So what are the typical causes of erectile dysfunction?

Studies reveal that the main cause is an interruption in blood circulation to the penis, because that's exactly how an erection happens, through an engorgement of blood in that area. Poor nutrition is often the main cause. Things like caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and foods that are high in carbohydrates and the wrong kinds of fats can help cause it. Of course, there are always psychological factors to consider as well. If a man is in an unhappy relationship, that can cause it; as well as anxiety. Once a man begins to have the problem of erectile dysfunction, he will almost immediately will worry the next time he goes to have sex and this can interfere with an erection. This 'snowball' effect is where a psychological component comes in very strongly.

And of course, erectile dysfunction can happen at any age. However, it's certainly more prevalent as age increases, as are all kinds of degenerative illness specifically related to decreased circulation. And testosterone levels decrease with age, which can also add to the problem.

Viagra is tremendously successful at combating this problem, and it is one of the most widely sold drugs in the history of medicine. It absolutely has been very effective, but the problem is that it also has serious side effects: over 700 men have died while using Viagra in the U.S. alone. There are also less severe side effects besides death from taking Viagra; they include a blue discoloration in front of the field of vision after taking it, digestive disturbances, headaches and other problems.

Another problem is that Viagra is quite costly. It costs about $10 a pill, if you get it through your physician. People sometimes pay a lot more for it if they're just buying it on line or through other available distribution venues.

And, of course, there are those trying Viagra as a sex enhancer even if they don't have erectile dysfunction. As its literature points out, although Viagra can intensify performance, it can only be effective if the erectile dysfunction is due to neurological factors rather than emotional or psychological factors. So it will not increase the response of a man who doesn't have circulation problems. In other words, Viagra is not truly an aphrodisiac which might increase sexual response -- it's merely an enhancer of circulation.

Lastly, Viagra can sometimes cause a sustained erection in some men. In some people that can be a problem, but it's not normally considered a major side effect of Viagra.

Natural medicine differs in its approach to treatment of erectile dysfunction in the same way that it differs in its approach to treating any illness: rather than looking at the particular effected part of the body, natural or holistic medicine looks at what is wrong with the whole person. Its three-pronged approach, in a nutshell:

1.) The emotional and spiritual life, which is the most important consideration in any illness.

2.) Diet and lifestyle choices.

3.) Exercise.

If men experiencing erectile dysfunction want to start a program to reverse it, they should first look at what is going on with their relationships. They should look at social and psychological issues involved in the relationship. Number two is looking at the diet. An organic diet is of utmost importance because any food coated with pesticides and toxic chemicals, in particular, hormones, such as bovine growth hormones which are found in non-organic dairy products, will cause the accumulation in the body of different kinds of xenoestrogens, which is a problem because that can interfere with proper testosterone levels in men. Another issue with non-organic food is bioengineering. Many foods on the market now are bioengineered, and we do not yet know the overall health effects of those foods. So, choosing organic is important.

Mind you, an occasional steak or a non-organic dairy product now and again won't "kill your little German soldier"; but a constant diet of bio-engineered red meat is much more likely to keep him from 'following orders' -- and we all know there's nothing more disheartening than a German soldier who won't follow orders ;) . . .

Men also have to worry about all hydrogenated oils. You need to read those nutrition labels to find these babies. They're in every baked good such as cakes and bagels and cookies. They are also in all fried foods and fast foods. These kinds of fats, the same ones that lead to obesity as well as high LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein which is the 'bad cholesterol'), these same kinds of fats will tend to clog up the circulatory pathway that interferes with the erection, just like it causes blockages in arteries to the heart causing cardiovascular illness. The trick is to decrease the bad fats in your diet, either totally eliminating them or at least decreasing them to a minimum, and increasing the 'good fats', which have the opposite effect on the cardiovascular system. Good fats include omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in cold water fish such as salmon.

So, along with your occasional meats and etc., try to have a balanced diet that's very high in vegetables including kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, romaine lettuce and other greens. Also try organic whole grains such as brown rice, as well as organic protein sources such as pumpkin seeds, which are very high in zinc (especially healthy for men) and soy products such as tofu. These will help increase overall wellness, decrease the fatty deposition that can block the arteries and veins leading to the male organs.

In particular, yoga and tai chi -- as well as other forms of stretching or cardiovascular exercise leading to a better tone of the body -- are important. This needs to be done on a daily basis, not once a week, not on a 'weekend warrior schedule'. This is how a 'natural' program first tries to reverse erectile dysfunction, by looking at the emotional/psychological factors, the diet and the amount of exercise.

The sooner you start this approach in your life, the more likely you are to not get the problem. The same program will help to prevent cancer, heart disease, arthritis -- all things considering, it's a win-win situation.

Herbs You Can Use

Of course holistic medicine has specific herbs and other nutrients that can be very helpful for this problem, if a change in diet and exercise just isn't enough.

One such herb is Arginine; it is often used in clinical practice for couples who are infertile. Not only does this help with impotence, it also increases the quality of sperm. It's not unusual these days to look at sperm under the microscope and see malformed sperm cells. Very often the tails are either broken off or aren't strong enough to create that tadpole-like swimming motion that we see in healthy sperm. More and more research is pointing to toxic chemicals in the environment, including pesticides, as the primary cause of these problems.

Again, we can combat this by increasing our use of organic foods, which is what makes organic supplements like arginine such a good choice. Also, arginine has a lot of research to back up the claims. For instance, in the Journal of Urology, a study was published in 1997 supporting the use of arginine for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Arginine is an amino acid that is quite safe, and also increases the level of nitric oxide; this makes it similar to Viagra in the effect it produces on the system, while being much less dangerous.

That's not to say there isn't a down side to arginine. If you have a problem with viruses, like herpes, you wouldn't want to take arginine during a breakout; arginine can increase the reproduction of viruses, just like it can increase our own reproduction. One way to offset that side effect is to use another amino acid along with the arginine: L-Lysine. This will offset the viral-enhancing effect of arginine. Not bad, but who wants to descend into adding supplements to supplements? That kind of mixing is of course precisely the thing that makes standard drugs like Viagra a bit more dangerous in the first place.

And then there is damiana, also known as 'ram goat dash along'. Damiana is a very interesting herb from Mexico. It's interesting to note that its genus and species Latin name is turnera aphrodisiaca, which tells us that it has been known for at least hundreds of years as an aphrodisiac. It's a good tonic for the kidneys and urogenital system as well as the reproductive organs. It may stimulate the production of testosterone. It's also good for infertility because it helps improve the quality of the sperm. It's also a mild antidepressant.

And there is the famous Ginkgo biloba, which gets its name from the two-lobed leaf of the tree from which its derived. This herb is known for its ability to increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain. It was actually written up in the Journal of the American Medical Association, due to its ability to enhance memory and increase mental abilities. However, when it has been tested, both for increasing mental ability and also as a mild antidepressant, men reported that as a good side effect, they also found a vast improvement in their sexual function.

The reason for this is that Ginkgo biloba helps to improve blood flow to all the very small vasculature throughout the body. It's also good for improving circulation in diabetics who tend to get neuropathy. It can help increase circulation to the hands and feet and certainly to the penis. So if the erectile dysfunction is due to a circulatory problem, Ginkgo biloba can also be very helpful.

Muira puama is another herb that may be very helpful in this area. This is an herb from Brazil and the Amazon; it has been used there as an aphrodisiac for thousands of years. It's called by several other nicknames, such as 'potency wood'. And it is being sold throughout both Brazil and the US. One herbalist from the Amazon said it makes you feel like a young man again. Now there isn't as much scientific study of Muira puama, but there is as yet no known negative side effects. In the few tests that have been done in a clinical setting, Muira puama had very, very good results. Like Ginkgo biloba, it seems to simply increase a man's overall circulation.

And then there is my personal favorite, the mighty yohimbe . . .

Yohimbe is extremely interesting because it is one herb that actually has been used as a drug. In fact, your regular doctor can prescribe yohimbe for you; the names of the prescription include Yohimex, Yocon, and Actibine -- although it is available without a prescription, usually as an herbal extract which can be found in any health food store.

Yohimbe is a very, very potent sex enhancer. Most men will notice an effect after taking yohimbe right away, within a half hour. It's one herb to use right before sex; you might also use ginseng this way. Now, yohimbe does influence the central nervous system and is a stimulant. It's also increasing blood flow to the vessels of the penis, which, as we're starting to see, is important for most sexual stimulants. Of all the herbs we've discussed, yohimbe is probably most potent and works most quickly.

However (there's always an "however"), another thing to know about yohimbe is that it can produce side effects, some of which can be rather serious in certain people. These include insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, and irritability. In fact, you should know that yohimbe extracts have been used to purposefully cause anxiety in experiments where the goal was to test anti-anxiety drugs. So, if you take it and begin experiencing anxiety attacks, or if you are already prone to such attacks, then you probably shouldn't use it.

Having said that, yohimbe has the benefit of being very well researched. There's an article in the February 1998 issue of the Journal of Urology if you'd like to see more scientific evidence about the efficacy of yohimbe.

So does most of the male sexual function hinge on good circulation?

Absolutely yes. As we know, women can have sex even if they're not really excited or into it. But of course, men normally can't. It is important for both in terms of sexual function, but even more important for men because sometimes the spirit can be willing but the body is not. This is of course the basis for the success of Viagra. It works because it releases nitric oxide, which is an irritant which causes blood vessels to open allowing more blood to flow in.

That doesn't mean there aren't herbs that may help those with problems other than circulation . . .

There is of course an herb from China that might do the trick for such people: horny goat weed. Very interesting name, don't you think? This plant is of the epimedium family and its use as a Chinese herb dates back to at least 200 BC. This plant is actually responsible for many different kinds of sex-enhancing effects. It increases production of sperm and also increases the level of testosterone, which of course is the male hormone linked to sex drive; among other things testosterone stimulates the section of the brain having to do with love and lust, and is also responsible for secondary sex characteristics in men. So, horny goat weed is a potent weapon indeed.

And finally, there's kava kava (Piper methysticum). Kava kava is well known now in the US. Kava kava is an herb most often used as an anti-anxiety treatment, and mainstream medical studies have verified its efficacy for use as an anti-anxiety herb; this may help those of us whose dysfunction is more of a psychological than a physical factor. It possesses the added benefit of producing a very low level of side effects. Kava kava is used in areas of the world such as Tahiti and Hawaii as a socialization herb. They use it in the evening at gatherings, as well as during business meetings. Simply put, it puts people in a good, relaxed mood.

Now, large doses of kava kava might not be good in terms of aiding an erection; but for the anxious man, it could be an excellent aid in small doses -- some men with this or that anxiety are known to get excellent results due to this herb's good calming and mood-inducing abilities.

These natural remedies are much more widely available than Viagra. Every decent health food store will carry all of these as basic items. If you prefer capsules, there is Nature's Way, a well-known established herb company. Many of these herbs are even available in combination products, if you'd wish to try that route. But be sure to read the sections on the bottle that say "other ingredients", because you want something that doesn't have colorings, colors, fillers and other things you don't want to take.

Note: It should go without saying, but consult with your physician before dashing off to take any of these remedies. Remember though, most Western doctors are still not trained in the use of herbs for medicinal purposes. So you may want to seek out a reputable doctor who IS trained in holistic medicine -- an easier task than it used to be, now that the West is slowly admitting that there are at least some true benefits to be found in medicine that has the apparent 'misfortune' of not coming from a European people.

Look for a naturopathic doctor that's an N.D. They've studied herbal medicine and, in particular, botanical pharmacology for many years, and are in an educated position to decide if an herbal remedy is right for you. There are also many chiropractors and osteopaths and some MDs who have now trained themselves in the proper use of natural medicine. The American Holistic Medical Association has lists of doctors. Another source is ACAM (American College for Advancement in Medicine) which has lists of MDs who are training or trained in natural medicine. Besides, if you're already taking various kinds of drugs, it could interfere with the safety and effectiveness of an herbal remedy.

But you should certainly share with your doctor that you intend to use these natural remedies. Like any drug, many do have side effects, so it's always best to be careful.