Men's Sexual Health: Let's Talk About It This Time

Friendly reminder: Minors should read this article under parental guidance.

You've probably been fooled by clickbait titles countless times

But this time, we're going to talk seriously

About two words every man fears:

Not Working

Yes, no gimmicks, no beating around the bush. Today we're going to talk about it from a scientific perspective — what exactly "not working" means and how to fix it.

Day and night

Men and their partners try every means

To avoid "not working"

For example, from leeks and oysters

To various animal penises, geoduck, and other mysterious ingredients

And various other

Delay tactics of questionable authenticity...

However, beyond these not-so-effective solutions

There's an important cold truth:

The real reason for "not working,"

may be something you've been wrong about from the "root."

And wrong assumptions lead to wrong actions

Making it hard to improve the situation

This article will break down the root causes of "not working"

For those who want to scientifically and effectively "improve"

And for their partners — read till the end!!

Is "Not Working"

Inevitable for Men?

Although both are sources of anxiety for men

The real causes of "not working"

Fall into two major categories:

One is Premature Ejaculation (PE)

Mainly characterized by a short ejaculation latency time

"Release" happens too quickly

PE has a wide age distribution

Young men can also be affected

The other is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Characterized by the inability to achieve and maintain sufficient erection

To complete satisfactory sexual intercourse

With age, ED becomes more prevalent

About 40% of men over 40 are affected

So, men of any age

Once they reach adulthood

May experience anxiety about "not working"

As for how common "not working" really is

You may have heard this saying:

Well, the truth isn't that exaggerated

It's estimated that 150 million men worldwide

Suffer from varying degrees of erectile dysfunction

The incidence of PE is even higher

Based on patient complaints

The proportion could be as high as 20-30%

But the exact number

Is hard to determine

*Both conditions are highly subjective, and statistics may vary

There's also a more unfortunate scenario: both ED and PE

Research shows

Up to half of men with PE also have ED

And one-third of men with ED also have PE

Too unfortunate.

So, a perfectly healthy man

How does he suddenly stop working?

Why, Why

Does It Stop Working?

Although ED and PE are two different conditions

They are both like

A barometer of men's physical health

An indicator of men's mental health

First, let's talk about PE~

Millions of years ago, our human ancestors

Didn't have it easy when it came to mating

Surrounded by beasts and poisonous snakes

For them, being "fast" was an advantage

Otherwise, we wouldn't exist

Image source: From the internet

But now, humans are safe

And women's sexual response cycles

Are on average a bit slower than men's

So being "fast" has become a problem

So, how "fast" should a normal guy be?

Here's a question

How long does it take on average for a man from "ready to release" to "release successful"?

Answer: B

A study of 500 couples from 5 Western countries found that the median intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) was 5.4 minutes. For men aged 18-30, it was 6.5 minutes, and for those over 50, it was 4.3 minutes.

So guys, be more confident

Ladies, this is not an excuse for men

Note: duration of sex ≠ duration of intercourse

A satisfying sexual encounter

Cannot be measured by just these few minutes

However, if love always comes too "fast"

You can't control it

And it leaves you and your partner unsatisfied

Then consider visiting a doctor about PE

Image source: From the internet

Some cases of PE are organic

But research is still not entirely clear

Long foreskin, genital inflammation, prostate issues

Are all thought to be potentially related to PE

But circumcision doesn't help with PE

There's also a large portion of PE

Where no physical cause can be found

High life stress, anxiety, depression

Mental tension during "the drive"

Relationship conflicts, and other psychological factors

Are all important causes of PE

Regarding the concern that masturbation causes PE

There is no scientific evidence for this

Moderate frequency (twice a week), and not too rough

Excessive worry about "self-pleasure" can create anxiety

That affects normal sexual life

Now, let's talk about ED~

The penis can become erect

Because the corpora cavernosa fill with blood

This process requires nerves, blood flow, and hormones working together

Any breakdown in the chain can lead to ED

"Feeling not hard enough" is a very common anxiety

So, how hard should a normal guy be?

Here's a question

During "connection," how hard should a man's penis be?

Answer: C, B is barely acceptable.

If you can never achieve adequate hardness

Or can achieve it but not sustain it long enough

Leading to dissatisfaction for you and your partner

Then consider visiting a doctor about ED

Image source: From the internet

There are many more possible causes of ED

This basically covers

Various unhealthy lifestyle habits in men

And psychological disorders

Some research points out that ED may

Be a precursor to many chronic cardiovascular diseases

ED appears earlier than ischemic heart disease

By 53.4 months (over four years)

Additionally, testosterone deficiency caused by various endocrine diseases

And pelvic trauma or surgery

Can also cause physical erectile dysfunction

Due to the many causes

ED has also become a kind of

Mystery

Many people's issues are predominantly psychological

So eating oysters and leeks

Becomes a "faith heals" placebo effect

Image source: From the internet

Although useless

If it helps you build psychological confidence

Then it doesn't harm anything

However, no wild animals can "boost potency"

The effects are all marketing hype

Eating them won't make you "work," it'll only get you "in trouble"

I urge all men: please do not try these

How to Scientifically

Save "Not Working"?

Now that you understand

ED and PE

Are both

Barometers and indicators of men's physical and mental health

Then throw away all folk remedies

From now on, seriously start:

Lose weight, exercise more

Research shows that exercise equivalent to about three hours of jogging per week can significantly improve sexual function.

Quit smoking

Studies have proven that long-term smoking can easily lead to ED.

Real men dare to face the challenge of quitting smoking.

Address sleep disorders

Especially sleep problems caused by sleep apnea.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself

Stress, depression, and emotional issues can all affect sexual life.

Build chemistry with your partner

If you have a partner, male sexual dysfunction is not a one-person battle. Some psychological and behavioral training requires both partners to participate.

See a doctor, choose reliable medication

There's nothing shameful about seeking medical help for male sexual dysfunction — it's actually a shortcut to solving the problem. Today, medical interventions can effectively improve both ED and PE.

Besides the famous "little blue pill," there are now more medication options for treating ED, and the clinical efficacy rate of oral medications can reach 70-80%.

For PE, there are also SSRI medications (such as dapoxetine), topical anesthetics, and behavioral therapies — all proven effective in clinical practice.

However, it's advised not to listen to those shady hospital advertisements and casually undergo "PE surgery."

Men's anxieties are always about not lasting long enough, not being hard enough, not being energetic enough. A reminder: don't compare yourself with "actors."

For women, "mechanical performance" may not be that important. What many women actually want more is atmosphere, feeling, emotional connection, chemistry, and pleasure.

Resolving sexual dysfunction and relieving related anxiety is just the first step toward "harmony." Partners also need more communication and less disdain, working together to build an ideal relationship.

If you have good bros, you can share this article with them to compare, and together become "capable men" through science.

Collaborating expert for this article

Pehe Liang, Chief Physician, Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University

Reviewing expert for this article

Shiyu Tong, Attending Physician, Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University

Planning: ZYing | Executive Producer: Feidi

Illustration: Sam | Cover Image Source: Sam

References:

[1]Kalsi J, Muneer A. Erectile dysfunction–an update of current practice and future strategies[J]. Journal of Clinical Urology, 2013, 6(4): 210-219.

[2]Zhang Qingjiang, Zhu Jichuan, Xu Qingquan, et al. Epidemiological survey of erectile function in 2226 men from three cities[J]. Chinese Journal of Andrology, 2003, 17(3): 191-193.

[3]Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Comorbid Premature Ejaculation and Erectile Dysfunction

[4]Waldinger MD, Quinn P, Dilleen M, Mundayat R, Schweitzer DH, Boolell M (2005). "A multinational population survey of intravaginal ejaculation latency time". Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2 (4): 492–7.

[5]Esposito K, Giugliano F, Di Palo C, et al. Effect of lifestyle changes on erectile dysfunction in obese men: a randomized controlled trial[J]. Jama, 2004, 291(24): 2978-2984.

[6]Simon R M, Howard L, Zapata D, et al. The association of exercise with both erectile and sexual function in black and white men[J]. The journal of sexual medicine, 2015, 12(5): 1202-1210.

[7]Wu C, Zhang H, Gao Y, et al. The association of smoking and erectile dysfunction: results from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES)[J]. Journal of andrology, 2012, 33(1): 59-65.

[8]Pourmand G, Alidaee M R, Rasuli S, et al. Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?: a prospective study[J]. BJU international, 2004, 94(9): 1310-1313.

[9]Budweiser S, Luigart R, Jörres R A, et al. Long‐term changes of sexual function in men with obstructive sleep apnea after initiation of continuous positive airway pressure[J]. The journal of sexual medicine, 2013, 10(2): 524-531.

[10]Liu Q, Zhang Y, Wang J, et al. Erectile dysfunction and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis[J]. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2018, 15(8): 1073-1082.

[11]https://www.uptodate.com/contents/zh-Hans/treatment-of-male-sexual-dysfunction?search=%E5%8B%83%E8%B5%B7%E5%8A%9F%E8%83%BD%E9%9A%9C%E7%A2%8D&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2#H408493675