that it takes about 1 hour to digest an alcoholic beverage? Stopping alcohol intake 3 hours prior to bedtime is essential to ensuring it doesn’t disrupt your night’s sleep.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a huge sleep offender. People don’t realize it, but the half-life of caffeine is between 6 and 8 hours. If you have a cup of coffee at 4PM in the afternoon, half of that coffee is still on board at 11PM that night! You may think that you can handle the stimulant and that it doesn’t have an effect on your sleep when the truth is that the quality is directly affected. Similar to alcohol, caffeine prohibits your ability to get into sleep stages 3 and 4. These stages are essential to overall recovery and is when physical restoration happens (aka our “beauty sleep”). Caffeine is a stimulant and there’s no other way around it. Being cognizant of your intake and stopping by 2PM to avoid disruption is a good rule of thumb to follow.

Odds are against us when it comes to sleep and controlling what you can is imperative to overall health. Improving sleep hygiene has little cost and virtually no risk, so why not make it a priority to fix? Take a step back and evaluate your daily lifestyle to put yourself in the best position to sleep well every night. 

Sources

Sleep apnea

MSD Manuals; Pulmonary disorders

Wiley

NCBI