Drugs that may cause impotence

It’s all about the pill. What medications spoil your intimate life?

This is possible, and there are many medications with a similar side effect – they include not only drugs for hypertension and many other diseases. There are potency “saboteurs” among the usual painkillers and anti-allergic drugs sold in the drug stores freely and without prescription. There are many drugs with similar effect among antidepressants and medicines used in the treatment of neurological diseases. 

What to do if the drug spoils the romance in bed? You should try to change the dose or even switch to the other drug, but only after consulting your doctor. It often helps. For extreme cases, there are efficient drugs prescribed for erectile dysfunction: if the drug change didn’t help, you need to use them. If your husband must take the drug affecting potency episodically or symptomatically (for example, to relieve pain/allergies or treat peptic ulcer disease), everything is usually restored after the end of the treatment course. 

Sexual behavior and sexual intercourse are regulated in the body at several levels- from the central nervous and endocrine systems to the local regulation of blood vessels in the genitals. Therefore, medications can affect potency on different principles. For example, sex drive (libido) and feelings from orgasm depend mostly on the level of the male hormone testosterone and on the central mechanisms of regulation. Therefore, many drugs affecting the brain processes can reduce libido and change the orgasm until it disappears altogether.  

First of all, these are:

•     neuroleptics;
•     antidepressants;
•     sedatives (tranquilizers); 
•     antiepileptic drugs.

Diuretics with spironolactone also leave traces. They increase the production of prolactin, which competes with male hormone testosterone. This leads to a decrease in libido and erection. Many other diuretics act differently, and their negative effect is more expressed locally (on the vessels), without affecting their behavior but reducing potency. 

Many drugs for blood pressure reduction have the same effect. All their effects depend on the dose: the higher it is, the greater the severity of side effects. Besides, young people with healthy blood vessels are less likely to have a negative impact, while men who already have vascular diseases are more prone to the negative impacts. 

Viagra, Cialis, Levitra and other erectile dysfunction drugs can help many men who are experiencing negative effects of medications on their erection. At the same time, the medications prescribed by the doctor shouldn’t be cancelled. However, it is important to understand that the negative effect of any drug can be minimized or eliminated by changing the lifestyle. It is necessary to reduce the caloric intake, move more, lose weight and give up smoking. This is very effective, also it seems obvious.

Doctors warn that the use of a number of medications significantly reduce the man’s sexual ability.

Blood pressure medications

Hypertension often causes strokes in men; therefore, doctors often prescribe them hypotensive drugs and inhibitors. However, erection is caused as a result of increased pressure in blood vessels. Therefore, decrease of blood pressure has a negative effect on erection.

Tranquilizers

Antidepressants, tranquilizers, neuroleptics, and sometimes even the common mint drops or motherwort reduce the production of male hormones. Besides, mental disorders are often associated with the man’s sexual activity; therefore, the drug prescribed by the doctor is aimed at its reduction.

Medications for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Substances that are part of medicines for the treatment of gastritis, stomach ulcers, etc., often provoke a decrease in the production of its secretory function. A side effect is a reduction of testosterone production and, as a result, potency decrease.

Steroids

Men often “prescribe” this kind of drugs to themselves, seeking to build muscle or achieve new results in sports. All of them are hormonal, which means that they inevitably (negatively) affect the sexual capabilities of the body.

Bromine

Being a part of many nuts and legumes, bromine doesn’t affect the level of testosterone or sexual excitability. It’s all about the concentration. Doctors say that only a very large amount of bromine accumulated in the body can decrease potency. A long course of therapy with bromine-containing drugs can have a specific negative effect. After the treatment is completed, male strength usually returns.