Impotence: physical activity reduces risk in men – 01/21/2023 – Equilibrium

Climbing stairs, doing household chores, walking the dog, playing with the children and other habits that help keep the body active can prevent the risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) by up to 20%, according to a national study that analyzed data from 20,789 Brazilian men with a mean age of 49 years.

Considered the largest sample of its kind ever carried out in Latin America, the work showed that regular physical activity, even at low levels, is a strong protective factor for the difficulty of keeping the penis erect during sexual intercourse.

The researchers say the practice is so positive that, “regardless of age and comorbidities”, men “should be strongly encouraged in the treatment and prevention of this condition.”

The researcher at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in the area of ​​aging sciences, Rafael Mathias Pitta, one of the authors of the survey, says that the discovery applies to any body movement that increases caloric expenditure when compared to rest.

This means that sports or physical exercise can be an option, but it is not the only way out. for those who want to maintain sexual health. Continuous occupational, leisure, commuting and domestic movements, with minimum blocks of 10 minutes, can also contribute to this objective.

The recommended frequency is 150 minutes a week, which means about 30 minutes a day. It has been observed, however, that even a smaller volume also provides protection.

“This minimal activity accumulated in the week is already enough to prevent the first manifestation of clinical endothelial damage present in the cardiovascular risk of adult and elderly men. Therefore, changing small daily habits can be important and interesting strategies in the prevention of this and other diseases chronicles”, says the researcher.

The research, which had several collaborators, was coordinated by Pitta and Nelson Wolosker from the database of male patients who underwent a screening check-up between January 2008 and December 2018 at the Preventive Medicine Center of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein .

Reports on erectile dysfunction, levels of physical activity, clinical profile and laboratory tests were evaluated.

The results of the article “The association between physical activity and erectile dysfunction: A cross-sectional study in 20,789 Brazilian men” were published in the Italian journal of science and medicine Plos One in November.

Among participants, 17.2% reported mild to severe erectile dysfunction. In laboratory analyses, the condition was associated with cardiovascular risks. Variables such as age, diabetes, hypertension, BMI (body mass index) and urinary tract symptoms were also risk factors in the development of the problem.

“The positive effect of physical activity is based not only on the control of classic cardiovascular risk factors, such as weight and cholesterol levels, but also on the increase in the systemic bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) derived from the endothelium, improving insulin sensitivity, which is also an important vascular factor”, points out Pitta.

The researcher indicates that physical activity stimulates the release of NO, decreasing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing testosterone levels.

“In addition, it acts as an adjuvant tool in lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation, improvement in depressive symptoms, perceived stress, diet and, consequently, weight control”, points out the educator.

For urologist Carlos Teodósio Da Ros, physician at the Andrology Outpatient Clinic of Hospital São Lucas da PUC-RS (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul), this type of study is important for generating national data on erectile dysfunction, corroborating the knowledge on the subject and allowing local public health actions.

“It shows our data, here in Brazil, and not from other populations”, he points out.

The doctor also says that, since the 90s, the international literature indicates that at least half of men over 40 years of age have some degree of erectile dysfunction. “First, it was realized that all risk factors for cardiovascular disease were also risk factors for erectile dysfunction”, says the urologist.

Overweight, obesity and sedentary lifestyle also proved to be villains. “Physical activity, as an isolated factor, is related to the proper functioning of the erection mechanism. That is, sedentary patients have more impotence than those who do regular exercises, and sedentary people who adopt a physical activity can recover the quality of erections” , reinforces Da Ros.