A man’s sexual performance is interwoven with his overall health, physically and psychologically. From hormones to metabolic health, lifestyle choices to relationships, each health thread is tied (loosely or knotted) to a man’s sexual health. Yet, the Cleveland Clinic says up to 52% of males 40 to 70 years old experience minor erectile dysfunction (ED), which can slowly tear apart their wellness and tangle emotions.

If you or someone you love has trouble creating or maintaining one out of four erections, then we encourage you to read more about ED. By understanding the causes of impotence, you’ll learn the shortcomings of its temporary medications and discover long-term solutions through minimally invasive treatments for cellular growth and revitalization recommended by Dr. Stephen Luther.

Understanding the Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

The consistent inability to produce and sustain an erection between 25% to 50% of the time is known as erectile dysfunction. When occasional penile disorders shift to a daily struggle, seeking help from an expert is vital. According to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated 300 million males worldwide suffer from ED caused by various physical health and psychological issues, including:

• Decreased Blood Flow: A weakened vascular system or narrowed blood vessels hinder proper blood flow and dilation. A lack of nitric oxide, the endothelium-derived relaxing factor in our blood vessels, can cause reduced blood flow to the penis.
• Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, and Heart Disease: Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis), obesity, cardiovascular concerns, poor circulation, and prolonged periods of high blood sugar levels can affect nerve function and blood vessels necessary for an erection.
• Medications: ED can be a side-effect of common prescriptions for depression and high blood pressure. It is also associated with antihistamines and chemotherapy drugs.
• Hormone Imbalance: Low testosterone accompanied by fatigue and low libido and prostate cancer treatments may be associated with ED.
• Lifestyle: a lack of exercise, tobacco, or alcohol use can decrease physical abilities.
• Stress and Anxiety prompt the release of cortisol, a stress hormone known for constraining blood vessels.
• Other Causes: Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Peyronie’s disease (scar tissue inside the penis).

 Solution: Regaining Male Attributes

The pharmaceutical industry promotes Phosphodiesterase type-5 Inhibitors (PDE5), Sildenafil, Vardenafil, Avanafil, and Tadalafil to manage erectile dysfunction. However, it’s essential to consider the PDE5’s potential for adverse side effects, such as sudden blindness, hearing loss, Stevens-Johnson (a life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction), and melanoma. These medications are usually required before each sexual encounter. As your tolerance to PDE5s builds, they may become less effective and require higher doses more frequently, increasing the risk for adverse effects.

At Symbios, wellness is rooted in a healthy lifestyle that includes restorative sleep, essential nutrition, functional fitness, intellectual stimulation, mutually supportive relationships, spiritual connectivity, and personal beautification. By optimizing health in these seven areas, men will have a solid foundation to improve sexual health, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

A confidential health exam by an expert at Symbios can help men regain their confidence by uncovering the cause of ED. If ED treatment is recommended, Symbios has numerous options that are long-lasting, safe, and effective, including:

Pumps: Penile Vacuum

A flaccid penis can expand in combined length and girth to approximately three times in size. The penile vacuum is a non-invasive treatment that rehabilitates and restores penile function by exercising the tissue. For example, oxidation and repair occur during weightlifting as blood flow increases to active muscles. The penile vacuum method works similarly, even though most of the penis is not a muscle.

A penile pump draws blood into the sinusoids (channels for blood) by incorporating negative pressure with a vacuum seal. Male genital anatomy explains how the sinusoid cavities are designed to fill with blood during an erection and are found in the penis’s three spongy cylinders of tissue (a pair of corpora cavernosa and one corpus spongiosum). The increased blood pulled into these three main cylinders can rejuvenate the tissue and lightly stretch the tunica albuginea, the coat around the corpora cavernosa. Because the tunica albuginea is made of some of our body’s strongest fascia (connective tissue), this method is highly efficient for strengthening and expanding the penis to its full potential.

Low-Intensity Shock Wave Therapy

Low-intensity shock wave therapy is a non-invasive treatment induces a controlled microtrauma to specific sites of the penis that enables the body to trigger a natural healing response. Symbios delivers gentle ultrasonic shock waves using Duo, Alma’s state-of-the-art technology. While you feel only a gentle tapping, your body’s healing process is initiated, which causes new blood vessels to form (neovascularization). As the penile tissue heals, it experiences more vascular circulation for oxygen, blood, and essential nutrients, which results in healthier and stronger erections.

Each session lasts approximately 15 minutes. Immediate results may be experienced. However, multiple treatments are recommended over several weeks for long-term success.

P-Shot with PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is incredibly rich in platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that promote tissue repair and angiogenesis (new capillaries forming from existing blood vessels).

PRP is an autologous treatment that begins with centrifuging a small sample of the man’s blood. After a local numbing agent is applied to the penis, about 10cc of PRP is painlessly injected into the penile tissue. The stem cells in the PRP provide an excellent source of increased oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. PRP has also been shown to treat patients with Peyronie’s Disease (curvature of the penis during erections) by repairing damaged tissue from fibrous plaque and scarring of the tunica albuginea (connective tissue of the penis which surrounds the corpora cavernosa).

Priapus Toxin

Priapus toxin is a neurological blocking agent that helps relax the smooth muscle tissue that controls blood flow to the penis. By inhibiting neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, which generally acts as a vasoconstrictor, full dilation of the blood vessels can occur, increasing nitric oxide. More volume of blood to the penis results in stronger and larger erections, with 85% of males with mild cases of ED experiencing improvements for six to 24 months after the initial injection. Follow-up priapus toxin treatments will vary based on individual needs.

Priapus toxin can be used with the P-Shot (an injection of PRP into the corpora cavernosa). This combination of stem cells and Botox, a trusted neurotoxin, results in one of the most robust treatments for erectile dysfunction.

Confidence and Strength with Peak Performance

Consult with Dr. Stephen Luther to discuss which ED options can effectively help you achieve and maintain good sexual health. Symbios is committed to providing the highest level of care to ensure your peak performance because revitalizing one of the most essential male attributes provides confidence and strength inside and outside the bedroom.

Additional Sources

• Giuliano, Francois, et al. “Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Intracavernosal Botulinum Toxin as an Add-on Therapy to Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors or Prostaglandin E1 Injections for Erectile Dysfunction.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine, vol. 19, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2022, pp. 83–89, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34937674/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.10.011.
• Epifanova, Maya V., et al. “Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy for Male Sexual Dysfunction: Myth or Reality?” Sexual Medicine Reviews, vol. 8, no. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 106–113, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.02.002.
• Qazi, Melissa A, et al. “Effect of Storage Levels of Nitric Oxide Derivatives in Blood Components.” F1000Research, vol. 1, 22 Oct. 2012, p. 35, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3814924/, https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.1-35.v1. Accessed 1 July 2024.
• Ma, Ming, et al. “Current Approaches to the Diagnosis of Vascular Erectile Dysfunction.” Translational Andrology and Urology, vol. 9, no. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 709–721, https://doi.org/10.21037/tau.2020.03.10.
• Achraf, Chatar, et al. “Platelet-Rich Plasma in Patients Affected with Peyronie’s Disease.” Arab Journal of Urology, 25 Oct. 2022, pp. 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1080/2090598x.2022.2135284.
• Seizert, Curtis A. “The Neurobiology of the Male Sexual Refractory Period.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, vol. 92, Sept. 2018, pp. 350–377, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.06.011. Accessed 24 Dec. 2020.
• Yuan, Jiuhong, et al. “Vacuum Therapy in Erectile Dysfunction—Science and Clinical Evidence.” International Journal of Impotence Research, vol. 22, no. 4, 22 Apr. 2010, pp. 211–219, https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2010.4. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.