Why does one suffer from Impotence?

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) affects more than 30 million men in the U.S. alone. Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence is the inability of men to produce an erection and thus have an effective sexual encounter. People suffering from this condition are often called as 'Impotent'.

Though a man may be impotent, there are ways of remedying the situation and thus enable him to have a healthy sex life. It is treated by first delving into the factors that have caused it, and them giving treatment according to those underlying factors.

Impotence can be caused due to several factors. The very phenomenon of getting erection involves various organs from the brain to the spongy tissues of the corpus cavernosa of the male organ. If there is a problem anywhere along this channel, then the man will not be able to get an erection.

The following are some likely causes of Impotence in men:-

Obesity: Though no fixed statistical pattern has yet been studied, it is well known that obese men have a very high probability of turning impotent.

Use of certain drugs: Many drugs are known to cause impotence as a side effect. Antihistamines, antidepressants, appetite suppressants, etc. can cause impotence. The drug used for treatment of ulcers, cimetidine, is also known to produce this effect.

Psychological factors: People who take lots of stress and suffer from a bout of depression do lose their sexual drive over time.

Addictions: Both smoking and alcoholism are known to cause impotence in men.

Hormonal causes: Men who have less testosterone in their blood are either unable to get an erection, or unable to sustain it if at all they get it.

Diseases: Some diseases can cause men to turn impotent. Diabetes is the most major disease in this regard. About 35% to 50% of men who suffer from diabetes turn impotent.

A very small proportion of men are impotent due to Peyronie's disease. This particular condition cause scarring in one region of the male organ, which causes it to curve in one direction. Ordinarily, this does not interfere with lovemaking, but if the curvature is too extreme, penetrative sex becomes a very difficult affair.

Even atherosclerosis plays an important role in causing Impotence. Other diseases are renal failure, multiple sclerosis, High blood pressure and prostate cancer.