I have read that improving cardio-vascular health will improve sexual performance (ED issues). I am over 50 and smoke and would benefit from regular exercise and a better diet.

Good Lord, michael_z971,

PLEASE stop smoking! I BEG YOU - PLEASE. Here's why: The first evidence of ED in a smoker is a sign of cardiovascular issues. I don't have the exact mathematical formula at hand, but a first stroke or heart attack can be predicted just by using ED as an indicator in a male diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Met syndrome is the unholy triad of male health issues - ED, abdominal obesity, the beginnings of diabetes II - it's not something to toy with. In addition, andropause contributes to all this by lowering your levels of IGF in your body and thereby lowering your capacity to turn energy into muscle - it just goes straight to fat.

Sexual performance is the least of your problems - we're talking about YOUR LIFESPAN here. If you're smoking, you will die a premature death. As to how premature, it's anyone's guess. Various calculations have been presented, e.g. 8 years - that's a long time you could be doing something fun and productive with your life.

YOU MUST STOP SMOKING. YOU MUST. There are so many smoking cessation aids out there - pills, patches, behavioral support - PLEASE, just do it.

Just an aside - in my study which will be forthcoming in Jan-Feb 2010, it shows that the third most disappointing characteristic in  providers, according to 584 TER hobbyists who completed my survey, is a provider who smokes. This was perceived more negatively than a provider's weight issues! Smoking has gone from being really cool to being a real negative in this world, mainly because it truly KILLS.

Please contact your primary health care provider and request help. I really mean it!

Quit, quit, quit,
The Love Goddess

OK we know the cause but can we fix it? I don't smoke never have but I do have Hypertension, diabetes and ED. The doctor's fix is drugs. Been there now and have determined the cure is as bad as the problem. Many drugs cause ED. So my goal is to holistically ween myself off this shit. The question is can the damage be fixed? Ok I loose weight and watch what I eat. All indications say I can ween of the diabetes drugs. Also Loose weight exercise and again watch what I eat say I can kick the blood pressure meds. So now that I am drug free will performance return?. If your arteries are clogged can it be reversed?

I am not a physician, ImReadyRU,

And my advice should not be taken as a treatment protocol. So far, the only program making claims of reversing atherosclerosis is the Ornish diet. Yes, as in Dean Ornish, who puts his patients on a basic vegetarian, no-animal fat diet. Ornish has written lots of books and is a known entity. Look him up and see what you think.

I would say this: It's not about only losing weight, it's about a complete change of lifestyle. As evidence, I offer The Saint (the one who's married to LG). He reduced his BP to LOW, he lost 20 lbs (he's 6ft and 173 lbs and still losing) and his ticker has been declared A-OK. What did he have to do?

His diet is 100% macrobiotic. This means no dairy, no flour, no sugar, no meats except an occasional piece of fish. No fried foods, lots of pre- and probiotics. No alcohol, no cig's and no other drugs. One cup of coffee daily. He cross-trains in a gym 2 hours a day, 6 times weekly, goes to bed at 11pm every night and has regular sex . He stays away from stressful situations (except when the stock market goes berserk, then he frets).

He is on a daily small dose of: growth hormones, transdermal testosterone/progesterone, fish oil pills, resveratrol, alpha lipoic acid, multi-vitamins, and red yeast rice (instead of chemical cholesterol meds). With all this, he has reversed his andropause, no longer takes any BP meds and has no increased atherosclerosis. He did a heart scan which showed mild narrowing of two arteries but they are stable and nothing more adverse has been found.

Is this a tough program? Maybe, but it works. Again, watching what you eat is not enough. You need to espouse the Walford paradigm, which indicates that severe calorie restriction increases your lifespan. It's a whole lifestyle change and you will need to be committed. If your wife or SO is not on board, the situation will surely be complicated. I offer myself as evidence - I'm the diet fascist in the family and I keep the program going like a Swiss watch. I'm on excactly the same program (5'7 and weigh 113 lbs.)

At our age (we are 52 and 55) it takes COMMITMENT to a RADICAL CHANGE. Think radical - it's the only way it'll really work.

Sermon of the day,
The Love Goddess

part at age 55!  Way to go LG!  I guess I'd be willing to suck back some probiotics and give up all the other things I loved if i had a wife that was a slender hottie and we still had an active sex life at an age when many don't.

Actually, I do take the anti-oxidants you mentioned and few more you didn't, but I haven't done the radical diet part.

Fortunately, I've never smoked a cigarette in my life and have gone from a very light social drinker to pretty much a non-drinker for the last 10 years.  Now, if I could just get rid of job stress and find a GF that had your dimensions I'd be just fine.  LOL!

...the spelling error in the OP and not continuing it.  I wish more posters would do that.  Hmm, maybe I should've used my 'AnalRetentivePapasan' alias.

I met with a provider who I thought would be awesome, then she said I couldn't do DATY or even kiss her because I smoked.  That was enough to make me quit.  I liked smoking, but not as much as i love DATY

Now if only the Govt. would provide vouchers for smokers to see providers on the condition that they quit.

I call that a win/win.

I can give you my experience as a smoker / ex smoker / once again smoker.

Smoked heavy for 20 plus years. ED problems to be sure. Didn't notice anything else until I was well into a 6 year quit (without a single smoke). Not only did the equipment start working again (weight loss and exercise were contributors too I'm sure), but my sensativity was way up. Never knew I lost it until I got it back. Sex was much better.

Started up smoking again about 6 months ago. Back on ED meds, and sensativity is greatly reduced. Sex is nowhere near as much fun.

Am putting myself in the right frame of mind to quit here very soon now that major life stresses have recently subsided.

Best thing you (and I) can do for ourselves is quit. It will take some time to notice the changes, but I can virtually promise you they will come, and will be for the better.