Exercising to Combat Erectile Dysfunction

Exercise Can Help Combat ED

While there are many different causes of erectile dysfunction (ED), the primary reason is the body’s inability to maintain blood flow to the penis. ED can happen to men of any age, but is more common with older individuals, obese males, and those with high blood pressure. However, ED may also be a symptom of much greater health problems like cardiovascular disease.

The leading cause of ED is atherosclerosis, which is condition where the arteries in the penile wall have lost their elasticity. Fortunately, this is a condition that is caused by choice of lifestyle, which means with proper exercise, ED can be overcome.

But what type of exercise would you need to do in order to combat ED? First and foremost, if you are suffering from ED, you need to incorporate anaerobic exercise into your daily routine. But more specifically running. Although, anaerobic exercise in general does not lead to weight loss as quickly as resistance training, running has certain benefits that weightlifting does not.

When you run, blood is circulating harder than normal throughout your entire body. This process has an affect of flushing out harmful chemicals like low density lipoprotein, which is the bad cholesterol. This type of cholesterol was what clogs and hardens the arteries of the circulatory system and consequently contributes to ED.

Also, when you run, the muscle that is working the hardest is your heart. Over time your heart will strengthen with each training session.

In medical terms, this means that your resting heart rate is lower, but in practical terms of sexual intimacy, your body will not have to work as hard to maintain an erection.

The other type of exercise to consider are kegel exercises that help to strengthen your bulbocavernosus muscles. This muscle is what allows blood to fill the penile arteries, as well as pumps out sperm during ejaculation. If you have stopped urinating mid-stream, this is the muscle that does that. I say that because for men who suffer from ED, interrupting their urination is the quickest way to find this muscle, as it is not directly part of the penis.

Since the bulbocavernosus muscle is an internal muscle that is not visible from the exterior of the body, you must make a conscious effort to flex this muscle. If for example, you are performing a kegel exercise, but are flexing your glutes, the effectiveness for strengthening the bulbocavernosus muscles will be decreased.

Fortunately, flexing the bulbocavernosus muscle can be done whether your standing, sitting, or laying down. That means this exercise can be done while you’re at work. Do this numerous times a day and it can help to combat the effects of ED.