Erectile dysfunction and anabolic steroids

Impotency or erectile dysfunction seems to be the most serious problem afflicting Indian men. At least half of the sex-related questions deal with men who are suffering erection-related problems and it’s hard to pin down the exact reason for this epidemic. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, obesity-related diseases and stress are all taking a toll on our men. The problem is exacerbated by the prudish nature of our society. Most men wouldn’t dare go to a doctor to discuss the problem which leads to a lot of unhappiness and self-image issues among men. Technically speaking, an erection is caused due to the hydraulic effect of blood entering and being retained in spongy bodies within the penis. In most males, this happens when they’re sexually aroused thanks to signals transmitted from the brain to nerves in the penis. Both the brain (to send a signal) and the heart (to pump blood to the penis) must work properly to get and maintain an erection. The various causes of ED but they can be broadly categorized under two categories: physiological  or physical (pertaining to the body) and psychological (pertaining to the mind).

Anabolic Steroids (male hormones):
- The use of anabolic androgenic steroids has reached almost epidemic proportions. Nearly seven percent of 12th-grade males use or have used them to build muscle mass and improve athletic performance.
- These male hormones suppress the testes' ability to make testosterone. This decreases the intramuscular testosterone level. This may cause severely diminished spermatogenesis or complete absence of sperm.
- When taken, these steroids cause a persistent depression of the hypothalamus and pituitary, which may be irreversible even when the steroids are stopped.

Moderate alcohol use does not affect male fertility. However, excessive alcohol use affects the hormonal axis and has negatively affects the gonads. It may cause associated liver dysfunction and nutritional deficiencies, which are also detrimental for sperm production.  What happens here is that a man has developed antibodies to his own sperm. This could occur because of testicular trauma, testicular infection, large varicoceles, or testicular surgery. Or sometimes, there are unexplained reasons for this occurrence. The antibodies have a negative effect on fertility, but the exact reason isn't clear. Most likely, the antibodies act negatively at several points along the pathway to fertilization as the sperm have trouble penetrating the partner's cervical mucous and making their way to the uterus. It becomes more difficult for the sperm to bind with external membrane or shell of the egg or to fuse with the eggs themselves. The FDA recommends that men follow general precautions before taking a medication for ED. Men who are taking medications that contain nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, should NOT use Viagra, Levitra or Cialis. Taking nitrates with one of these medications can lower blood pressure too much. In addition, men who take Levitra or Cialis should not use alpha blockers, as they could result in hypo tension (abnormally low blood pressure). Experts recommend that men have a complete medical history and physical examination to determine the cause of ED. Men should tell their doctor about all the medications they are taking, including over-the-counter medications.

In addition, men should not take these medications if they have a history of heart attack or stroke, or if they have a bleeding disorder or stomach ulcers.Men with medical conditions that may cause a sustained erection, such as sickle cell anemia, leukemia, or multiple myeloma, or a man who has an abnormally-shaped penis, may not benefit from these medications. Also, men with liver diseases or a disease of the retina, such as muscular degeneration or retinitis pigmentation, may not be able to take these medications, or may need to take the lowest dosage.