Authored by Douglas Mefford in Men’s Health 
Published on 05-10-2009

Erectile dysfunction and reduced libido can be psychologically devastating problems for men at any age and especially as they get older. While there have been many great medical advancements to deal with this problem, they generally tend to have potential side effects that can cause worse medical problems than mere impotence. There are natural methods and supplements that can be incorporated into one’s diet and lifestyle that will significantly reduce the incidences of impotence or erectile dysfunction.

Poor lifestyle choices play a major role in creating the problems in the first place. Maintaining an active lifestyle and exercise routine will keep the body in a much more fit are functional form than if one allows themselves to vegetate in front of the television for long hours every day. Along with physical exercise, one needs to keep a mental exercise routine going so as to keep the mind sharp and alert. All these things will help prevent impotence from getting a foothold on your body.

Obesity can directly affect your performance as well as your outlook on yourself. Negative feelings of one’s self-worth can have negative effects on your physical performance. Alcohol also cuts into the body’s ability to function in a fine-tuned manner. This depressant causes the blood vessels of the body to contract and shrink, this slowing down the flow of blood which is necessary for good circulation and sexual ability. By the time a person hits fifty, this can become a severe enough problem that one should either greatly limit or eliminate alcohol completely.

Adding to these common sense health plans are a few of nature’s own herbs that can fine-tune the body to its peak sexual performance levels. Ginko Biloba offers a great boost to your libido as it improves blood flow through the body and especially the brain. A daily supplement of Ginko will aid the body in its performance and the mind in its ability to maintain interest. Ginseng can also stimulate the circulation of the body’s blood and physical energies. The antioxidant properties in Vitamin C as well as its general immune system boost can also help maintain good sexual health.

Other all-natural herbal supplements that can produce the right conditions for increased and sustainable sexual health and fight the entropy of impotence and sexual dysfunction are damiana leaves, saw palmetto berries and yohimbe bark. Added to this is the ancient Chinese herb known commonly as “horny goat weed”.

Epimedium sagittatum is also known by such names as rowdy lamb herb, barrenwort and bishop’s cap. Growing naturally on forest floors, the active ingredient of horny goat weed is icariin. Proven to increase the levels of nitric oxide in the blood, icariin helps relax the smooth muscle groups. Icariin works in the same way as the synthetic sildenafil (Viagra) to inhibit the creation of phosphodiesterase, which can increase the incidence of impotence dramatically.

Regardless of age, the chances of impotence and erectile dysfunction can be decreased or eliminated with a bit of care and normal physical health maintenance. Between proper exercise and these natural supplements you should never have to worry about being let down in the pinch.