Erectile Dysfunction and Physical Exercise

Erectile dysfunction is the inability to maintain an erection. It is a problem that occurs in many men for many reasons, and perhaps the most known sexual health problem out there. 

ED may be caused by hormonal fluctuations, flood flow problems and psychological issues.  Other conditions that may attribute to ED are heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and low testosterone and vascular disease.

How Many Men experience Erectile Dysfunction?

Approximately 23 percent of physically inactive men and about 23 to 40 percent of men with obesity suffer from erectile dysfunction which points to a clear link between exercise and ed or a lack thereof. Obesity is closely linked to a lack of regular exercise.

While 40 percent of men receiving treatment for hypertension have erectile problems and the same is true for up to 75 percent of men with fully developed cardiovascular disease.

By comparison, ’only ̔ 18 percent of men in the general population have (or have had) ED and related sexual health problems. And this increases significantly with age.

Do Erectile Dysfunction Exercises Help?

A sexual health study was conducted to determine the relationship between exercise and ed and we conducted our own systematic review of the research in the field over the last decade to see just how much physical activity is needed to improve erectile function.

Exercise of moderate to high intensity for 40 minutes, 4 times a week, over a period of 6 months resulted in an improvement or even a normalization of the test person’s erectile function.

Following six months of exercise, men who had not been able to masturbate or have intercourse for a long time due to ED were able to resume sexual activity

In short, the good news is that studies of exercise and ed show that exercise of moderate to high intensity can improve the cardiovascular function, your overall sexual health and, hence, reduce or even reverse ED.

Exercise vs Other Treatments?

Treating the cause of ED will have long-lasting results, medication such as sildenafil (Viagra) only provides a temporary solution and there are devices such as shock wave therapy, inflatable pumps and implants however,  those aren’t your only options.

Sometimes, psychological factors are responsible for ED. In these cases, a person's ED solutions can come from forms of talking therapy.

Studies are found consistent exercise has improved erectile problems and are a great first step in dealing with erectile dysfunction.

The Science Behind Erectile Function and Exercise For Men?

There is less science on the use of exercise than medication for treating ED, however there are several studies on the effects of pelvic floor exercises taught by a physical Therapist.

One study from 2005 involved 55 men aged 20 years of age or older, all of whom had suffered from some form of ED for at least six months.  The men were split into groups, one of which was instructed to perform pelvic floor exercises and make lifestyle changes; the other to only make lifestyle changes.

After three months, men treated with combination of pelvic floor exercises and changes to lifestyles had significantly great rate of recovery than participants in the control group.  

One study from 2011 closely links aerobic exercise with improvements in erection quality and reduction in erectile dysfunction. 

Any form of exercise is like to help reduce the negative effects of ED.  The more active you are, the better conditioned your pelvic floor muscles are, the more likely you will improve your erection quality.

Exercises for Erectile Dysfunction

1. Aerobic exercise:  One of the best exercises for impotence. A study published in The American Journal of Cardiology confirmed that aerobic exercises will help you to cure your erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is most commonly caused by obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, which decrease the blood flow in the penis. Aerobic exercises can and will help you to improve not only your sexual health, but your health in general, improve your blood flow, and ultimately treat your condition.
2. Yoga:  Stress has been reported as one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction as well. Performing yoga is a great way to decrease the stress and treat this condition. By performing yoga, you will increase your physical, sexual, and mental health and learn to quite the mind which reduces stress. 
3. Swimming: Swimming is also a great exercise that will help you to not just treat erectile dysfunction, but improve your general health. Swimming is an aerobic exercise that you will perform in the water and  a great option for those who have limitations because of back pain or other body pain ailments.

Can Pelvic Floor Exercises Cure Erectile Dysfunction?

Science shows that pelvic floor exercises can have a positive impact on your ability to get and sustain an erection,  study from the University of the West in the United Kingdom found that pelvic exercises helped 40 percent of men with ED regain normal erectile function. They also helped an additional 33.5 percent significantly improve erectile function.

Additional research suggests pelvic muscle training may be helpful for treating ED as well as other pelvic health issues. however pelvic exercises are not 100% cure. 

Pelvic floor exercises don’t require equipment and can be done while watching TV, using and using the computer.  It takes minimal time to complete a full set of pelvic floor exercises. 

Performing pelvic floor exercises will strengthen and improve tone in the pubococcygeus.  It can take 4-6 weeks before a person notices a differences in erections.

KEGELS

• For this exercise, tense your muscles as if would were trying to stop yourself from peeing.  When you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles you will feel the muscles lift into your torso and tighten up your pelvic area. 
• Hold the squeezing motion and count to eight.  Once you reach a count of eight you can relax your pelvic floor muscles.  Rest for eight seconds and repeat squeezing the process again.  
• Repeat this process for three sets of eight with short breaks in between each set. 
• You may want to try this in different positions, including lying down with your knees up, sitting in a chair, and standing.

SUPINE FOOT RISES

This exercise builds on builds on knee fallouts and involves small movements.

• Lie down with the knees bent, the feet flat on the floor, and the arms by the sides.
• Exhale, engage the pelvic floor muscles, and slowly raise one foot off the floor. Keep the pelvis and the spine still.
• Inhale, lower the foot back to the ground.
• Alternate sides.

PELVIC CURLS

This exercise is common in Pilates.

• Lie down with the knees bent, the feet flat on the floor, and the arms by the sides.
• Keep the spine in a neutral position, with a small space between the middle of the back and the floor.
• Exhale, and engage the pelvic floor muscles.
• Tilt the pelvis upward toward the belly button, while pressing the back flat against the floor.
• Slowly lift the buttocks and push the heels into the floor.
• Squeeze the buttocks while lifting it and the lower and middle back.
• The body’s weight should be resting on the shoulders.
• Take three breaths and squeeze the buttocks and pelvic floor muscles.
• Slowly lower the buttocks and back, vertebra by vertebra, to the floor.
• Repeat three to four times initially, and build up to 10 repetitions.

KNEE FALLOUTS

This is a beginners’ exercise that involves small movements.

• Lie down with the knees bent, the feet flat on the floor, and the arms by the sides.
• Keep the spine in a neutral position, with a small space between the middle of the back and the floor.
• Exhale, squeeze the pelvic floor muscles, and slowly lower one knee to the floor. Only lower it as far as possible while maintaining activation of the pelvic floor muscles. Keep the pelvis stable.
• Inhale, release the muscles, and bend the knee again.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Start with four or five repetitions on each side and build up to 10.

How Much Exercise is Required to See an Effect on ED?

How much exercise you need to do before it has an positive effects on erectile dysfunction and your sexual health in general? This was what the scientists asked themselves when they first began to review the published literature on ED.  From their review, Gerbild and colleagues can recommend a 40 minutes workout, four times a week over a period of six months.

However, Pedersen and Kristensen are doubtful that such a precise conclusion can be drawn without further research on ED. The study of the relationship between exercise and ed indicates that intense exercise has an effect on erectile dysfunction, but whether that means 30, 40, or 50 minutes of training three or four times a week is something that should be studied further, they say.

In all studies, men achieved an improved erectile function. In the first study by Maio et al., physically active men achieved an average erectile function score of 27 points, which corresponds to a normal erectile function.

Some examples of aerobic exercises include:

• Cycling
• Spin classes
• Boxing
• Rowing
• Running
• Skipping

Not Only a Longer Life but Better Sex

The results have surprised other scientists who describe it as a thorough and substantiated study, which clearly shows physical activity improves erectile problems such as ED among men.

According to Professor Bente Klarlund Pedersen from the University of Copenhagen and Ellids Kristensen, doctor and research scientist at the Sexological Clinic in Copenhagen, these conclusions are supported by known mechanisms that can explain the link to erectile dysfunction:

Physical activity makes the blood vessels more elastic, allowing more blood to flow to the sex organs.

Physical activity stimulates the body’s production of nitrogen oxide, allowing the blood vessels to expand. This is essentially just what the popular medicine, Viagra, does for ED patients.

The results of the studies regarding exercise and ed should lead to new treatments for impotency, says Pedersen, head of the TrygFondens Centre for Active Health at Rigshospitalet, Denmark.

The Take Home Message About Impotence And ED

If you are physically inactive and in bad shape, it’s important to not push yourself into a fitness regime that is beyond you, otherwise, you risk injury, which could make exercising difficult and reduce your motivation to continue, worsening the ED.

The best approach is to start with simple aerobic activity. Walk every day, swim or cycle, and increase the pace and distance week by week. After a few weeks, you could add more or different exercises such as jogging, dancing, tennis, or swimming  Or, if you prefer, you could join a gym.

To strengthen blood circulation – throughout the body and also the penis – exercise intensity must be moderate to high. This means that you warm up your body and produce sweat, your face turns red, your pulse increases and you become slightly breathless – breathless enough to make it difficult to have a conversation.

And exercise is much more enjoyable when you do it with others. So why not invite your partner or friends to join you? After all, training is healthy, but it should also be fun.

If you have Erectile Dysfunction , call us for a consultation so we can carefully walk you through the treatment options best for you. Please see Our Services or call us at (916) 245-3043 to schedule an appointment!