{"id":6153,"date":"2021-01-11T23:59:56","date_gmt":"2021-01-11T23:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/?p=6153"},"modified":"2024-04-11T02:31:43","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T02:31:43","slug":"can-high-cholesterol-cause-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/can-high-cholesterol-cause-ed\/","title":{"rendered":"Does High Cholesterol Cause Erectile Dysfunction?"},"content":{"rendered":"
An underlying condition that increases the risk of erectile dysfunction is high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a lipid or \u201cfat-like\u201d substance that resides in the cells of an individual\u2019s body. Cholesterol is carried through an individual\u2019s blood along with proteins. There are 2 types of cholesterol: LDL cholesterol is known as \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol; this type of cholesterol can obstruct the walls within the arteries due to development of excess fatty deposits within the blood vessels. HDL cholesterol is known as \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol; HDL takes excess cholesterol and delivers the excess back into the liver. High cholesterol and <\/span>low HDL cholesterol <\/span>can contribute to adverse medical conditions such as heart disease which increases the risk of erectile dysfunction. High cholesterol can affect blood flow within the body which increases the likelihood of erectile dysfunction. Before we dive more into the correlation between high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction let\u2019s talk about how erections work.<\/span><\/p>\n During an erection, chemicals are released (such as nitric oxide) causing the arteries within the penis (corpora cavernosa) to relax resulting in the corpora cavernosa to be filled with blood. This allows the penis to become stiff as well as elongated.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n High cholesterol impairs blood flow, narrows vessels, and contributes to a higher risk for erectile dysfunction. In addition research articles such as <\/span>Hypercholesterolemia-induced erectile dysfunction\u2026 <\/span>recognizes that high cholesterol not only increases the risk of erectile dysfunction but also that high cholesterol can induce erectile dysfunction through the increase of oxidative stress, alteration of smooth muscle cell function, and reduction of nitric oxide signaling (US National Library of Medicine, Musicki, et. al). This reveals that high cholesterol causes a reduction in nitric oxide production. The activity to properly release nitric oxide within the bloodstream is needed in order to maintain an erection as the relaxation of penile tissues causes erectile engorgement. In addition, research indicates that high cholesterol causes the impairment of endothelial cells which is attributed to oxidative stress within the corpus cavernosum and can progress erectile dysfunction. The higher an individual\u2019s LDL levels as well as cholesterol are, the more likely it is that they will develop erection dysfunction and in severe cases, can lead to impotence.<\/span><\/p>\n The build-up of high levels of LDL cholesterol within the arteries can narrow blood vessels. High cholesterol can result in atherosclerosis (blood vessels that are not able to dilate properly) and a high density buildup of fats within the penile vasculature which can restrict blood flow. High cholesterol resulting in the build-up of cholesterol plaque is one of the leading causes of <\/span>vasculogenic <\/span>erectile dysfunction. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis as well as the build-up of cholesterol involves plaque propagation, which can result in plaque rupture and the impediment of blood flow (US National Library of Medicine, Roy, et. al). The inadequate circulation of <\/span>blood as well as the narrowing of arteries is a result of arterial plaque or the accumulation of fatty deposits caused by high cholesterol.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n High cholesterol can lead to other physical health conditions that can further progress erectile dysfunction. High cholesterol increases the risk of obesity, and heart disease which are <\/span>correlated <\/span>with the progression of erectile dysfunction and further increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.<\/span><\/p>\n In general, high cholesterol leads to:<\/span><\/p>\n This in turn increases the risk of:<\/span><\/p>\n This is <\/span>in addition <\/span>to the correlation between high cholesterol and the risk of erectile dysfunction.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about reducing bad cholesterol!<\/span><\/p>\n Changing your diet can reduce cholesterol<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. Increasing physical activity and exercising<\/span><\/p>\n Exercising can help raise HDL (good) cholesterol<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Incorporate at minimum 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week Ways to incorporate daily exercise:<\/span><\/p>\n A research study facilitated by Harvard found that just 30 minutes of walking a day was linked to To stay motivated, find an exercise buddy or join a group!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3. Quit smoking<\/span><\/p>\n Quitting smoking improves HDL (good) cholesterol levels<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n 4. Engaging in weight loss<\/span><\/p>\n Engaging in weight loss – exercise and intake\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n 5. Alcohol in moderation<\/span><\/p>\n Alcohol in moderation \u2014 research indicates that moderate consumption can raise HDL (good) cholesterol<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n 6. Statins as a treatment option<\/span><\/p>\n Statins are prescribed by physicians to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n All of the small changes add up! It\u2019s important to take a <\/span>multi-faceted <\/span>approach in the reduction of high levels of cholesterol.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s important to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. A healthy cholesterol level depends on your level of HDL (good) cholesterol ratio with your level of LDL (bad) cholesterol. It\u2019s essential to take into account risk factors for heart disease, age, activity and current health conditions when considering your healthy cholesterol level.<\/span><\/p>\n Healthy life-style changes for the <\/span>prevention <\/span>of high cholesterol can include:<\/span><\/p>\n Boston Medical Group Telemedicine offers a comprehensive set of treatment options for patients with erectile dysfunction stemming from high cholesterol. Boston Medical Group Telemedicine offers treatment options that <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Reality An underlying condition that increases the risk of erectile dysfunction is high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a lipid or \u201cfat-like\u201d substance that resides in the cells of an individual\u2019s body. Cholesterol is carried through an individual\u2019s blood along with proteins. There are 2 types of cholesterol: LDL (low density lipoprotein) And HDL (high density […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Understanding Erectile Dysfunction and High Cholesterol in Men | Boston Medical Group","_seopress_titles_desc":"Discover the link between high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction in men. Learn how managing cholesterol levels can improve sexual health. Explore expert insights from Boston Medical Group.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6153"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10451,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153\/revisions\/10451"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bostonmedicalgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\nLDL (low density lipoprotein)
\nAnd
\nHDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nHow are Cholesterol and Erectile Dysfunction Related?<\/span><\/h2>\n
High Cholesterol and Blood Flow<\/span><\/h2>\n
The Effects of Cholesterol<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
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Reversing Bad Cholesterol<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\nOr
\nEngage in vigorous aerobic activities for 20 minutes 3 times a week.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\na 41% drop in risk for erectile dysfunction. <\/span>(health.harvard.edu)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
How Can You Prevent High Cholesterol?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\nwon\u2019t interfere with current lipid lowering medications our physicians recommend the best course of treatment for erectile dysfunction after a comprehensive assessment. Give us a call and we can help you set up an appointment today!<\/span><\/p>\nThis Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional\u00a0<\/span>medical<\/span>\u00a0advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span>\u00a0provider with any questions you may have regarding a\u00a0<\/span>medical<\/span>\u00a0condition.<\/span><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"