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Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence) for Male Aging Might Get Remission Naturally

As you know, your body changes as you age, and these changes can affect your sexual relationships and your ability to maintain intimacy with your partner. Although your body's physical changes are the changes most often discussed, psychological issues factor in, too.The causes of erectile dysfunction may be physiological or psychological. Psychological impotence can often be helped by almost anything that the patient believes in; there is a very strong placebo effect.

Erectile dysfunction doesn't have to be a part of getting older. It's true that as you get older, you may need more stimulation (such as stroking and touching) to get an erection. You might also need more time between erections. But older men should still be able to get an erection and enjoy sex.

Testosterone regulates your sex drive whether you're a man or a woman. And most aging men and women produce enough testosterone to maintain their interest in sex. Although your body will go through changes that may make some aspects of sex more difficult as you age, these changes give you reason to try new positions and techniques.

Organic impotence involves the penile arteries, veins, or both, and is the most common cause of impotence, especially in older men. When the problem is arterial, it is usually caused by arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, although trauma to the arteries may be the cause. The controllable risk factors for arteriosclerosis - being overweight, lack of exercise, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cigarette smoking can cause erectile failure often before progressing to affect the heart. Many experts believe that when veins are the cause, a venous leak or "cavernosal failure" is the most common vascular problem.The following medical problems can also cause erectile dysfunction:

Diabetes (high blood sugar)
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries

About one third of older men who are impotent (men with erectile dysfunction) will experience natural remission, with symptoms becoming less severe but not necessarily going away completely, research suggests. However, they also estimated another third will experience a worsening this condition over time.

Erectile dysfunction, which affects more than 150 million men, has received increased attention in recent years due to its high prevalence and the development of effective treatments, such as Viagra, doctors note in The Journal of Urology.

However, little is known about the natural course of erectile dysfunction after onset. To investigate, researchers analyzed data for 401 men between 40 and 70 years old with varying degrees of erectile dysfunction who were followed for about 9 years as part of the longitudinal Massachusetts Male Aging Study.

Dr. Thomas G. Travison from New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts told Reuters Health "the key and most surprising" observation was the proportion of men who exhibited natural erectile dysfunction remission. Symptoms of erectile dysfunction improved during follow-up in a total of 141 men or 35 percent.

However, of 323 subjects with minimal or moderate erectile dysfunction, 107 (33 percent) experienced a worsening of erectile dysfunction symptoms. Of 78 men with complete erectile dysfunction, 45 (58 percent) still had complete erectile dysfunction at the end of follow-up.

The chance of remission seemed to decline with age and be lower among heavier subjects...This agrees with results from other groups who have targeted obese men for intervention," Travison told Reuters Health.

Additionally, smoking and poorer general health were associated with worsening of erectile dysfunction symptoms.

"The most important implication of this work," Travison noted, "is that it confirms that maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle as one gets older is critical for maintaining, and in some cases improving, male sexual function."

Like adults of all ages, you probably want to continue intimacy with your partner and share your life in a fulfilling relationship. A healthy sexual relationship can positively affect all aspects of your life, including your physical health and self-esteem.

Maintaining your ability to have sex as you age depends on your mind as much as your body. If you're embarrassed or ashamed of your sexual needs as an older adult, your anxiety can affect your ability to become aroused.