If you’ve been using opioid analgesics, you might want to consult your doctor about switching medications. Studies show that opioid use significantly increases your risks of developing erectile dysfunction.

To be exact, your risks of becoming impotent increase by a staggering 96% if you use opioid drugs. That’s according to a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Read on to find out how opioid drugs can ruin your sexual functions.

Overview

Opioid drugs are typically prescribed for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. These drugs work by disrupting the transmission of pain signals to the brain, thereby reducing feelings of pain.

There are many types of opioid drugs, some contain opioids only while others are formulated in combination with other drugs. Morphine, codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are among those that can be legally obtained through a prescription.

When used properly, opioid drugs are considered safe, especially if taken for only a short time. What makes opioid drugs controversial is that these drugs cause a sense of euphoria which makes them addictive.

Adverse Side Effects

Numerous adverse side effects are associated with opioid drugs use. As many as 80% of patients taking opioid drugs experience one or more adverse side effects. Constipation, weight gain, sleep problems, and sweating are commonly associated with opioid drug use.

Opioid drug use may also cause memory and concentration problems, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, and vomiting. There have also been numerous reports of pruritus and dry skin as well as urinary retention. Sexual dysfunction is also a common adverse side effect of opioid drug use.

Opioid Drugs and Erectile Dysfunction

One of the main reasons why opioid drug use is strongly associated with erectile dysfunction is that these medications cause a disruption in your endocrine functions. Opioid drugs suppress your hypothalamus from releasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and corticotropin-releasing hormone.

In addition, opioid drugs also cause a reduction in the circulating levels of hormones produced by your pituitary gland such as your follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

Since your luteinizing hormone is needed to stimulate your testicular Leydig cells to produce testosterone, when your luteinizing hormone levels are low, your testosterone production will also suffer.

Your androgen production will immediately be suppressed as soon as you take opioid medications. And the higher the dose of the opioid drug you’re taking, the more significant the decrease in your androgens. This means that your testosterone levels will drastically drop if you’re taking opioid drugs.

In fact, hypogonadism is a common complaint among opioid drug users. When you have hypogonadism, it means that your production of sperm and testosterone are not enough. This then results in a reduction in your libido, sexual arousal, sexual satisfaction. And it also causes erectile dysfunction.

Several studies have established the link between opioid drug use and impotence. Early studies on the subject showed that even men in their 30s developed erectile dysfunction when they were taking methadone or buprenorphine.

Methadone is an example of an opioid drug that is associated with a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction. According to a 2008 study, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men taking methadone was as high as 50%, whereas it was only 36% for men who were taking buprenorphine.

A 2009 study reported on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among men using the illegal drug heroin. The average age of the 700 men who participated in the study was only 33.8 years. And yet, more than 36% of them already had erectile dysfunction.

In a recent study, more than 27% of men suffering from chronic pain who were on long-term opioid treatment reported symptoms of erectile dysfunction. These men had to be given either PDE5I or testosterone gel for their sexual dysfunction. Even after six months of androgen treatment, only 42% of them showed improvements.

Managing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally

Once you start having problems with your erection, it can impact all aspects of your life. At the very least, it can affect your self-esteem and your relationship with your partner. Impotence can cause stress, grief, frustration, resentment, anxiety, anger, and a whole host of negative emotions.

If you need extremely strong pain medications like opioid drugs for your medical condition, its best that you talk to your doctor about the possible adverse effects the medication may have on your sexual function and what you can do to manage these adverse effects.

You may also want to consider taking a sex enhancement supplement to help you manage erectile dysfunction. For instance, you can try one of the most widely recognized male sex enhancement supplements.

Formulated using natural ingredients that are known to boost erectile function and treat erectile dysfunction.

These natural ingredients include Tribulus terrestris, maca, horny goat weed, tongkat ali, and Butea superba. All these herbal ingredients have been scientifically proven to help improve erectile dysfunction.

Aside from boosting your erectile function, you also get the added benefit of increased libido and improved sexual stamina. Natural male enhancement supplement also contains powerful aphrodisiacs like Xanthoparmelia scabrosa, damiana, and muira puama. These herbs are known to greatly increase sexual desire and will help you with your libido problems.

With this, not only does your libido or your erectile function gets improved. You will also see improvements in your fertility. That’s because several ingredients have pro-fertility properties.

For instance, Tribulus terrestris is known to help improve sperm production, increase sperm count, and improve sperm motility. Moreover, maca also has fertility-enhancing properties that can help increase your sperm count and seminal volume.

What’s even better is that you get added antioxidant protection when you take this supplements. That’s thanks to the high antioxidant contents of Tribulus terrestris, maca, and tongkat ali. These herbal ingredients are rich in strong antioxidants such as saponins and macamides.

If you’re looking for an effective, safe, and natural way to regain your sexual prowess, you can benefit a lot from it. Because of its potency, you get to enjoy not only increased libido but also improved testosterone levels, enhanced erections, and increased sexual stamina.