Obesity is a condition where a person has an excessive amount of body fat. The technical definition of obesity is someone who has a body mass index rating of at least 30.
Someone who is classified as overweight instead of obese has a body mass index of between 25 and 30.
Many situations can contribute to someone becoming obese, including:
- Inherited factors
- Unhealthy diet
- Significant use of alcohol or other high-calorie drinks
- Environmental conditions
- Lack of exercise
- Use of certain medications
- Side effects of certain diseases
Health Problems from Obesity
Even though quite a bit of attention goes toward cosmetic issues with obesity, this problem also leads to multiple extremely dangerous health issues. Some of the health problems related to obesity include:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Development of type 2 diabetes
- Gout
- Gallstones
- Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea
Any of these health problems could be life-threatening over time, if not treated. They could lead to the obese person suffering a stroke or heart attack.
Signs of ED Related to Obesity
Sometimes, the health problems listed above are also apparent in men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is a health problem that men face when they cannot get or maintain an erection for sexual intercourse. Some patients will notice the ED problem first. They will then later discover that they have another disease they did not know about.
With heart disease occurring from obesity, for example, blood flow is not occurring normally in the body. However, the person may not have noticeable signs of the formation of heart disease, such as pain in the chest when exercising.
Because getting an erection involves the body sending extra blood to the penis and keeping it there, according to Harvard Health Publishing, ED could be a sign of heart disease, as it leaves the body unable to deliver the blood flow required to maintain the erection.
Other Causes of ED
Certainly, not every case of erectile dysfunction is related to obesity. Other potential causes of ED include:
- Poor circulation: where blood flow, for whatever reason, is not sufficient to get or maintain an erection
- Hormonal imbalance: where improper levels of hormones, like testosterone, affect the ability to get an erection
- Alcohol consumption: where consuming more than two drinks per day could lead to ED
- Stress: where psychological problems and emotional stresses can result in difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
- Diseases: where health problems such as Peyronie’s disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension can lead to problems with erectile dysfunction.
Men who are suffering from obesity or who are overweight could develop many different health problems. And because some of those health problems are shown to go hand in hand with erectile dysfunction, obesity can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Occasional ED is not always a worrisome problem, as stress or other temporary factors can lead to occasional ED. However, regular erectile dysfunction could be a sign of other health problems. If you are having chronic ED issues, it may require the help of a doctor.
Seeking Help for ED
When you need help with the symptoms of erectile dysfunction, you may feel embarrassed talking about it. But you should not feel isolated or alone. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, as many as 30 million American men may suffer from ED.
GAINSWave® therapy involves a treatment that does not require oral ED medication, which, because of health concerns, some men cannot use.
For more information, contact your local GAINSWave® provider today.
