I have chosen to use a question mark and an exclamation mark in the article’s title, dealing with erectile dysfunction, for a reason.  For some men who have recently experienced problems in the bedroom, they’re not sure if they have erectile dysfunction or not.  For them it’s a question mark that needs more time to determine its final outcome. 

For other men they know that their erectile dysfunction is real and they are alarmed.  They’re seeking answers to their problem and searching the internet for help.  For them the exclamation is a sign of worry and concern.  

Finally, there are men who have never had this problem or have found solutions that have corrected their problem and are no longer dealing with erectile dysfunction.  For them the exclamation is a sign of relief. 

If you’re dealing with erectile dysfunction or think that you might have a potential problem in this area, then one of the most important tools to help you is good, concise knowledge.  Knowledge that can help you: 

•       Understand that it’s a common problem for men over the age of 40.
•       Find the real underlying cause. 
•       Develop a treatment program that can truly work for you.  

This post is designed to help provide you with knowledge and a potential solution so that the question mark can become an exclamation mark based upon positive results. 

The Facts about Dealing with Erectile Dysfunction!

Many men feel embarrassment so they typically try to hide the problem.  They try to hide it from their partner.  They try to hide it from their doctor.  So the first thing you need to know is that dealing with erectile dysfunction is a common problem for men especially after the age of 40.  Plus, the potential for this problem continues to increase as you get older.  

Maybe not what you wanted to hear but it is truth. 

The other part of the truth equation is that it doesn’t have to be this way.  The health of your penis is tied to the health of your body.  Many may see this as a simplistic answer but it is true for most men.  It’s estimated that 70 percent of all erectile dysfunction is caused by a medical condition.  Usually that medical condition centers on the health of your cardiovascular system.  More specifically it centers on the endothelial cells that line all of your cardiovascular system and their ability to properly produce nitric oxide.  

Dr. Arthur Burnett, a Johns Hopkins urologist and leading nitric oxide researcher will clearly tell you that nitric oxide is the chemical messenger that produces erections and that without it there could be no natural erections.  This is also echoed by the 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro who, with 2 other American researchers, discovered how the endothelial cells produce nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels.  In Dr. Ignarro’s book NO More Heart Disease he makes the following two statements: 

“By 1990, our experiments indicated that NO is also the chemical messenger responsible for penile erections.  Nerves in the erectile tissues release NO, dilating the blood vessels and initiating erections.” – page 11 

“For many years, men with erectile dysfunction were told that they suffered from a psychological dysfunction.  Most physicians claimed ‘It’s in your head,’ since they felt impotence stemmed from performance anxiety or sexual disinterest. . . . My own research has shown that the erectile tissues of men with severe erectile dysfunction produce much less nitric oxide than men without this problem.  Unless there is a way to increase their NO levels, erections simply are not going to be possible.” – pages 191 & 192 

If you’re dealing with erectile dysfunction then you need to understand how to determine the root cause of your problem because erectile dysfunction is a symptom of an underlining health issue.  Products like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra may help you with the symptom but they usually do not help you with the underlining cause of erectile dysfunction.  

In my previous post on this issue I directed you to the article “Fixing Erectile Dysfunction!”  This article helps you understand how male physiology, chemistry and the nervous system all work together to create an erection.  And, it briefly discussed how to enhance the endothelial cells’ ability to produce nitric oxide. 

Today, I would like to direct your attention to the article “Curing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally with L-arginine and Nitric Oxide!”   This article will go into greater detail about one of the best methods for curing erectile dysfunction.  That method is learning how to properly use L-arginine and L-citrulline to improve the production of nitric oxide and help to repair of your endothelial cells. 

Men, I hope you find these articles helpful in dealing with erectile dysfunction.  They are written with the goal of removing the worry and concern about this issue so that you can find a real solution to your underlining problem.  No more questions marks, just an exclamation mark based upon positive results. 

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.   

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contain in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

If you watch any TV then you’re most likely familiar with the Cialis and Viagra commercials targeted toward men with erectile dysfunction.  Nitric Oxide research played a critical role in the development of these two products.  But the importance of Nitric Oxide goes beyond male sexual health since erectile dysfunction now points to an underlining cardiovascular issue. 

For example I went to my doctor for my annual checkup.  He asked me if I was having any erection problems.  I’m not going to reveal my answer but I asked him why he wanted to know.  His answer had nothing to do with poor sexual health.  The reason why he asked that question is because erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early warning sign for diabetes and/or circulatory problems. 

Important Statistics!

It’s estimated that erectile dysfunction affects 50% of the male population over age 40!  According to the Endocrine Society, 10% men in their sixties have a chronic ED problem which increases to 25% of men in their seventies and jumps to 40% of men in their eighties.  When I read these statistics I thought they might be on the high side.  That was until another piece of information came to my attention.

Google lists over 17 million web pages that incorporate the word “Viagra.”  That compares to 3.3 million web pages for the word “aspirin” and 936,000 web pages for the word “Tylenol.”  There are a lot of people (I suspect mainly men) who are looking for information on Viagra and what it can do for them.  If my doctor is correct that ED is an early warning sign for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, then there’s an even more important issue that needs addressing than performance in the bedroom.  More and more research is showing that ED is really a function of poor cardiovascular health.

How Viagra Works!

The development of Viagra is a fascinating study.  It incorporates male physiology, chemistry, and the nervous system all working together to create an erection.  It also provides keys to slowing down the aging process and improving cardiovascular health. 

Since Viagra is designed to help males achieve an erection we need to talk a little anatomy.  In its simplest terms, an erection is the change in position of the male sex organ from a limp position to a firm, hard and upright position.  When you want to move any part of your body you use muscles.  This doesn’t work for the male organ since skeletal muscles are not involved in an erection.  It’s all done by pressure.  More specifically blood pressure.

The male organ contains two cigar-shaped structures called corpora cavernosa that run the length of the organ.  Arteries bring blood into these two structures with veins carrying the blood away from them.  In a non-erect state, the blood flow from the arteries is restricted while the veins are open to drain the blood away.  When a man becomes aroused, the arterial blood vessels open up so that pressurized blood can enter the corpora cavernosa.  The veins leaving the male organ are constricted.  This action traps the pressurized blood allowing for the size increase and full erection.

First Clue to ED!

If the arterial blood vessels supplying the male organ do not open properly, it’s almost impossible for a male to have an erection.  This is the leading cause of erectile dysfunction.  Prior to 1983, most doctors thought the problem of poor sexual health was primarily mental not physical.  That was until the 1983 meeting of the American Urological Association in Las Vegas.  At that meeting Dr. Giles Brindley injected his male organ with the drug phentolamine.  The result was an instant erection.  And to prove his point, Dr. Brindley dropped his pants to display his drug-induced erection.  Needless to say not everything done in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.

Dr. Brindley’s bold presentation showed that an erection was a physiological issue more than a mental issue.  To understand what happened we need to talk about muscles.  Yes, I know I said muscles were not involved.  Technically speaking I’m still going to hold this position.  There are three groups of muscles:

• Skeletal – Skeletal muscles are those muscles that attach to the bones allowing us to move.
• Cardiac – The cardiac muscle powers the heart.
• Smooth – Smooth muscles are found in blood vessels, the intestines and the stomach.  They usually act involuntarily.

Dr. Brindley injected himself with phentolamine.  It’s a drug that relaxes smooth muscle.  Because of the location where he injected himself, the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels relaxed allowing the corpora cavernosa to completely fill with pressurized blood.  Instant and uncontrolled erection!

Second Clue to ED!

The second clue to ED centers on the body’s ability to control blood flow.  Without some type of control there would be an even amount of blood flow to most of the body.  This might be OK if we’re vegetables and inactive but we aren’t.  We are constantly on the go so the body has designed a mechanism to help divert blood flow to the areas that need it the most.  Think of your circulatory system as an elaborate design of pipes with valves.  These valves can control both the blood flow as well as divert blood to the areas that need it the most.

This is going to get a bit technical but the control mechanism incorporates the following steps:

1. The brain sends a signal to a particular never fiber.  The nerve fiber ends in a NANC nerve cell located in the artery near the point where blood flow needs to be changed.  This NANC nerve cell creates nitric oxide which is also a dangerous free radical.
2. The NANC nerve cell releases nitric oxide into the blood and surrounding cells.
3. The nitric oxide acts as a signaling molecule to stimulate an enzyme called guanylate cyclase.  This enzyme keeps the nitric oxide from causing free radical damage by using it with GTP to produce a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).
4. cGMP tell the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessel to relax.  This allows increased blood flow.
5. There is another enzyme called phosphodiesterase (PDE) that deactivates the cGMP by turning it back into GTP.
6. When the cGMP is deactivated, the smooth muscle returns to its original constricted state.

Confused?  Think of a cycle.  Guanylate cyclase turns GTP into cGMP causing smooth muscles to relax.  PDE turns cGMP into GTP causing the smooth muscles to return back to their constricted state.  Nitric oxide turns this cycle on from a nerve impulse generated in the brain.

cGMP is produced as long as the brain is sending signals that initiate the production of nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide is produced as long as there is an adequate supply of the essential amino acid L-arginine and no damage to the surrounding endothelial cells.

Third clue to ED!

The most common reason men suffer from erectile dysfunction is lack of nitric oxide in the blood vessels of the corpora cavernosa.  When a man is aroused his brain does its job by sending the proper signal to the nerves located in his male organ.  The nerves produce nitric oxide.  But the amount of cGMP produced is not enough to maintain an erection since nitric oxide production is limited by damaged endothelial cells and lack of the essential amino acid L-arginine. 

The way Viagra solves this sexual health problem is pretty ingenious.  To increase blood flow to the male organ you have three options:

1. Increase the amount of nitric oxide produced in the arterial blood vessels.
2. Increase the amount of cGMP produced in response to the nitric oxide.
3. Eliminate the PDE that converts cGMP back to GTP so that cGMP builds up.  This causes the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels to properly relax and fill with blood.

Viagra uses option 3 to achieve an erection.  Why PDE?  Because there are 11 different kinds of PDE with only one type of PDE found in the male organ.  That type is called PDE5.  Talk about creative design.  All Pfizer had to do was find a chemical that would selectively block PDE5 and nothing else.  This chemical is sildenafil citrate.  Here’s how it works: 

1. A male takes Viagra.
2. The sildenafil citrate is absorbed into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body.
3. The sildenafil citrate attaches to the PDE5 enzyme in the male’s organ to disable it.
4. The male is sexually aroused and the man’s brain does its job.  A signal is sent to the nerve cell in the male’s organ which produces nitric oxide.
5. The nitric oxide turns on the cycle creating cGMP to relax the smooth muscles of the arterial blood vessels.
6. Since the PDE5 is disabled the cGMP doesn’t break down but builds up allowing the arterial blood vessels to fully dilate.
7. The man achieves a full erection.

Great stuff when it works perfectly but there are a few minor problems.

Side Effects of Viagra!

Almost every drug made by man has side effects and Viagra is no exception.  Viagra blocks PDE5 but can also affect PDE6 which is used by the cone cells in the retina.  This can affect color vision.  For some it changes the way they perceive green and blue colors.  For others they see the world with a bluish tinge for several hours.  Because of this pilots cannot take Viagra within 12 hours of a flight.

The other two main side effects are headaches and flushing.  The blocking of the PDE5 can spill over to other areas of the body causing vasodilatation.  This raises the risk for stroke and heart attack.  Because of this Viagra is a prescription drug rather than an over-the-counter drug.  Additionally, you need to be careful not to combine Viagra with nitric oxide producing drugs like nitrates.  Always consult a qualified physician before taking any product like Viagra.  For more information on Viagra I would refer you to an excellent article by Marshal Brain entitled “How Viagra Works.”

A Natural Alternative to Viagra!

I’m not discounting the benefits of Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to help men with erectile dysfunction.  All three, when properly used under the guidance of a qualified physician, have been able to change poor sexual health into good sexual health.  But understand that these drugs are treating a symptom more than the underlining problem.

The underlining problem is the insufficient production of nitric oxide to help start and maintain proper vasodilatation.  The creation of nitric oxide occurs in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels.  When the endothelial cells are damaged by high blood pressure, high sugar levels, cholesterol, and smoking this decreases nitric oxide production.  That’s why my physician asked me if I was experiencing any erectile problems.  It’s a warning sign for other potential health concerns that could affect your overall wellness and cardiovascular health.

The main nutrient for the creation of nitric oxide is an essential amino acid call L-arginine.  Without going into detail, L-arginine has both a good side and a dark side depending upon how it is brought into your body.  Please see the page “Endothelial Cells” for more details.  

The key to addressing erectile dysfunction is to make sure you’re addressing your cardiovascular system.  Maintain normal blood sugar levels, keep your blood pressure in a normal range, keep your cholesterol under 200 and stop smoking.  By combining this with an adequate intake of L-arginine, many males have found that they don’t need to spend money on Viagra-like products to help them with their sexual health issues. 

One product that I recommend is ProArgi-9 Plus from Synergy WorldWide.  This product has been clinically shown to improve your cardiovascular system, properly bring L-arginine into your body, naturally produce adequate supplies of nitric oxide, and do it without side effects. 

Men, if you want to improve your sexual health then you need to improve your cardiovascular system.  Properly caring for your endothelial cells, so that they can properly produce nitric oxide will solve most erectile dysfunction issues and help to protect you from cardiovascular disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this blog is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contain in this blogging website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Preventing and Reversing Cardiovascular Disease thru Nitric Oxide!

In 1998 Dr. Louis Ignarro shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine with two other American scientists for the discovery of Nitric Oxide and how it is the master signaling molecule for the cardiovascular system.  Dr. Ignarro has over 30 years of research in Nitric Oxide.  He firmly believes that Nitric Oxide can both prevent as well as reverse cardiovascular disease. 

How important is preventing and reversing cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both the United States and the world.  Over 60 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease.  Heart disease is 12 times more deadly to women than breast cancer.  As you can see by these statistics preventing and reversing cardiovascular disease could make a huge impact on life expectancies especially if it was your own life.

The American Health Journal produced a 30 minute feature on Dr. Ignarro and his work with Nitric Oxide.  This feature can be found on YouTube.  Whoever posted this feature divided it into 3 parts and misspelled Dr. Ignarro’s name (Ignarrao instead of Ignarro).  I wanted to bring all three parts into one blog post.    

The information is excellent.  In Dr. Ignarro’s own words he will tell you how Nitric Oxide and the amino acid L-Arginine can prevent and reverse heart disease naturally to age proof your cardiovascular system.    

Part 1 – Please be patient with the first 45 seconds since it contains a promo for Western University and the lead in to the American Health Journal.  As Dr. Ignarro is introduced, he takes us back to when he received the Nobel Prize in Medicine.  After he shares his feelings about this high honor Dr. Ignarro talks about Nitric Oxide.  How it lowers blood pressure, prevents strokes and heart attacks, improves blood flow to the organs, acts as a vasodilator, protects against coronary artery disease, lowers bad cholesterol levels, and is the body’s natural way to protect against heart disease.  This video abruptly ends and is picked up in Part 2.  Total time is 8:58.

Part 2 – Dr. Ignarro’s completes his discussion about how the body uses the essential amino acid L-arginine to product Nitric Oxide.  How a deficiency in Nitric Oxide is really a deficiency in L-arginine.  Then Dr. Andrew Myers is introduced and he discusses how the endothelial cells regulate the production of Nitric Oxide.  Dr. Ignarro returns to discuss all the different benefits of Nitric Oxide such as keeping the blood vessels healthy, preventing blood clots, maintaining blood pressure, maintaining the normal balance between HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol), and the necessity of Nitric Oxide for the prevention of erectile dysfunction.  The segment that I found most interesting was how Nitric Oxide facilitates memory and learning.  Dr. Ignarro even discusses how Nitric Oxide can restore memory and help in Alzheimer’s disease.  Total time is 9:06.

Part 3 – For some reason the sound is a bit off in this segment so please don’t let it distract you.  Dr. Ignarro discusses the importance of diet and vitamins especially the antioxidants found in garlic and green tea.  He talks about the importance of exercise and how exercise has been shown to boost or stimulate Nitric Oxide production.  And, he concludes by talking about his book NO More Heart Disease and how he tried to communicate the science of Nitric Oxide at a level everyone could understand and apply.  Total time is 8:50.

Dr. Ignarro’s Passion!

As you can see and hear from these three videos Dr. Ignarro passionately believes that Nitric Oxide can prevent and reverse heart disease.  He firmly believes that Nitric Oxide is the body’s natural way to protect against cardiovascular disease and without side effects.  Dr. Ignarro and I both share a common goal.  That goal is to educate as many people as possible on the health benefits of an effective L-arginine/Nitric Oxide protocol so that they can work with their physician to help prevent and/or reverse heart disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this blog is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contain in this blogging website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.