Sometimes, the early signs of a disease might not be obvious — but that doesn’t mean your body isn’t sending you warnings.
It may come as a surpise, but recent research suggests that erectile dysfunction can actually be an early sign of cardiovascular disease. While there are many causes of ED, the majority of cases are related to organic vascular issues. If that’s the cause of your problems, ED could be just the tip of the iceberg. Research suggests that ED could be a warning from your body that you’re three to five years away from a cardiovascular event.
The connection? It’s all about blood flow. Erectile dysfunction is predominantly of vascular origin and shares common risk factors with cardiovascular disease. There is growing evidence suggesting that erectile dysfunction could be a sentinel event for cardiovascular disease and not just for a “quality of life” evaluation.
According to cardiologist Danielle Belardo, “the same risk factors that cause plaque build up in the blood vessels in your heart are the same risk factors that cause plaque build up in the blood vessels that provide blood flow all over your body.”
Because of this connection, making some lifestyle changes that could make a big difference in improving blood flow and overall health. Some of these are:
- Obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight is key.
- Improving the quality of your diet, i.e. eating more fruits and vegetables and less saturated fats.
- Incorporating exercise and/or forms of movement into your daily routine.
- Stopping tobacco use.
Modifications of the reversible causes or risk factors remain the first and best approach toward improving endothelial function. (Your endothelium is a single layer of cells that line your blood vessels and help them contract and relax.)
If you’re suffering from ED, it’s also important to get yourself checked out by your doctor, do a full workup, and go from there.
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