Dear Mr. Stock
I want to ask your professional opinion
about a challenge I've had for the past couple of years. I am 47 years
old, in good health, happily married and am happy in my working, family,
loving world. I am having a difficult time performing sexually at times. I
wonder if you could recommend some herbs to help get the flow of blood out
to my extremities so that I'd be able to maintain an erection a little
longer. I appreciate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely, J.R. East Sandwich, MA
Dear J.R.,
Your question is a good one and commonly
asked. Most of the studies done to try to confirm the effectiveness of
these products have been difficult to assess accurately. Some are more
scientific than others. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to
support any one of them.
Impotency is the inability of the male to
achieve or maintain an erection and is fairly common in men ever 40. Its
prevalence increases steadily in men over 60, affecting one in three and
nearly 30 million American men at one time or another. Impotency can be
caused by many different problems including psychological origins.
However, it is believed that 80% of the cases are physical in nature.
There is a simple test you can perform to
see if it is psychological in origin. Men who experience psychological
impotency can and will have an erection during sleep while men with
physical impotency will not. To test this, glue a strip of stamps around
the shaft of your penis before going to bed. If the ring of stamps is
broken in the morning, the cause of impotency is probably psychological.
Since you indicate that you can attain an
erection but you are unable to sustain it, then this test is probably not
indicated for you. In your situation, you maybe experiencing performance
anxiety, which means that just fearing failure can be contributing to your
situation. From your letter, I am left with many questions. Do you take my
medications? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you have high cholesterol
levels? Are you a smoker? Do you drink alcohol? Are you a diabetic? Do you
take any vitamins, minerals or herbs? All of these are important questions
which may result in a different recommendation. With this in mind I can
direct you in a general direction.
If you do not take a multivitamin, you
should consider taking one. Realizing that it is difficult to get all the
vitamins and minerals we need directly from our diet, it is important to
build a good nutritional foundation. If you are taking one, the following
guidelines should be considered. Take a high quality multivitamin that is
divided into multiple doses during the day. A once a day vitamin is
analogous to putting one gallon of gas in your car and trying to drive
from Boston to Philadelphia. You'll probably run out around Worcester. So
choose a vitamin that is taken with each meal and that contains other
nutrients and herbs and hopefully some trace minerals. Small amounts of
trace minerals can go a long way if you are deficient in them.
Additionally, you may want to consider a formula that will provide energy
or antioxidants. An additional supplement that contains essential fatty
acids such as flax seed oil or evening primrose oil can help.
A few other possible suggestions would
include herbs. Let's begin with Yohimbine. Yohimbine is available both as
a prescription and in health food stores. Yohimbine is a hormone stimulant
It increases libido and blood flow to erectile tissue. Caution: it may
elevate blood pressure and heart rate, therefore it should not be used if
you have high blood pressure. Check with your doctor be fore considering
using it.
A formula called Ginseng Sarsaparilla
Compound, which contains the herbs Jamaican Sarsaparilla root/American
Ginseng root, Saw Palmetto berry, Oat seed, Daminana leaf and flower, and
Cardamom seed and pod is manufactured by Herb Pharm. This compound is a
blend of several herbs that will act as a sexual tonic for men. It is
especially indicated for male sexual impotency. The only caution on this
one is that it may give energy and therefore should not be taken in the
evening.
Ginkgo Biloba, a widely studied herb for
enhancing memory and brain or cognitive function, also increases blood
flow to the penis. Additionally, by providing nutrients and oxygen to the
brain it can enhance the neurological connection between your brain and
other parts of your body. Make sure you purchase a standardized extract
that contains 24% ginkgoflavonglycosides and 6% terpene lactones. The
minimum starting dose would be 120 mg per day in 2 to 3 divided doses.
However, a higher dose may be necessary to achieve results. Consider a
phytosome bound derivative, which will enhance absorption and also promote
deeper penetration into the brain. This product is a winner for most
people anyway, even if it does not give them the sexual support they need,
primarily because of it's success in assisting brain function and memory.
Tribulis, an Ayurvedic or Indian herb, is
used as a general tonic and for erectile dysfunction. It is useful for men
with low sex drive or erectile dysfunction. The daily dose is 250 mg
standardized to 40% furostanol saponins. One possible side effect is that
it can cause aggressive behavior.
There are plenty of other herbs and
nutritional supports that nun/be worth investigating if these do not work
for you. Please give a call or stop by the store if we can assist you
further, and do let us know how you made out.
____________________
Ron Stock has been involved in the
pharmaceutical profession for nearly 15 years and holds a certificate from
the British Institute of Homeopathy. Send in questions for this column via
email to ronstock@aol.com or write
to Ron Stock directly to the Herbal Path, 839 Central Avenue, Dover, NH
03820. Or call 603-740-8400. Web site www.herbalpath.com
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