Erectile dysfunction implies a multifactorial psychosomatic syndrome that occurs in men of any age, described by typical symptoms of a decrease in the quality of an erection necessary to satisfy sexual desire.
Impotence in men after the age of 50 can be an indicator of dysfunction of many organs. Erectile dysfunction significantly reduces a man's quality of life.
Impotence is understood as the inability to achieve a full and stable erection, the inability to maintain it and ensure a satisfactory sexual relationship. The concept of "impotence" is considered obsolete, however, it continues to be used in everyday life to this day and does not lose its relevance.
In urological practice, it is customary to use the term "erectile dysfunction".
Among men after 50 years, the frequency of reduction in potency reaches 25%. Erectile dysfunction complaints peak in the sixth decade.
Causes of low potency and impotence at 50
Male potency after 50 years weakens for many reasons. Accumulated health problems make themselves felt not only by manifestations of diseases of the heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, joints, but also by problems in the functioning of the reproductive system.
The main causes of reduced potency in men over 50 years of age are vascular pathologies, psychological disorders and diseases of the nervous system. Also, in men over 50 years of age, prostate adenoma is often considered the cause of erectile dysfunction.
According to international studies, there are several main causes of impotence in older men:
- Vascular: atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, impaired fat metabolism (increased cholesterol levels, low-density lipoproteins, high atherogenic index). These vascular factors lead to pathological functioning of the cavernous sinuses of the penis, narrowings are formed in the arteries and veins that prevent normal blood filling, which prevents erection. For normal potency in men, expansion of the veins of the cavernous bodies of the penis is required, which is impossible with vascular pathology, which is determined by elevated blood pressure values, atherosclerotic plaques in the abdominal aorta. Progressive varicose disease affecting the small pelvic vessels also causes impotence in men over 50 years of age.
- Neurogenic: central and peripheral. The central ones include parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, cerebral infarction, epilepsy. Peripherals include pathologies of the nervous system caused by other diseases, in particular, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, polyneuropathy. These diseases lead to a gradual disruption of the trophism of the tissues of the genital organs, degenerative processes in the nerve fibers.
- Urological: prostate adenoma, chronic prostatitis.
- Iatrogenic, due to the provision of medical care - damage to the nerves of the rectum, testicles, prostate, bladder during surgical interventions.
- Traumatic: pelvic injuries, damage to the genital arteries, urethra, spinal cord, fractures of the pelvic bones.
- Endocrine: obesity, insufficient or excessive thyroid function, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, pathologies of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands (Itsenko-Cushing syndrome).
- Medications: take medications that lower blood pressure, restore heart rhythm, diuretics, antidepressants, antiallergics, tranquilizers, antiandrogens, some hormonal agents (estrogens, analogues and antagonists of pituitary hormone-releasing hormones, antiandrogens).
- Anatomical, i. e. abnormalities or diseases of the penis: Peyronie's disease, hiccups and epispadias, penile fracture, severe penile curvature.
- Psychological - violation of sexual arousal, due to two types of provoking factors. The generalized type means a complete lack of libido, a violation of intimacy in a relationship. The situational type implies a pronounced effect of stress on the body of a man, personal relationships with a partner. Situational impotence, as a rule, is not a pathology and requires the solution of personal problems, after which erectile function is restored.
As a result of sexual arousal, a nerve impulse along the reflex arc links of a healthy man leads to a stable erection. This process is based on the release of nitric oxide, the source of which is the cells of the inner lining of the blood vessels of the penis.
For an erection to develop and continue, the nerve impulse must reach the smooth muscle cells that form the vessels of the penis. As a result, the nerve endings interact with the endothelium (the inner layer of blood vessels) and nitric oxide is released.
In turn, nitric oxide activates an enzyme that promotes the release of calcium ions from cells. Smooth muscle cells relax and an erection occurs.
The full functioning of the reflex arc, which provides normal power, is possible only if the healthy state of its links is preserved: nerves, blood vessels, endocrine glands.
The pathogenesis of potency disorders in men older than 50 years is associated with a decrease in the release of nitric oxide by the cells of the penile vessels. As a result, the cascade of reactions that provide a full erection is interrupted.
Many organs and systems are involved in the process of establishing normal potency in a 50-year-old man. A number of diseases that a sixty-year-old adult man inevitably encounters lead to the defeat of one of the links of the reflex arc that provides power.
Almost all men experience episodes of impotence by the age of 50, however, depending on the severity of the dysfunction of various organs and systems, erectile dysfunction can be situational (temporary) or persistent.
Important
Persistent impotence in a 50-year-old man requires a systematic and integrated treatment approach. A unilateral approach to the treatment of impotence leads to a temporary improvement of the situation.
Impotence Diagnosis
Not all men turn to a urologist and sex therapist to solve potency problems. As a rule, representatives of the stronger sex use folk remedies or independently buy folk remedies in a pharmacy to improve potency.
The comprehensive diagnosis of impotence in men over 50 years of age consists of the following steps:
- Ultrasound of the small pelvis, including transrectal ultrasound of the prostate, pharmacodoplerography of the vessels of the penis;
- visual foreplay test;
- follow-up of penile tumescences, including nocturnal ones;
- palpation of the prostate through the rectum;
- cavernosography, spongiography;
- CT and MRI;
- study the functions of the endothelium of the vessels of the penis (coronary angiography with acetylcholine, study the flow-dependent expansion of the brachial artery in a sample with its narrowing, laser Doppler flowmetry, study the tone of peripheral arteries);
- biochemical blood test, glucose tolerance test, blood lipid spectrum evaluation;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
- blood tests for hormones (male and female sex, thyroid and adrenal hormones);
- blood test for prostate-specific antigen;
- studies of the heart and blood vessels (veloEKG, ultrasound).
An important point in diagnosing the root causes of impotence in men over 50 years of age is consultation with a sexologist and psychologist. Also, tests are widely used to determine the pathology of potency, which are widely available in the network, for example, ICEF.
How to increase potency after 50
Treatment of impotence in men after 50 years in the vast majority of cases is carried out using a conservative method, which includes drug therapy and the intervention of a psychologist.
First of all, for the successful treatment of impotence in men of mature age, it is necessary to cure or restore as far as possible pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, the endocrine system, diseases of the liver, kidneys and the bladder. and prostate.
Potency in men at the age of 50 without chronic pathologies of internal organs can be corrected by folk means - phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors.
PDE inhibitors in male sexual pathology are the most effective and fastest-acting drugs. These include funds based on:
- vardenafil - duration of effect is 5-12 hours;
- sildenafil - duration of action 4 hours;
- tadalafil - duration of action 36 hours.
Medications are used one hour (half an hour) before sexual intercourse. You should know that for the formation of an erection when taking the funds from this group, it is necessary to have minimal arousal. The dose averages 50 mg, but can be reduced to 25 mg or increased to 100 mg at a time.
However, such drugs have a fairly wide range of side effects on the lungs and heart, since the drug acts not only on the endothelium of the vessels of the penis.
An increase in potency in men after 50 is achieved with the help of PDE inhibitors by influencing the main mechanism of the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction - an increase in the concentration of nitric oxide. In addition to this group of agents, NO-synthase activators are used to increase nitric oxide content.
Many men are concerned about whether alcohol can be used to relax and increase the chances of a stable erection, how to increase potency after 50 with the help of drugs, and whether they can be combined with alcohol.
If a man does not abuse alcohol, does not suffer from serious pathologies of the cardiovascular system, then folk means for increasing potency can be taken along with alcohol.
In addition to PDE inhibitors, popular impotence treatments include:
- Testosterone means. Restoration of potency in men after 50-60 years, when the production of testosterone by the testicles is reduced, male sex hormone preparations can be used.
- Prostaglandins, which are injections given into the tissues of the penis. Means improve blood flow, normalize the blood filling of the veins and arteries.
- Alpha blockers, the action of which is based on the expansion of the vessels of the penis and small pelvis.
Potency can be increased in combination with such folk remedies as Eleutherococcus, Ginseng, Aralia, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, celery, honey, ginger. Also, dietary supplements are widely used.
Since it is quite difficult to improve potency after 50 years in the presence of chronic diseases, it is recommended to additionally use physiotherapeutic methods, in particular, acupuncture, electrophoresis.
Potency can also be increased mechanically, in particular using a penis vacuum pump.
Important in the treatment of impotence is the fight against obesity and alcohol addiction.
As you know, fat cells in a man's body are considered a source of female sex hormones, which disturbs the hormonal balance and leads to prostate pathologies and sexual dysfunction. The source of natural estrogens is beer. A man over 50 should not drink beer more than once a week.
It is necessary to lose weight gradually, losing no more than 5 kg per month. Moderate exercise and diet are recommended. Intense, spontaneous and abrupt exercises in the gym will not lead to the restoration of potency, but will only aggravate the situation.
A dosed approach to dynamic loads, nutrition correction will allow you to overcome impotence without harm to the body.