FirstMed Consulting Blog

As we come into the summer months, barbeque and beer season is upon us. It’s easy to forget the damage that overeating and alcohol does to our bodies when we are eating and drinking in the sun. Somehow it seems more natural, in tune with the great outdoors and therefore, healthier. However, don’t be fooled, excessive quantities of meat and alcohol have a knock on effect throughout our bodies, including a man’s ability to maintain an erection and also his levels of fertility.

What a man eats and drinks can have a radical effect on his performance in the bedroom. Unhealthy eating patterns have led to a rise in diabetic suffers in the country and one of the major offshoots of diabetes is impotence. In fact it is estimated that 80% of diabetics suffer from erectile dysfunction.

Diabetes isn’t the only health condition associated with poor dietary habits that can be a precursor to ED. High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol also commonly exist in men with ED. People with high blood pressure and heart disease are more likely than average to develop hardening of the arteries. In this case the arteries tend to develop thicker walls and become narrower inside, thus reducing the flow of blood through them. If this develops in the arteries going to the penis then it will be more difficult for the penis to fill with blood and so impotence may result.

On top of this, many of the medicines used to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers, thiaide diuretics and clonidine, can also cause impotence. Some, but not all, statins and fibrates, used to treat high cholesterol levels, may also have a minor effect.

It is also important to bear in mind that most impotence treatments are unsuitable for men with conditions in which sexual activity is inadvisable, such as severe heart conditions. So the next time you are lazing in the garden, beer and burger in hand, remember that it’s not just a beer belly you’re risking.