Impotence

    
     One of the most devastating things that can happen to a man is the unexpected loss of an erection during sexual intercourse. Erectile dysfunction is frightening and embarrassing, and because men have been taught early on not to talk about their genitals and sexual functioning, they frequently do not know where to turn for help. In fact, most men's sexual knowledge is acquired secondhand from adolescent peers. This knowledge is also supported by such "textbooks" as adult magazines and pornographic videos, which are woefully inaccurate and misleading and tend to give most men the impression that intercourse is a superhuman event enjoyed by people with abnormally sized genitals.
     Impotence is defined as the inability to provide an erection to present satisfactory sexual intercourse. Because of the negative connotations of the term impotence, we have now substituted the term erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is a more accurate term because, typically, men who have erectile dysfunction may still be able to perform sexually by foreplay and oral sex, although not necessarily by vaginal penetration. Men with erectile dysfunction may also retain the ability to ejaculate, even with a flaccid penis.
     Erectile dysfunction is deceptively common. It has been estimated that 66 percent of men by the age of seventy are affected by erectile dysfunction. In other words, only a third of men by the age of seventy are still able to achieve an erection sufficient enough for vaginal penetration.
      Between the ages of forty and seventy about sexuality, and some interesting facts appeared. Although well known among most health care professionals, many men would find it surprising that cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for the loss of erections. Among men with heart disease who smoke cigarettes, 56 percent were impotent, compared with 21 percent of nonsmokers. If this statistic were printed on the side of cigarette packages, men would probably think harder about smoking. Much harder.
     The prevalence of impotence of all degrees is estimated at 52 percent of men. Based on the U.S. population, this would be equivalent to 18 million American men. Men with diabetes were three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than those without diabetes, regardless of whether they were insulin dependent or non-insulin dependent. Heart disease, high blood pressure, and a low level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL, the ''good'' form of cholesterol) correlated strongly with impotence as well. The higher the HDL, the lower the risk of erectile dysfunction. Perhaps if this statistic were printed on food labels, it might encourage people to adopt low-fat diets.
     Another interesting finding is that certain psychological factors were strongly associated with erectile dysfunction including depression and anger, repressed or outwardly expressed. Anger and hostility are associated with certain other medical conditions, such as ulcers and coronary artery disease, but this is the first
     So walk, exercise, watch what you eat, smile, be happy and you will enjoy in your sex life without fear of getting impotent.time it has been found to be related to erectile dysfunction as well.