Erectile dysfunction - this is a diagnosis that all men fear hearing from their doctor. Erectile problems affect most men at different stages of their lives, and these days it's not a problem of age as many men in their 20's experience periodic impotence. In the past, this would be a real tragedy as there were no effective treatments for this health condition. But with the advent of effective medications in the late 1990's this issue has become much less sensitive because there was finally a cure for ED. Thanks to this, erectile dysfunction has become a normal topic of discussion not only in specialized and professional media but in the general public as well. Big magazines posted ads for ED drugs and covered stories of effective treatment. And numerous researches were undertaken in order to address the actual causes of the problem.

Today, most men already know about the drugs that may help them in case of erectile dysfunction. They also know about the main causes leading to the condition. However, there's one cause that is often overlooked but nevertheless very important for the stability of a man's sexual abilities. This factor is called lifestyle.

There are so many discussions and articles on the importance of a healthy lifestyle for a range of conditions. It's advocated that a very wide range of conditions can be prevented by employing a healthy lifestyle. But as much it's stressed out, this factor is often overseen by most men tending to believe more in pills rather than on preventive measures. However, it often turns out that simple lifestyle changes can help a lot in preventing and even treating the problem.

The problems of drinking and smoking have been discussed a lot in the perspective of health problems. And erectile dysfunction is not an exception. Both drinking and smoking are known to cause different heart and blood vessel problems, and having a healthy cardiovascular system is crucial for hard and durable erections. A set of clinical studies has confirmed that male smokers have twice as higher risk of developing erectile dysfunction as nonsmokers.

As for the excessive consumption of alcohol, it may deliver deceptive effects. Most of you definitely know how alcohol affects sexual arousal. A few glasses of wine, beer or shots of vodka can deliver a very playful mood. But often when it comes to actual sexual activity, alcohol is a very bad companion for bedroom games. Moreover, in case of frequent alcohol abuse, the actual ability to get and keep a good erection may drop considerably up to the point of permanent impotence where even drugs like Levitra won't help much.

Another very important lifestyle factor that may contribute to ED is excessive weight. Overweight or obese men tend to suffer from erectile dysfunction far more often than their peers with a healthy weight. Excessive weight is known to cause a wide range of conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and even certain types of cancer. And we all know how these conditions are dangerous for male potency. So if you do not want to stay on Levitra or Cialis anytime you want to have sex, maintaining a healthy weight is a must!