PRE-DIABETES AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED)
 The ability to achieve and sustain an erection depends on
a complex interaction of sensory information, nerves, blood
vessels, hormones and emotions. In particular, vascular tissue
in the penis needs to fill with blood after nerves have carried
sexual stimulation from the brain.
Regular failure to achieve an erection is called Erectile
Dysfunction or ED. Estimates of the total number of American
men who suffer from ED range from 15-30 million, according
to the National Institutes of Health.
This stressful disorder is often linked to Insulin Resistance,
an imbalance in blood glucose and insulin levels associated
with Pre-Diabetes.
If neglected, Pre-Diabetes can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.
In the vast majority of cases, this latter condition can
only be managed, for the rest of Diabetic's life and may
require daily injections of insulin. Type 2 Diabetes, itself,
is a seriously increased risk factor for blindness, heart
and kidney disease and the need for amputation.
Between 35% and 50% of men with Pre- or Type 2 Diabetes
suffer from ED. However, both Insulin Resistance and Pre-Diabetes
can be reversed, thereby often removing underlying causes
of ED.
Essentially, Erectile Dysfunction occurs when the body experiences
a breakdown in the sequence of events that normally lead
to an erection. This disruption can occur in nerve impulses
to and from the brain, spine and penis or in the muscles,
fibrous tissues and arteries in or near the corpora cavernosa
- the two parallel chambers of the penis that fill with blood
to create an erection.
Excess insulin in the blood stream created by Insulin Resistance
is implicated in ED because it damages the endothelium of
cardiovascular vessels. The endothelium is the layer on the
inside of blood vessels which secretes chemical mediators
to instruct the vessel to contract or relax. To achieve an
erection, a release of nitric oxide from the endothelium
has to create vascular dilation, allowing vessels to fill
with blood. This influx of blood is necessary for achieving
an erection. Any decrease in nitric oxide supply to the penis
caused by insulin-damaged endothelium lessens or prevents
vascular dilation and contributes to Erectile Dysfunction.
ED is not the same as premature ejaculation, a low sex drive
or a low sperm count that results in male infertility, though
one or more of these conditions may accompany Erectile Dysfunction.
Occasional failure to achieve an erection (less than 20%
of the time) can occur for a variety of reasons - such as
drinking too much alcohol or extreme fatigue - and is not
considered unusual.
 But
a failure rate of more than 50% during occasions when a man
wants to have an erection usually indicates a problem that
requires treatment. Erectile Dysfunction is much more common
in older men – researchers estimate that half of men
over age 60 have ED.
A Complexity of Factors
A wide variety of physical and psychological disorders are
associated with ED. These include the cluster of increased
risk factors for cardiovascular disease called Metabolic
Syndrome (Syndrome X). Other disorders include excess weight
and obesity, prostate surgery, depression, stress, performance
anxiety, kidney disease and hormonal imbalances. Because
of the complexity of factors in an erection, ED can involve
physical or psychological issues – or a combination
of the two.
As many as 70% of cases of ED are caused by cardiovascular
diseases associated with Diabetes, such as atherosclerosis.
This latter disorder, which accounts for 50-60% of ED cases
in men over the age of 60, is a type of hardening of the
arteries in which cholesterol, fat and other blood components
build up in the walls of arteries. As the condition progresses,
the arteries to the heart may narrow, reducing the flow of
oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the heart and brain. This
restriction can also reduce blood flow to the tissues of
the penis, causing ED.
Other Pre-Diabetes-linked cardiovascular diseases that
can cause ED are hypertension (high blood pressure) and elevated
levels of triglycerides and LDL "bad" cholesterol
in combination with low levels of HDL "good" cholesterol – all
factors in Metabolic Syndrome.
Between 35-50% of men with Diabetes experience ED because
the disease can damage nerves and arteries, making it difficult
to achieve an erection.
Left unchecked, Pre-Diabetes often leads to the onset
of Type 2 Diabetes. Both forms of Diabetes increase the risk
of kidney disease, which, in turn, can affect hormones, blood
circulation, nerve function and energy levels – all
factors which influence the libido (sex drive) and the ability
to achieve and sustain an erection. Even drugs used to treat
kidney disease can cause ED.
Since the nervous system plays a vital role in an erection,
it is common for men with Diabetes-linked conditions
such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease to experience ED.
Though hormonal imbalances only account for 5% of all ED
cases, a man's response to sexual stimulation can be affected
by problems with the pituitary gland, which regulates hormones
such as prolactin and testosterone. Hormonal imbalances from
Diabetes-linked kidney disease can also result in Erectile
Dysfunction.
Click here to
read about the new and unique Insulite Pre-Diabetes System,
which is scientifically-designed to reverse a disease which
often underlies ED, namely Insulin Resistance.
The system includes formulations like RejuvenX, which features
ingredients such as bilberry extract, a powerful antioxidant
that improves circulation.
You may be interested in some Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs) about Pre-Diabetes, Insulin
Resistance, Stress and the Insulite Pre-Diabetes System.
Click here to read
about Pre-Diabetes and Stress
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