Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is the inability to maintain an erection and sustain it long enough to engage in sexual congress.
ED is a very common condition among men particularly once you reach the ripe age of 40.
In most cases, most episodes are caused by stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, or excessive alcohol consumption.
In some cases, it may be a single episode that resolves on its own, but if it occurs more than once, it may indicate a more serious problem.
According to a study on erectile dysfunction, sexual health and treatments conducted by Dr Padaruth Ramlachan, who is the director of, and practises at the Newkwa Health and Wellness Centre, sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.
Sexual health is part of overall health and affects you and your relationship. As such, couples must be able to expect pleasurable, safe, and respectful sexual experiences within a consenting, mutually respectful, and safe context.
Sexuality is a vital and intrinsic feature of many men’s and their partners’ lives, regardless of age or overall health, according to research.
Until recently, the high cost of ED medication was a source of concern for many, but greater generic competition has resulted in price drops of 33% on average during the past 11 years. Generics are now retailing for an average of R80 (including VAT) for a pack of four.
Several factors affect the final cost a patient pays, including dispensing fees, which vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, but consumers can expect to pay a lot less this year.
After generic ED medications entered the market a few years ago, prices began to drop steadily, according to Fadhl Solomon, men’s health category manager at Pharma Dynamics.
“Currently, there are 10 different generic ED brands available to SA patients, with more expected to follow in the coming months. We want to make treatment of ED as convenient, cost-effective and discreet as possible.”
ED affects around four in 10 males over the age of 40, but the figure is likely to be higher because patients are often too ashamed to mention it to their doctor.
The study further states that in Africa there are about 11.5 million males affected, while in South Africa, exploratory studies in primary care in KwaZulu-Natal have revealed an overall incidence of 64.9% in a sample of men aged 18 and older – 14.6% of these men had mild, 19.9% had moderate, and 30.4% had severe erectile dysfunction.
“In many cases, ED is linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, or diabetes, which are often a result of obesity, smoking, or drinking too much alcohol. Therefore, ED may be a symptom of other underlying health concerns. It’s part of the body’s internal warning system telling you that all is not well,” warned Solomon.
Erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease share major risk factors including age, inactivity, smoking, obesity, depression, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.
Why is it important for doctors to ask about ED?
It is common for men with erectile dysfunction to feel ashamed, lonely, or embarrassed to discuss the disorder with their partners, let alone their doctors. In turn, this results in depression, feeling emasculated, and a significant drop in self-esteem.
“We encourage all men that suffer from ED to ask their doctor for a thorough physical examination to get to the root cause,” advises Solomon.
Lifestyle modification
Besides promoting healthy lifestyles, interventions should be advocated to limit cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity.
Drinking alcohol moderately and getting physical exercise appropriate to your age are good living habits.
It has been shown that weight loss between 5% to 10% is beneficial, while some studies cite that a Mediterranean diet may prevent and improve ED.