What men should know about sexual enhancement products

Men experiencing sexual difficulties have been cautioned against relying on bitters and other sexual enhancement products without first finding out what may be causing the problem.

According to the Medical Director of Solis Hospital, Dr Ebow Daniels, some of the products marketed to improve sexual performance may contain pharmaceutical drugs which could pose risks to users who are unaware of their contents or dosage.

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Speaking recently on Channel One TV, he said erectile dysfunction can have several causes, including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, psychological factors and stress.

Dr Daniels explained that diabetes, for instance, can affect the nerves responsible for sensation and sexual function.

“When you have diabetes, because the nerves are not going to work properly, you will not even feel any sensation. The brain may send a signal but because the nerves are not working, you don't feel it,” he said.

He therefore cautioned men against simply taking a drug or herbal preparation whenever they experience erectile dysfunction without determining the cause.

“Just going to take bitters or a drug when you don't know the cause of your problem will not solve it,” he said.

According to Dr Daniels, the problem may sometimes be psychological, particularly where a man places excessive pressure on himself to perform sexually.

“It could even be psychological. You are trying to over impress and then you underperform,” he said.

He added that stress could also affect sexual performance, even when there is no underlying physical illness.

Dr Daniels also raised concerns about the practice of incorporating orthodox medicines into some sexual enhancement concoctions.

“Viagra is one of the commonest medications that you find in most of these concoctions they sell. They buy high volumes of Viagra, crush it and put it inside something,” he said.

He warned that such products could be particularly risky for people who already have cardiovascular problems.

“Viagra can let your blood pressure go up. It can let you have palpitations. So, it can affect your heart,” he said.

Dr Daniels said the concern could be greater for people with existing cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

“So, if you've got somebody who's already having cardiovascular issues, your blood pressure is up, your cholesterol is up and then your sugar is up,” he said.

He also cautioned men against turning to excessive alcohol consumption to address sexual difficulties.

“If you take too much alcohol, it will actually depress you,” he said.

Dr Daniels stressed that his warning was not meant to discourage men from seeking treatment for sexual problems.

“We are not saying that don't seek a cure for your condition,” he said.

Rather, he advised men to seek appropriate medical attention to establish the cause before resorting to different medications or concoctions.

Dr Daniels said men should seek medical attention when erectile dysfunction persists beyond a short or temporary period.

He explained that when the problem continues for weeks or months, it may indicate that an underlying issue needs to be investigated.

“So, if it's not something that is transient or a very short period, then it becomes chronic from weeks to months. It means that whatever is causing it might not be psychological,” he said.

He also noted that men should consider whether the problem occurs consistently or is linked to a particular sexual partner.

According to him, men who continue to experience erectile dysfunction despite taking different concoctions should stop experimenting with such products and seek medical attention.

“If you realise that even after taking all your concoctions still nothing is happening, it means that you have to seek medical attention,” he added.

JKB/BAI

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