A recent edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has included a new study that looks into erectile dysfunction in some detail and its causes. The study discovered that 49% of men aged between 40 and 79 that have high blood pressure, also find themselves to have erectile dysfunction (ED). The Journal of Urology also printed a study, finding 68% of the male subjects’ involved in the study to have a certain degree of ED while it was acknowledged that an astonishing 45% were thought to have severe ED. The results of the studies may cause wide-spread worry within males across the globe. However, what are the reasons for ED and high blood pressure? An erection occurs when a man’s penis becomes enlarged and firm following the dilation of the blood vessels that is triggered by a neurological input. Penile erection is the result of a complex communication of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine elements. The nervous system is comprised of ‘sympathetic’ and ‘parasympathetic’ nervous systems. The former is frequently referred to as the “fight or flight” mechanism. The sympathetic response is a powerful vasoconstrictor and works by diverting the blood supply away from the organs and directs it to the skeletal muscles. The parasympathetic nervous system allows for vasodilation to occur and allows for the blood supply to be averted away from skeletal muscles back to the bodies’ organs. It is due to the parasympathetic’s response that an erection actually ensues and erections only happen once the parasympathetic nervous system dominates the sympathetic nervous system. Raised blood pressure is known to be a condition of vasoconstriction.  Lowering a person’s blood pressure with the use of medication inhibits the sympathetic response, but does not stimulate the parasympathetic response. This is partly why high blood pressure treatment can be detrimental to achieving and sustaining a good erection. Diuretics (in particularly water pills and beta-blockers) are prescription medications that aid high blood pressure and which experts associate with ED. Beta-blockers unfortunately shut down the nerve impulses that bring about a man’s erection. Some of the side effects of these medications include the person having a sedated and depressed feeling. Even worse, taking medication to help depression will not help matters in relation to ED. Plenty of evidence exists that shows many anti-depressant medications are linked to erectile problems. A poor diet also has bad consequences for blood pressure. Raised blood pressure occurs as high fat-laden foods will add chemical stress on the body that contributes to the production of the sympathetic, vasoconstricting response, thus contributing to high blood pressure and ED. A healthy diet provides benefits in many ways. For example, it can lower cholesterol, help control your weight, and has plenty of vitamins, fibre, and other nutrients which help to prevent certain diseases. Certain aspects of a healthy diet also directly affect blood pressure. For instance, if you switch from a poor diet to one which is low-fat, low-salt, and high in fruit and vegetables, it can actually lower systolic blood pressure by up to 11mm Hg. The medications we provide for male impotence can be obtained with or without a private prescription, and pending approval from one of our registered Doctors, can arrive to you within a mere 24 hours.