Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction

Testosterone and erectile dysfunction go hand in hand. Why? Because testosterone, the main sex hormone in men, is not only a necessary ingredient for libido, it also has a critical role in maintaining nitric oxide levels in the penis. Therefore men who have low testosterone levels may experience erectile dysfunction along with low libido and other side effects associated with low levels of this hormone.

10 Signs of Testosterone Deficiency
The normal range of testosterone is 350 to 1,200 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter), and what is considered to be “normal” for any man depends on his age. Testosterone levels are highest in men in their early twenties, and up to 50% of all men at age 40 have testosterone levels lower than what was once considered normal, 450 ng/dL. Although there is no definitive figure that identifies testosterone deficiency, 300 ng/dL is usually viewed to be at the lower limit of normal for a healthy man.

Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction: Benefits of Testosterone Supplementation
If you or your healthcare provider believe testosterone deficiency may be causing your erectile dysfunction, a simple blood test can identify your levels. At that point, you and your physician may discuss the benefits and risks of testosterone supplementation.

A June 2009 study noted that testosterone replacement therapy may provide many benefits for men who have low testosterone, including an improvement in libido and sexual function, bone density, muscle mass, mood, cognition, quality of life, and cardiovascular disease. The study also noted that there is “no evidence to support this risk”

Testosterone replacement therapy is not something you should do on your own: you need medical guidance. First, your doctor should conduct a physical exam and take a medical history if he or she has not already done so. You will then need a blood test panel that includes testosterone levels, PSA, fasting glucose, estradiol (estrogen), and complete blood counts. Along with the PSA level, a digital rectal exam (DRE) should be done as part of prostate cancer screening. Once it has been determined that you can safely take testosterone supplements, your doctor will determine the best approach.

Bioidentical testosterone cream is considered the best choice, because it is readily absorbed into the bloodstream and mimics the body’s natural hormone. Oral testosterone can be rapidly degraded in the liver and result in inconsistent blood levels of the hormone. Request a natural testosterone cream prepared by a compounding pharmacy, as the cost will be considerably less than name brand testosterone creams. You should have follow-up blood testing 30 to 60 days after starting testosterone therapy to make sure your PSA, estradiol, and other blood markers are within normal range. If your doctor finds that the testosterone is converting into estradiol at too high a level, he or she may recommend nutrients that can inhibit excess aromatase activity or prescribe a drug like Arimidex to do the same. You need to have routine follow-up blood tests while on testosterone therapy.

Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction: Supplements
Natural supplements can complement hormone replacement, or if you choose not to use hormone replacement, nutrients can be an important part of a program to reduce the impact of aging on testosterone and estrogen production. Some of the nutrients and supplements you can consider include those listed under Supplements for ED. One example is a combination of 160 mg of saw palmetto and pygeum twice a day. These herbs can potentially aid in blocking the conversion of testosterone. 

7 Common ED Myths Uncovered

There are many misconceptions about erectile dysfunction and its causes. Get the facts to straighten out any confusion about ED.

Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is a common sexual dysfunction affecting up to 30 million American men. But despite its prevalence, erectile dysfunction is often misunderstood. Below are some common myths about ED and the facts that prove them wrong.

ED Myth No. 1: Tight Underwear Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction

Truth: “There is no research showing that wearing tight underwear can lead to erectile dysfunction,” says Alan W. Shindel, MD, clinical instructor and fellow of andrology at the University of California at San Francisco. However, tight underwear may contribute to infertility. Keeping testicles too close to the body raises their temperature and hinders sperm production.

ED Myth No. 2: ED Occurs When You’re Not Attracted to Your Partner

Truth: While a lack of attraction — or even some trouble in the relationship — can contribute to erectile dysfunction, the majority of ED is physiological. “The trouble starts with a biological reason, which can lead to confidence issues, avoiding sex, fear of failure, and then avoiding your sex partner,” Shindel explains.

ED Myth No. 3: Erectile Dysfunction Is a Normal Part of Aging

Truth: Erectile dysfunction is not an inevitable part of growing older. “Like arthritis and heart disease, erectile dysfunction is just more common in older men,” says Shindel. “Certain health conditions increase in likelihood with age, as does erectile dysfunction.” ED can also be a warning sign of another condition, such as cardiovascular disease. The penis is a vascular organ, and therefore any condition that interferes with blood flow in the body can affect erections.

ED Myth No. 4: Erectile Dysfunction Only Affects Older Men

Truth: While older men have a higher incidence of erectile dysfunction, impotence can happen to men of any age. Younger men who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular problems are at particularly high risk.

ED Myth No. 5: Erectile Dysfunction Is Best Treated With Oral Medications

Truth: Erectile dysfunction medications don’t work for everyone, and they’re not usually the first line of treatment. Doctors initially recommend healthy lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and losing weight. The next step might be to identify possible medications that could be causing erectile dysfunction or to try psychotherapy. Eventually, oral medications may be prescribed to increase blood flow to the penis and achieve erection. Buy Steroids

ED Myth No. 6: Erectile Dysfunction Is Only an Emotional Issue

Truth: It was once believed that erectile dysfunction was solely psychological. Today, experts believe physiological factors are at the root of most erectile dysfunction cases. Physiological causes can be related to health conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, or high blood pressure, as well as due to side effects from medication. These physical factors can also contribute to emotional ones. “When a man experiences erectile dysfunction, he can become anxious or depressed, and the erectile dysfunction can become a source of psychological stress,” says Shindel

ED Myth No. 7: Erectile Dysfunction Cannot Be Caused by Riding a Bicycle

Truth: Cycling is linked to a higher risk of erectile dysfunction. “If you fell asleep in a very awkward position in a chair, you’d get pins and needles in a part of the body to which the blood wasn’t flowing properly,” says Irwin Goldstein, MD, clinical professor of surgery at University of California at San Diego, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital, and director of San Diego Sexual Medicine. “When you ride a bike, most of your body weight is on the crotch, causing damage by crushing endothelial cells.”

ED is a complex issue with many possible causes and many possible treatments. The best way to discover what's behind your ED is to talk openly with your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis.

12 Common Causes of Low Libido

Has your desire disappeared? Once you get down to the root of your wrecked sex drive, you can take action to get it back again.

From a lack of sleep to having too much to drink, low libido is caused by a number of physiological, emotional, and lifestyle factors. Here are 12 common issues that can ruin the mood.

1. Stress. The body reacts to stress by releasing adrenaline and cortisol. Chronic stress, in particular, can interfere with your body’s hormone levels, and result in a low libido. The arteries can also narrow and restrict blood flow in response to stress, which can also lead to erectile dysfunction. Stress can also reduce your libido by distracting you and taking your mind off sexual desire.

2. Depression. Libido and depression share a complicated link. “Depression can change the body's biochemistry and therefore reduce libido,” says Mark L. Held, PhD, a clinical psychologist in the Denver area. “It's also harder to feel sexual when you're depressed.” Some medications commonly used to treat depression may also lower libido as a side effect.

3. Low Self-Esteem. It's hard to feel sexy when your self-confidence is down or when you have an unhealthy body image. “Someone who feels unattractive is less likely to want to engage in sex,” says Held. “Fears of rejection may also come in to play.”

4. Alcohol or Drug Use. While a little alcohol can help lower inhibitions, too much can impair your nervous system and lead to fatigue — making it difficult to become aroused. Other drugs can decrease your sex drive as well. For example, marijuana suppresses the pituitary gland, which regulates the production of testosterone.

5. Lack of Sleep. A good night's rest might be hard to come by, but you need sleep to keep a sharp mind, a healthy body, and an active libido. “When you’re exhausted, you’d rather catch up on sleep,” says Alan W. Shindel, MD, clinical instructor and fellow of andrology at the University of California at San Francisco. Physically, a lack of sleep can elevate cortisol levels, which also leads to low libido. Even more surprising in the sleep-ED connection? One recent study found that men with restless leg syndrome (a neurological disorder characterized by jumpy, creepy-crawly sensations as you’re falling asleep) are at higher risk for erectile dysfunction, probably due to low dopamine levels.

6. Medication. Some medications used to treat depression, high blood pressure, and other common illnesses can affect libido or cause sexual dysfunction.

7. Erectile Dysfunction. Low libido is a common emotional side effect of ED. “Once a man experiences ED, he may get anxious,” says Shindel. “His confidence is shaken, and he might be afraid it will happen again. His libido shuts down to preserve his ego.”

8. Hormone Imbalance. Libido is directly influenced by testosterone levels. Therefore, low libido is often caused by low testosterone levels — a hormone imbalance. “Low testosterone can be caused by injury, inflammation, or tumors in the testicles,” says Ira Sharlip, MD, clinical professor of urology at University of California at San Francisco and a spokesperson for the American Urological Association. Other causes of a hormone imbalance include cirrhosis of the liver or pituitary diseases. “The liver is responsible for breaking down estrogen; when it fails, estrogen level goes up, and this causes low libido. And pituitary diseases reduce the amount of testosterone in the body,” says Sharlip.

9. Menopause. Women may experience low libido during menopause for a number of reasons. Estrogen levels drop suddenly during these years, causing vaginal tissue to become dry. That, in turn, can lead to discomfort and pain during intercourse and discourage a woman’s sexual desire. Menopause can also lower testosterone, the hormone that boosts libido in women as well as men.

10. Health Conditions. Serious systemic illnesses, such as cancer or kidney disease, can suppress testosterone levels and reduce sperm production. “The body essentially goes into survival mode and doesn’t pay much attention to non-survival functions like producing testosterone and sperm,” says Shindel. Low testosterone is also a side effect of other illnesses, such as renal disease, HIV, and diabetes.

11. Relationship Trouble. When a couple is fighting or feeling distant from each other, they're less likely to want to be intimate. Communication problems, anger, conflicts, resentment — all these negative emotions can carry over into the bedroom.

12. Lack of Time. Have you ever been too busy for sex? The hectic schedules of daily life can put your sex life on the backburner. “Some people assume there will be time for sex at the end of the day when there is nothing else going on,” says Irwin Goldstein, MD, clinical professor of surgery at University of California at San Diego, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital, and director of San Diego Sexual Medicine. “They don’t schedule sex.” But unless you make time for each other and for intimacy, it may not happen. Eventually lack of sex can lead to low libido.

Could Finger Length Predict Penis Length?

Prenatal hormones appear to govern both, new study suggests.

A look at the relative length of a man's index and ring fingers might be a good predictor of the length of his penis, according to South Korean researchers.

They found that the ratio between the second and fourth digits on a man's right hand seemed to correlate to the length of his flaccid and stretched penis, with a lower index-to-ring finger length ratio indicating a longer penis.

The key to this relationship may lie in the womb, the team added.

"During the fetal period, high concentrations of testosterone lead to high testicular activity, resulting in a lower digit ratio," explained a team led by In Ho Choi of Gacheon University Gil Hospital in Incheon. "In the present study, patients with a lower digit ratio tended to have a longer stretched penile length."

They added that the length of the stretched and flaccid penis does show "a strong correlation" with an erect penile length.

The study was published July 4 in the Asian Journal of Andrology.

The researchers noted that penile length and the second-to-fourth digit ratio in males are "thought to be fixed early in development." In each case, this involves a common set of genes that regulate prenatal hormones (including testosterone) to influence both limb development and the development of the urogenital system.

In the new study, Choi and colleagues compared the digit ratios of 144 Korean men aged 20 and older who were being treated for urological surgery. Researchers measured the index and ring fingers of each man's right hand and compared the ratio to the length of each man's fully stretched, flaccid penis (the latter data obtained under anesthesia).

In a journal commentary, Denise Brooks McQuade of Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., said the study results "provide convincing support for a relationship between digit ratio and penile length." She added that the findings might have real value for research into clinical conditions linked to developmental issues in men.

Effect of anabolic steroids on sexual desire. Studying the effects and therapy.

Sexual desire (or libido) is mainly controlled by testosterone. Anabolic steroids can lead to an increase in libido. Increased libido may be a problem, because the use of androgens in high doses may also increase the likelihood of violence.

The more common problem is the state after the use of anabolic steroids as testosterone production in the body usually stops around for a few months. The concentration of testosterone in the blood stream is not sufficient to maintain a normal libido, so these hormonal disorders can cause loss of libido.

Very marked reduction in the concentration of testosterone can also lead to erectile disorders. In particular, the simultaneous development of data breaches weightlifting sports performance can deteriorate significantly, in connection with what is often a serious need for the re-use of anabolic steroids.

Studying the effects and therapy

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are likely to disrupt the normal function of the pituitary gland. A similar effect occurs in women who take contraceptive preparations. People who use anabolic steroids are very naslysheny on emerging issues, and some of them are turning to doctors.

According to the medical examination, the other obvious violations are usually absent, and patients can look like healthy people. There may be side effects associated with the use of androgens (e.g., acne, skin stretching portions, breast enlargement and possible traces of injections). As a result of prolonged use of androgens may experience a pronounced reduction in the size of the testicles.

Effect of anabolic androgenic steroids on reproductive function is largely dependent on the use of drugs, doses and timing of application. According to the hormonal studies, reflecting the testicular function, there may be typical violations. According to studies of seminal fluid, a significant proportion of patients may experience a complete absence of sperm. Other people violation can be expressed to a lesser extent.

The changes caused by the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids are reversible, but to restore normal sperm production can take a year. In most cases, the most effective and efficient method is to stop the use of anabolic androgenic steroids. A prerequisite for successful therapy is to understand the relationship between the person actually use and development of androgen disorders, as well as the realization that the recovery will take time.  Of great importance is to motivate patients.

Maintaining physiological concentrations of testosterone (ie, testosterone replacement therapy) may be required in the recovery phase, when there is heavy and prolonged hypothyroidism. However, there is a risk of abuse. Replacement therapy leads to a longer period of sperm production.

The use of anabolic androgenic steroids is not the only cause of male infertility. If the violation is apparently not related to the use of anabolic androgenic steroids or not marked recovery after cessation of anabolic-androgenic steroids, it is necessary to search for other causes of violations of sperm production.

Effect of Anabolic Steroids on Sexual Desire

For many years, anabolic-androgenic steroids have been the most commonly used drugs to improve muscle strength and mass, as well as athletic performance. In recent years, increased use of these drugs. Most people who use anabolic steroids are not professional athletes, and, unfortunately, many of them are teenagers.

When applying steroids people try to get the maximum anabolic effect (i.e. tissue growth promoting effect) and to minimize the androgenic effect is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics. The ratio of the anabolic and androgenic effects of testosterone is 1:1. Others have used anabolic steroids, this ratio varies and may even exceed 30.

However, it is impossible to avoid the development of symptoms of virilization, which are largely dependent on the dose and timing of applications. To maximize the desired effects and prevention of side effects commonly used other hormones in combination with anabolic steroids such as to prevent the growth of mammary glands.

Anabolic Steroids have a significant effect on the function of the gonads. These effects manifest themselves differently in different people: some sperm production stops completely, others observed only minimal changes.


Testicular function and its violation

Testicular function is sperm production and sexual hormones, mainly testosterone. The normal production of testosterone allows the development of male sexual characteristics and also helps to maintain a high level of testosterone in the testicles (the concentration of testosterone in the testes is about 100 times higher than in the blood), which is necessary for normal sperm production.

The functioning of the testes is controlled by the pituitary gland. Anabolic androgenic steroids, which are introduced from outside disruption to normal operation pituitary gland. Native testosterone production in the testis is reduced, thereby reducing the concentration of testosterone, which leads to a decrease sperm production, until the complete cessation.

Effect of anabolic androgenic steroids on sperm production is familiar to doctors who treat infertility. According to these studies, about one in four people using anabolic steroids, there is no sperm production, about every second there is a decrease sperm production, compared with normal values, only a quarter of people who use anabolic steroids, have normal sperm production. Anabolic steroids also have an impact on the structure of the sperm.

Changes in sperm production, caused by the use of androgens, are usually reversible. However, to restore normal sperm count after applying high doses of androgens can take years. There is no precise information on how the use of anabolic androgenic steroids before puberty affect testicular function in adulthood. In this sensitive phase of anabolic androgenic steroids can cause severe, possibly irreversible, changes in the function of the testes.

"How To Be a Father" - Tips for Bodybuilders

Not only women want to look beautiful and have a flawless physique. Often, men also tend to find a figure of Apollo. To do this, they come to the gym and began to go in for sports, and that the result was not long in coming, many people start using anabolic steroids. "The main thing - to build muscle and look at 5 points, and the effects and side effects will somehow then we shall understand" - they think, even without presenting all that awaits them. And for good reason ...

Anabolic steroids and androgens (male sex hormones) have in common a general matter - the hormone testosterone. All existing drugs anabolic steroids differ from the original substance or low androgenic function or even higher androgenic and anabolic activity reduced. This explains the differences in their work:

    increase muscle mass and muscle definition;
    weight gain;
    fat burning, etc.

Actually, it is possible in many ways relates to the use of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. However, special attention should be given to the young men who sooner or later will be a question of procreation. The truth is, you need to know before planning a man-child, than to wrap his sporting achievements. After weighing the pros and cons, each athlete must make his own decision for themselves - to use dope or not. It is important for receiving funds doping took place under the strict supervision of a physician.

At present, anabolic steroids are widely available, and there are quite a clear idea about the side effects of their impact on the body. Most athletes who buy Anabolic Steroids, do not think of that may be harmful to your health. They focus exclusively on achieving results that, in their opinion, should provide the necessary steroids. The conventional wisdom, especially beginners, that "the more, the better and more efficiently." This is a profound and dangerous mistake, having neither theoretical nor practical justification.

The danger is that the use of performance enhancing drugs is not caused by any one negative side effect. The nature of the toxicological properties of these drugs. It's hard to believe, but the reception they could end tragically - even death. In most cases, dependent on the dosage. The higher the dose, the more likely the occurrence of various negative effects. These side effects include  water retention in the body, the change in size of testicles in the scrotum, Workflow infringements of the liver, loss of hair on the head, body hair growth PROBLEMS sleeping, increased appetite, gynecomastia, decreased temblor voice, increased aggression. Most of these side effects are assumed time is reached, they disappear after anabolic steroids cycle ends.

Possible causes danger to the health requirements of athletes stop use doping and never to use them. However, there are always those who will use steroids. Fight with many of the side effects should start at first signs stages of their appearance. In connection with this, if you still use the AC , the Punctual advice from doctor help you to avoid complications.

Acceptance of anabolic steroids by athletes and can lead to a decrease in sperm production and a change in the composition of normal sperm  operating, "wrinkled" testicles, that is, to infertility. So before you start taking these drugs with the aim of becoming simply a "sport", think about how it will affect your health, your ability to bear children. Weigh the pros and cons and decide what is more important to you - to be beautiful or have the good fortune to become a father.