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Vitamins, minerals and herbs can alleviate this little-talked-about medical condition Botanical medicines, such as horsetail, ginseng and ginkgo, offer men many of the same therapeutic benefits as drug therapies but without the side effects. Diagnosing Impotence By combining a clinical history with a physical exam and laboratory tests, a doctor can generally determine the nature of a patient's impotence. If a man has a normal erection during foreplay but loses it upon intromission (entrance into the vagina); has a normal erection with some partners but not others; or has a normal erection while masturbating but loses it when with a partner, chances are the impotence is psychogenic. A variety of diseases are associated with impotence--especially arteriosclerosis and diabetes. Both affect the blood flow into the penis and make it more difficult to achieve and sustain an erection. With time, the condition may become permanent and require surgical implants, injections or penile vacuum pumps. With proper treatment of the underlying diabetes or arteriosclerosis, however, the impotence can be reversed. The so-called "stamp test" (putting a ring of tape or stamps around the penis and seeing if it is broken in the morning) shows if a man can have an erection at all. The snap gauge, a device that fits around the penis, is more commonly used to determine a psychogenic problem, but doesn't rule out other causes such as arteriosclerosis or diabetes.4 Laboratory tests, including a penile arterial pulse wave analysis, plethysmography and arteriograms help determine if a physical condition such as arteriosclerosis is behind the impotence. Serum testosterone level measures also help find out if enough "male" hormone is available. Dietary Treatment Conventional medical doctors usually treat impotence by prescribing a drug regimen or performing surgery--but both have drawbacks. Oral medications such as ErecAid® or testosterone are rarely effective unless the condition is due to low testosterone levels. Penile injections of papaverine or prostaglandin E1, which affect penile blood flow, can prolong erections, yet they also require other drug therapy to counter the effects. Such therapies may cause burning and eventual fibrosis of the penis. Lastly, malleable or inflatable prostheses, used in severe cases of impotence, require surgical implantation and are uncomfortable and subject to periodic failure. In contrast, vitamins, minerals, herbals and homeopathic medicines can correct impotence by treating its primary cause. Which remedies to use and how long they take to work depends on the type of dysfunction. As with any genitourinary tract condition, a good nutritional program is a must. Most impotency problems, be they of a psychological or physiological nature, respond to nutritional therapy. For instance, caffeine and tobacco are stimulants, yet both also relax muscles and deplete nerve endings of neurotransmitters, making it more difficult to maintain an erection. Prolonged use of tobacco, caffeine, sugar, alcohol and recreational drugs also depletes the body's store of vitamins and minerals that are essential to having an erection. Allergies to food and other substances rarely lead to impotence unless they cause discomfort in the genital or lower urinary tract and thus interrupt normal function. Allergies should be considered only when all other possible causes are ruled out. High cholesterol may also contribute to impotence. A study of 3,250 men aged 26 to 85 demonstrated an increase in erectile dysfunction in relationship to their serum cholesterol. For every mmol/liter of cholesterol increase above the normal range (i.e., 3.63 to 5.18 mmol/liter), the risk of impotence increased.5 Researchers concluded that high levels of cholesterol and low levels of HDL were important risk factors for developing impotence. Supplements Nutrients such as vitamins C and E, zinc, and essential fatty acids are important to a man's normal sexual function.6 All are needed to form both sperm and seminal fluid and are found in especially high levels in the prostate gland. (Raw pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and essential oils.7) Diets high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from fresh fruits and vegetables help maintain vascular integrity and sufficient blood flow to the penis' erectile tissue (corpus cavernosum).8 Healthy diets also prevent lipid peroxidation--a result of free-radical formation that in turn decreases the hormones and neurotransmitters needed for a normal erection. Botanical Medicines Botanical medicines offer many of the same therapeutic benefits as drug therapies without the sometimes severe side effects. In contrast to drug therapy, however, herbal medications take longer to bring about a result, due in part to the subtler action of plant-derived medicines or dosage. Larger doses of herbal medicines are initially prescribed to reach therapeutic levels. Once the medication has a therapeutic effect, the dosage can be lowered until the condition has been resolved. In my experience treating a variety of male genitourinary conditions during the past 10 years, herbal medicines have consistently corrected the problems and restored normal function. In some cases where severe pathology was present, the herbal prescription allowed the person to attain a level of function higher than was previously thought possible. * In several studies, ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) caused increased peripheral blood flow both in normal, healthy subjects and those with arteriosclerosis.9,10 For instance, 60 mg per day of ginkgo extract increased penile arterial flow in a group of patients who had not responded to penile papaverine injection. Half of the 60 study participants regained potency within six months. * Coryanthe yohimbe, shown to increase libido and the latency period between ejaculations, enhances erectile function in patients with diabetic neuropathy.11 It also has a positive effect on depression and thus alleviates the impotence often associated with it.12 While yohimbe has many positive effects, self medicating or overdosing can result in anxiety, aggressive behavior, hypertension and possibly death. This herbal medicine should only be prescribed by a physician familiar with its effects. * Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and Korean (Panax) ginseng's aphrodisiac properties have been prized for centuries. Called adaptogens, they seem to target any bodily system that needs nutritional support--resulting in higher energy production and improved function. A man is consequently better able to achieve and maintain an erection.13 The American counterpart, Panax quinquefolius, doesn't have quite the same stimulating properties but is thought to be safer for long-term use. * Strychnos nux vomica is often used in small doses and acts as a central nervous system stimulant, so it also increases libido and potency. More often, nux vomica is used in the homeopathic dose due to its narrow therapeutic range as an herbal preparation. Botanically it must be used by a skilled prescriber because it can cause severe central nervous system dysfunction, muscle spasms, vomiting and diarrhea, decreased respiration, and coma. * Horsetail (Equisetum) is especially useful if impotence is due to prostatic enlargement or improper nutrition of the genitourinary tract. An intact and optimally functioning prostate gland is needed not only for packaging and delivering semen but for the biochemical and mechanical aspects of erectile function as well. In addition, horsetail is high in selenium--a nutrient that older men often lack. * Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) is touted by herbalists and naturopathic physicians as an overall restorative for the male genitourinary tract, chiefly because it stimulates appetite. It is particularly useful for older men, who may not be eating properly and therefore lack essential nutrients. It also acts as a genitourinary tract tonic, similar to ginseng. * Saw palmetto (Serenoa serulatta) is a general medication that works well for impotence particularly if included with other medicines because it helps to enhance the actions of other herbs.14 Saw palmetto helps maintain the prostate gland's proper hormone balance--needed for optimal sexual function, especially in older men. Homeopathic Approach After treating many impotent patients, I have found that a homeopathic prescription, coupled with other therapies, is very useful for erectile dysfunction. This is especially true if the condition is primarily due to psychological causes. The homeopathic medicine, coupled with herbal medicines or nutrient therapy, stimulates the body to make the needed corrections. In my experience, erectile dysfunction is a condition that is quite amenable to treatment with natural therapies. Successful treatment relies on a physician and patient addressing the underlying causes of the disorder rather than treating just the symptoms. In addition to making diet and lifestyle changes, patients must be educated about the causes of their impotence. Only then are long-term treatment and prevention possible. And the earlier the better. REFERENCES 1. Ackerman, M., et al. "Impotence: Help for erectile dysfunction." Patient Care, 22-56, March 15, 1994. 2. Mulligan, T. Geriatric Sexual Dysfunction: A Rational Approach to a Sensitive Topic, Virginia Geriatric Education Center, 1990. 3. Kahn, J. "Smoking may increase risk of impotence." Medical Tribune, January 1995 (from the American Journal of Epidemiology, 1994). 4. Yoshikawa, T M.D., et al. Ambulatory Geriatric Care: 252-58. Chicago, Ill.: Mosby, 1993.
5. Wei, M., et al. "Total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol as important predictors of erectile dysfunction." American Journal of Epidemology, 40: 930-37, 1994. |
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Articles MISC. HEALTH CONDITIONS / ISSUES Treating Impotence Naturally Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose or treat disease.