Lucas
Speaking of “snoring”, no one should be unfamiliar. This unwelcome “singing” in the middle of the night causes 25% of couples in the United States to sleep in separate rooms. In some cases, snoring may even be a reason for divorce.
Snoring is the colloquial name for one of the most common collective symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Obstructive sleep apnea is the recurring collapse of the upper airway, resulting in awakening from sleep and recurring symptoms of desaturation of oxyhemoglobin.
An estimated 936 million people aged 30-69 are currently found to have obstructive sleep apnea worldwide, with China having the largest number of affected people, followed by the United States, Brazil and India.
In addition to snoring, daytime sleepiness, drowsiness, headaches, memory loss, etc. are also manifestations of obstructive sleep apnea.
But, for men, will it affect our erectile function?
Recently, a study “Erectile Dysfunction and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome” published in the Journal of Frontiers in Medicine pointed out: There is increasing evidence that there is a link between OSA and erectile dysfunction (ED). OSA is considered one of the risk factors for ED.
So how does obstructive sleep apnea affect our erectile function? Based on the research literature mentioned above, I will give you a detailed analysis today.
How OSA affects a man’s ability to have an erection?
Tintin erection is the result of hemodynamic changes produced under the comprehensive regulation of neurological, endocrine and psychological effects. In recent years, studies on the hemodynamics of the corpus cavernosum have found that erection is a neurovascular phenomenon.
When we are sexually stimulated, cGMP, a neurotransmitter and relaxation factor from the nerve endings and endothelial cells of the corpus cavernosum of the penis, increases, which causes blood flow to the penis to increase several times.
In addition, the tunica albuginea of the penis blocks the outflow of venous blood, and the veins of the corpus cavernosum of the penis are short-circuited and closed, forming a venous atresia mechanism, and the penis begins to erect rapidly and reaches a hard state.
Therefore, any process that affects the passage of nerves and blood vessels may cause erectile dysfunction.
Obstructive sleep apnea mainly affects men’s erections in these aspects.
1. Vascular mechanism
Frequent hypoxic manifestations of OSA during sleep may be an independent risk factor for ED. Intermittent hypoxic events trigger a series of vascular manifestations, including downregulation of nitric oxide levels, endothelial dysfunction, and the release of oxygen free radicals.
In the process of erection, nitric oxide is a vital transmitter. Its decrease will cause a decrease in cGMP concentration, which will affect the ability of penile blood vessels to pump blood, thereby reducing the ability of penile erections at night.
Endothelin is a powerful vasoconstrictor, which is mainly produced by disturbed endothelial cell regulation and hypoxic stimulation. It constricts blood vessels and reduces penile blood flow, causing erection problems in OSA patients.
2. Nervous mechanism
Peripheral neuropathy and high sympathetic nerve activity are considered potential causes of erection problems in OSA patients.
Patients with OSA have been reported to have higher sympathetic activity during sleep, especially REM sleep.
Higher sympathetic nerve activity may cause contraction of abdominal viscera and peripheral blood vessels, enhanced heartbeat, and increased work capacity of tired muscles. It is closely related to hypertension.
These factors may affect the blood supply capacity of the penile arteries.
3. Psychological mechanism
Depression is one of the main psychological and psychiatric factors causing erectile dysfunction in men. It mainly induces erectile problems by reducing sexual desire and inhibiting parasympathetic nerve activity.
In related research, Peppard et al. found a causal link between sleep-related breathing disorders and depression in their long-term investigation.
Therefore, men with OSA will be at significantly increased risk of psychogenic or mixed psychogenic ED.
4. Hormonal effects of testosterone
Testosterone is the main male reproductive hormone, secreted through the stimulation of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Related studies have found that male OSA patients have lower serum testosterone levels.
Gambineri et al found that obese patients with OSA had lower testosterone levels than obese control patients and that there was an inverse correlation between oxygen saturation and testosterone levels.
The level of testosterone is closely related to male erection, because normal male penile erection requires a certain level of testosterone to maintain the control of erection by the brain center.
What to do if you have poor erection due to snoring?
1. Symptomatic treatment of snoring
The causes of snoring in adults are complex and mainly include narrow anatomical structures of the upper respiratory tract, such as tonsil hypertrophy, soft palate hypertrophy, tongue base hypertrophy, etc., upper airway dilator muscle dysfunction, and respiratory center control dysfunction.
For these inducing factors, we can go to the hospital to find out the cause and carry out targeted treatment.
If you are interested, Ding Ding will explain in detail the standard diagnosis and treatment of snoring later.
2. Daily exercise
In addition, snoring is also related to daily lifestyle, such as smoking, alcoholism and obesity. Especially for obese people, most snorers are often accompanied by obesity symptoms.
In this regard, appropriate physical exercise can be carried out in daily life, such as running and playing badminton. You can also do male pelvic floor muscle training to help men establish a clear and clear perception of pelvic floor muscles, gradually improve the endurance, explosive power and control ability of pelvic floor muscles, thereby improving the blood pumping ability of the penis and increasing the hardness of erection.
