erectile dysfunction | Health Secrets of a SuperAger

“On average people who smoke die about 10 years sooner than non-smokers. The New England Journal of Medicine.

“Smoking triples the risk for cataracts and is also a risk factor for macular degeneration and its response to treatment. Dr. Nicholas Volpe, Tarry Professor and Chairman Department of Opthalmology Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University

“The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2012 (latest year with statistics) about 173,200 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use. The overall survival rate for those with lung cancer, sadly, remains at around 15%,” so starts my Page – How bad is Smoking.

But, “nearly half a million people will die from smoking-related diseases this year. Each day, more than 3,200 youths smoke their first cigarette. New products such as e-cigarettes, with effects that aren’t yet understood, complicate public health messages. And if current trends continue unabated, 5.6 million of today’s children and teens will go on to die prematurely during adulthood because of smoking,” the Associated Press said.

The Surgeon General released a fresh report on Friday enumerating the above and more dire consequences that smokers are exposing themselves to.

“Remarkably, the report adds more entries to the official list of smoking-caused diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, the macular degeneration that can blind older adults, two additional cancers – liver and colorectal – and cleft palate birth defects.”

If you are a smoker please consider stopping. If you know a smoker help them to get off this deadly habit.

Tony

As a sports fan and viewer of ESPN, I have been caught in the deluge of erectile dysfunction (ED) ads that proliferate on these TV venues. Who hasn’t heard the litany of Cialis, Viagra, Levitra, etc.? It seems you can’t help but conclude that a lot of the guys watching sports have a problem with ED.

Harvard has a publication for sale on the subject.

By way of introduction to it, Harvard offered the following four observations on ED.

“1. ED is often the result of diseases or conditions that become more common with age — or a side effect of the medications used to treat them. Other possible causes of ED include prostate surgery, stress, relationship problems, and depression.
2. Other age-related factors can affect a man’s ability to have an erection — tissues become less elastic and nerve communication slows. But even these factors don’t explain many cases of ED.
3. Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of ED. Clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) affect not only the blood vessels of the heart, but those throughout the body as well. In fact, in up to 30% of men who see their doctors about ED, the condition is the first hint that they have cardiovascular disease.
4. Intriguing findings from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study suggest there may be a natural ebb and flow to ED — that is, for some men, trouble with erections may occur, last for a significant amount of time, and then partly or fully disappear without treatment.”

They conclude with the following positive thought: “Regardless of the cause, ED often can be effectively addressed. For some men, simply losing weight may help. Others may need medications, and there are other options available as well. Given the variety of therapies available, the possibility of finding the right solution is greater than ever.”

From the above list, it appears that age and diet have a lot to do with the problem. Must confess that number four was a surprise. I hadn’t known that ED could come and go, so to speak.

If you want to find out more about the subject, check out the link.

Tony