By Park Min-sun .
Contributing Writer
A powerful erection early in the morning is an important indicator of healthy men. Not only unsatisfactory copulation but also erectile problems in the morning are very disappointing and make men worry about aging and one's potency.
Erectile dysfunction is a widespread condition that is increasing globally. Erectile dysfunction is indicative of underlying vasculopathy and is also a predictor of more serious cardiovascular disorders. Understanding the aetiology of erectile dysfunction may therefore provide invaluable pointers to the pathobiology of other cardiovascular diseases and syndromes.
Then, it follows, too, that therapeutic interventions that are successful in treating erectile dysfunction may, ipso facto, be effective in treating the early stages of conditions that include atherosclerosis, angina, plaque rupture and diabetic angiopathy. One common pathological denominator in both cardiovascular disorders and erectile dysfunction is oxidative stress, that is, the overproduction of free radicals.
Free radicals are a chemical species that possesses an unpaired electron in the outer (valence) shell of the molecule. They are highly reactive. It means that they have low chemical specificity; i.e. they can react with most molecules in its vicinity.
This includes proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and DNA. Currently, it is highlighted as a cause of many previously unexplained disease phenomena such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, myocardial ischemia, liver cell injury and carcinogenesis. It is also known as a common cause of subclinical syndromes, i.e., chronic fatigue. They are produced continuously in cells either as by-products of metabolism or deliberately as in killing invaded bacteria. Some drugs, radiation therapy, and tobacco smoking are known to increase free radical synthesis. Air pollutions, chemical additives, and heavy-metal-contaminated water and soil also play a role in increasing free radical synthesis. Biological stress from increased free radicals is called as ``oxidative stress.''
Decreased intracavernous blood flow, loss of penile smooth muscle relaxation, and increased cavernous levels of free radicals were observed in animal model of erectile dysfunction. Long-term use of anti-oxidant increased intracavernous blood flow, improved erectile response and smooth muscle relaxation in those animals. In addition, it prevented erectile tissue fibrosis in the erectile dysfunction group. It supports that oxidative stress involves erectile dysfunction and antioxidant therapy is useful in treating erectile dysfunction and preventing erectile muscle fibrosis, which may result in permanent impotence.
If erectile dysfunction is suspected, potential vasculopathy and its related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc. should be screened and treated properly. In general, healthy life style such as good balance between work and personal life, less calorie intake, eating fresh vegetables and fruits, doing regular exercise, etc. can be helpful to reduce oxidative stress.
If erectile dysfunction is not improved after treating such diseases or changing the life style, oxidative stress has to be tightly controlled. Oxidative stress can be easily measured from a blood drop from the fingertips. If oxidative stress is found to be high, oral or parenteral forms of high potent antioxidant should be considered.
renal00@naver.com.