Erectile dysfunction(ED) is a sexual dysfunction found in men where they are unable to have a firm erection that lasts long during sexual intercourse. Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual issue faced by most men and around 30 million American men are encountering ED.
Erectile dysfunction could be the result of various physical and psychological factors, high cholesterol being one of them. High cholesterol can hurt men's sexual life by affecting their ability to have an erection. As such ED isn't a matter of concern but if left untreated, it can lead to several chronic health conditions. So if you are frequently experiencing trouble achieving erections then immediately reach out to your doctor.
ED can be treated with pills like cenforce 150 and other effective treatment methods but your body cholesterol levels need to be controlled to overcome the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
How ED And High Cholesterol Are Related?
Although high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction are two different health conditions yet both go hand in hand. Cholesterol is a waxy substance secreted by your liver and is required by your body to perform certain essential functions like secretion of bile and sex hormones building up of new tissues.
Cholesterol is categorised under two categories based on the lipoproteins that carried it. LDL or bad cholesterol, which gets deposited on the arteries walls and lead to health complications. HDL or good cholesterol, which absorbs extra cholesterol from your blood and carries it to the liver from where it gets eliminated from your body.
Besides being useful, high cholesterol levels can lead to several health problems, including sexual dysfunction like erectile dysfunction.
For an erection to take place, enough blood is required to fill the penis. When you are sexually aroused, your brain sends signals to the muscles of your penis to get relaxed. This, in turn, allows maximum blood to reach and fill your penis making it erect and stiff causing an erection.
Too much LDL or bad cholesterol gets deposited on the walls of your arteries in the form of plaque making them stiffer and narrower than usual. This further restricts the flow of blood to the penis thus making it harder to have an erection. Doctors recommend pills like cenforce 150 to treat erectile dysfunction in men.
The higher the level of LDL, the greater your chances of facing issues with your erection and developing erectile dysfunction.
Also, it has been found that high cholesterol levels make it difficult for the endothelial lining and nerve terminals of the corpus cavernosum of your penis to secrete nitric oxide required for an erection to occur. This nitric oxide along with cGMP(cyclic guanosine monophosphate) stimulates the relaxation of the smooth muscles of the penis and increase the blood flow to it thus leading to an erection.
Thus high cholesterol by restricting the production of nitric oxide causes difficulty in having an erection leading to erectile dysfunction.
High cholesterol affects the level of testosterone and low testosterone level is one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction. Testosterone is the male sex hormone produced by men's testicles and an adequate level is responsible for maintaining sexual desire and sperm count. High cholesterol restricts the flow of blood to your testicles thus hindering their ability to produce testosterone hence leading to low sperm count, reduced sexual desire and difficulty having an erection.
Sometimes the medicines used to lower your cholesterol levels may also lead to erectile dysfunction. Although the pills leading to lowering cholesterol helps in reversing ED, however, a few men also experience difficulty having an erection.
How To Treat High Cholesterol And Erectile Dysfunction?
Although unmanaged high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction can lead to several health problems, they can be reversed and treated effectively with proper treatment methods and lifestyle changes.
Statins
Statins are the most commonly prescribed medicines used to lower high cholesterol. Statins are usually prescribed along with a few lifestyle modifications like exercise and a healthy diet.
Your body releases a protein, HMG-CoA reductase which is required by your liver to produce cholesterol. Statin blocks the production of HMG-CoA reductase protein which in turn leads to the production of more receptors that further help in removing the cholesterol from your body.
Although statins are quite effective in reducing cholesterol levels, they can lead to a few side effects in some people like:
- Headache
- Bloating and pain in the stomach
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Rashes on the skin
If you don't find statins helpful then your doctor may also prescribe the following medicines to lower down the cholesterol levels:
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitors.
- Bempedoic acid
- Bile-acid-binding resins
- PCSK9 inhibitors
Oral medications like cenforce 150 are highly effective in treating erectile dysfunction. Cenforce 150 belongs to a drug class of PDE5 inhibitor which aids in improving the blood supply to the penis by relaxing the blood vessels that are supplying blood to the penis.
Pills like cenforce 150 are helpful in providing a man with long-lasting and firm erections but can lead to side effects like:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Blurred vision
Cenforce 150 and other ED pills also lead to a few drug interactions which may affect their effectiveness leading to some potential side effects. However, if you don't want to take these pills you may go for other treatment options like:
- Alprostadil self-injection
- Alprostadil intraurethral suppository
- Penis vacuum pumps
- Prosthetic penile implants
- Vacuum reconstructive surgery
Lifestyle Changes
Apart from treatments, following lifestyle changes will help in lowering high cholesterol and thus reducing the symptoms of erectile dysfunction:
- Have a heart-healthy diet. Include lean protein, fibres, fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Avoid the consumption of processed food items and foods rich in saturated and trans fats.
- Avoid the intake of alcohol.
- Quit smoking or consumption of tobacco products.
- Exercise daily. Kegels and aerobics will help in overcoming the symptoms of ED.
- Maintain healthy body weight
- Avoid the intake of illicit and recreational substances like marijuana, cocaine and heroin.
