Men, let’s admit it – sometimes, we take our erections for granted. It’s something that occurs by happenstance as a product of arousal, stimulation, and climax.
But the reality is that it takes the close coordination between different bodily systems working in lockstep to trigger the complex machination that is the male erection.
And any hitch in the process, any spanner in the works, causes problems that may manifest in symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
See, when you’re in a state of sexual arousal, your brain sends signals to your penis. This leads to the dilation of the corpora cavernosa, or the penile tissue responsible for expanding, allowing more blood to enter your penis and cause an erection through the elastic penile tissue.
If we were to analogize the erection process, it would be akin to filling a balloon with water. The more blood flows into the erectile tissue, the more the pressure increases, making the erectile tissue in the penis firmer. Then, the body instructs the penis to retain the blood within said erectile tissue, which creates a longer-lasting erection.
Once you climax and ejaculate, or once the stimulation subsides, the pressure surrounding the veins responsible for transporting blood to the penis diminishes, causing blood to resume its regular course of blood, taking the penis back to its flaccid state.
Erectile dysfunction is largely related to poor blood flow. That’s why hypertension – or high blood pressure – is one of the major causes of ED, because the arteries responsible for pumping blood to the penis are less able to accommodate a greater, longer-lasting blood flow to the rest of the body, including the penis.
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Hypertension and ED: How are they related?
Hypertension puts all your organs on overdrive due to the stress it causes them. Moreover, high blood pressure has been closely associated with erectile dysfunction. According to the European Society of Cardiology, hypertensive men are nearly twice as likely to have some form of ED.
Plenty of direct and indirect reactions exist between blood pressure and erectile function. Let’s take a look at some of the direct side effects of hypertension on ED as follows:
Hypertension and blood circulation
Optimal sexual health and erectile function are a product of regular, unimpeded blood circulation.
When your body feels sexual arousal, it boosts blood circulation to the erectile tissues within the penis to produce an erection.
The damage wrought by hypertension can throw a monkey wrench into this whole process. High blood pressure is closely related to ruptured or damaged blood vessels all of which can hinder blood circulation and raise your risk of developing acute or chronic cardiovascular disease.
And when the blood flow isn’t sufficient to fill the elastic, erectile tissue in the penis due to hypertension, you might experience weaker, less firm erections to a complete and total inability to produce and keep an erection.
Hypertension and libido
Hypertension has been also associated with diminished testosterone, the hormone responsible for regulating male sexual characteristics, fertility, and libido. According to the American Heart Association, men with high blood pressure typically possessed lower testosterone levels than men with otherwise healthy blood pressure ranges.
And since testosterone plays a key role in optimal sexual function, hypertension can exacerbate both ED and low libido because of the reduced amount of sex hormones, not only leading to ED symptoms but also a low sex drive.
Hypertension and sexual function
Last, but not least, hypertension hinders optimal sexual function because of its effect of hardening arterial and blood vessel walls. This seriously impedes blood flow to the penis, leading to symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
And, since hypertension can make regular physical exercise more of a chore, it can lead to a vicious cycle of individuals engaging in lesser physical activity because of their lack of fitness – including the stamina they need to perform at their best when engaging in sex.
Sexual intercourse, after all, requires some physical, aerobic exertion. When you’re fit, you’re more likely to perform better in your sexual romps, get better erections, and have a healthier sex life.
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5 ways to reduce your blood pressure naturally
If you have hypertension, consider seeing a healthcare professional about how you can treat it. Based on your discussions, your doctor might put you on a prescription antihypertensive medication, and/or suggest making lifestyle changes that support the goal of reducing your blood pressure.
Several factors can cause hypertension. To that end, we’ve listed five of the best steps you can take right NOW to reduce your blood pressure the natural way – and in doing so, lower your hypertension-induced ED risk immensely:
- Lose the excess weight. Dropping the excess pounds might be one of the best things you can do for your sexual health. If you’re overweight, try making changes or see a professional about your diet and fitness so you can get to an optimum body weight. Belly fat and fat around the weight are linked to above-average blood pressure.
- Exercise often. Aerobic exercise is a natural blood pressure reducer. It can be as simple as going on a walk, jogging, or an easy bike ride. Just 20-30 minutes of daily exercise can do wonders to regulate healthy blood pressure levels.
- Cut down on the salt. High-salt diets are linked to hypertension. Cutting down on salty food is one of the most effective ways of reducing your blood pressure.
- Stop smoking and reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption not only increases your blood pressure, but it also interferes with the effects of antihypertensive medications you might be taking. Smoking, meanwhile, is linked to cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.
- Reduce fat intake. Lastly, a high-fat diet is also linked to hypertension. Reducing your intake of food containing saturated fat and boosting your consumption of food with healthy or low-fat and green leafy vegetables as well as taking the right supplements may help manage your blood pressure.
The final word on hypertension and ED
Hypertension is a silent but violent killer. High blood pressure is ultimately one of the most sinister risk factors that can cause a tremendous amount of stress on your body’s organs – all of them. Your heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and yes, your penis. High blood pressure increases your risks of developing a plethora of acute and chronic illnesses from heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, and ED – just to name a few.
Thus, if you have high blood pressure, it’s of paramount importance to take control of your health – and by employing simple changes to your diet, lifestyle, and physical activity, you can take action right away. Consult a cardiologist to determine your options in treating your high blood pressure – trust us, your sex life (and your overall health) will be so much better for it.
