The Obesity Epidemic
Currently, over one billion people are overweight. Of these people, at least 300,000 are obese. This epidemic of overweight and obesity puts tremendous pressure on health resources across the globe. Being overweight increases your risk of developing many chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Research has also linked obesity to erectile dysfunction.
Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects between twenty and thirty million men in the U.S. Men with ED are unable to get or sustain an erection long enough for sexual intercourse. It is a common complication of several chronic conditions such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle are also known risk factors.
Overweight Men Are More Likely to Have ED
Eighty percent of men with ED are either overweight or obese. While this may be due in part to the elevated risk of high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and diabetes, the relationship between overweight and ED holds true even in otherwise healthy individuals.
One theory is that the disruption of hormonal balance that occurs as a result of obesity may cause insufficient androgens (testosterone and related molecules) to be available to achieve or sustain an erection. Another theory posits that the elevated oxidative stress and resultant chronic inflammation caused by obesity may damage the cells lining the blood vessels, known as endothelials. These damaged cells then contribute to the development of ED.
The Benefits of Exercise
Population rates for ED begin to go up by about five percent a year after the age of forty-five. However, in men who exercise regularly, there is a ten-year delay in the onset of ED. This prompted researchers to examine the possibility of exercise reversing the effects of ED.
Working with men who were overweight or obese and had ED, but no other health problems, researchers found that losing weight through diet and exercise helped restore erectile function.
In one out of every three participants, a ten percent weight reduction was all it took to completely restore erectile function. The rest of the men only saw improvements following more significant weight loss, but in the end, all the participants noted a positive impact on their erectile health once they lost weight.
Losing weight can also help prevent the development of many chronic conditions that plague the American population. Men who lose weight live longer, healthier lives.
Throwing improved sexual health into the mix is just an added benefit. Sometimes, making positive changes is merely a matter of making simple changes like taking a walk or eating a bit less.
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Sources:
http://www.azcentral.com/health/men/articles.html
http://www.emaxhealth.com/52/2778.html
http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/lifestyle-factors-linked-to-ed
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity
