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Posted 05/31/2022 in Health by HappyMD

Erectile dysfunction and Marijuana Use: A cause for concern


Erectile dysfunction and Marijuana Use: A cause for concern

Explore Erectile Dysfunction and Marijuana Use: A Cause for Concern


Erectile dysfunction and Marijuana Use - Erectile dysfunction is a common medical condition that most individuals refer to commonly as ED. Medical experts have recognized it as a significant condition among males for the past three decades. Due to the lack of adequate and scientifically proven understanding, most individuals associate the condition with reduced masculinity. However, the problem is more nuanced than masculinity. We’ve got numerous causes of the condition, but it’s more common among older men.

Medical statistics reveal that up to 40 % of males aged 40 years and above may experience erectile dysfunction at some point in life. Experts may also reveal that this figure may increase to 70% among males aged 70 years and above. Therefore, according to statistics, complete erectile dysfunction has affected over 40% of males above 40 years and 15% of those above 70 years.

According to a study by Selvin et al. in the ‘American Journal of Medicine’ the team published in 2007, they recorded a prevalence of erectile dysfunction among most American males at 18.4%. However, the team experienced a huge challenge while collecting the data. The issue was inadequate ways of assessing the condition. Various reports and studies have placed the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in most parts worldwide at 3% to 76.5%. In addition, America's annual expenditure on erectile dysfunction has been escalating in the previous years due to the rapid development of the condition. In 1994, the country used $185 million for the condition, but the figure has risen to almost double, to $330 million annually.


Is ‘Weed Dick’ a Thing?

The crude term ‘weed dick’ is a common notion of cannabis that individuals use to show that it causes erectile dysfunction. Similar to all other issues related to cannabis, we’ve got different takes on this issue. Some marijuana users and opponents claim that the drugs may kill erections. Nevertheless, we’ve got some individuals or proponents, such as M.D Dr Jordan Tishler, who believes that cannabis is a potential boon for men who suffer the condition to enhance their sexual life. However, they believe that you must consume the drug in the appropriate and sensible dose to achieve top results.


Erectile Dysfunction Education

While studying erectile dysfunction, it's vital to understand its history and facts, including the uncomfortable ones, to understand the possible causes and solutions. Importantly, it'll be vital to understand the science of erections when looking at the condition. Erectile dysfunction is a condition of two or more masses of the erectile tissues forming the majority of the penis or clitoris. The muscle allows increased blood flow during relaxation, leading to the penis erection. Nevertheless, if you have erectile dysfunction, your smooth muscles don't relax to allow the erection of your dick.


Certain drugs, such as viagra, play an integral role in the relaxation of the muscles, making your erection last for a long time. Before the smooth muscles achieve the appropriate relaxation, the body undergoes various processes and things. Importantly, the penis cells receive the appropriate sensory input from signals that begin in the brain or sexual stimulations. After the stimulation, the body activates the cells producing a nitric oxide gas.

The nitric oxide gas in the system becomes the major signaling messenger, which targets various body systems like cGMP. The cGMP is a vital enzyme that you must activate before having an appropriate erection while having sex. However, the enzyme may become inactive following nitric oxide gas production cessation. The reason being the smooth muscles tend not to relax; thus, you may not achieve a proper erection. 


How Does Cannabis Impact the Penis and Erectile Dysfunction?

Marijuana contains cannabinoids like THC, an activated cannabinoid receptor working throughout the body, especially the brain and the reproductive system. After activation of THC, these receptors present in your brain provide you with common psychoactive effects. Apart from the psychoactive effects, these receptors also impact the rest of your body in various unique ways. Experts have particularly revealed that THC has massive impacts on the human body. The receptor has more effects, especially after hitting the male penis and bloodstream.

The impact of THC and the penis or bloodstream is where it impacts the penis, and prominent erections result in a divergence of opinions. In 1982, Cohen and the team published a study in a journal, ‘Journal of Psychoactive Drugs,’ that suggests the use of marijuana as very terrible for erections. According to the research, most chronic cannabis users who had used the drug daily had more than double erectile dysfunction prevalence than the non-users.

Additionally, Aversa et al. published a certain study in the ‘International Journal of Impotence research.’ The research claimed that using cannabis regularly was associated with various erectile dysfunction. Regular use of marijuana affects the corpus cavernosum cells responsible for producing the nitric oxide vital for erections. With the reduction of nitric oxide production, you won’t achieve any erections, and you may also fail to sustain one. 

In December, Pizzol et al. published research, ‘American Journal of Men’s Health.’ The study focused on the relationship between the use of marijuana and erectile dysfunction. The team looked into the systematic review of various major databases dating to January 2019. The research system analyzed up to five case-control that involved more than 3400 men, where approximately 1035 of them had been using cannabis.

This research found that more than 69.1% of cannabis users had erectile dysfunction. Nonetheless, the researchers recorded a 34.7% erectile dysfunction rate in the control group or population. Summarily, the team stated that erectile dysfunction is double high in marijuana users than the non-users.


Marijuana Is Bad for Erections, Right

Various researchers and their teams carried out a study on erectile dysfunction and marijuana association, and the results were awful to marijuana lovers. Nevertheless, we've got various issues and challenges with the different researchers on this issue. The main challenge with the researchers is that they tend to choose and consider a broad picture of the sexual response to marijuana. The broad picture includes desires, behavior, and excitement. It’s unwise to believe that you can find a large group of males with the same sexual characteristics. It’s almost impossible to expect the same arousal levels for men, even after exposing them to the same things, because they’ll certainly behave differently.

Researchers have been having several studies on the issue, and in the 1990s, they attempted to circumnavigate the issue by creating the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). IIEF's main goal was to objectively compare erectile dysfunction and the sexual function spectrum. For example, through the program, you can now easily compare the IIEF score between the different males using cannabis and the non-users.

Many studies have proved the issue or fact; for instance, Kumar et al. have published a study in a journal known as the 'First International Journal of Anthropology.' The study found that many marijuana users and non-users presented similar IIEF scores after the study. Nevertheless, more marijuana users were likely to experience severe erectile dysfunction issues than those who had stopped using the drug. Therefore, the results indicated that erectile dysfunction was more prevalent in the males who have been chronic users of marijuana and had not stopped.

Erectile Dysfunction and Marijuana: So, It’s Bad News Then.


The association between erectile dysfunction and cannabis doesn’t bring bad news to marijuana users. The association and the researchers are more confusing. Nevertheless, we’ve got ample researchers that reveal that the consumption of marijuana is the best alternative for males with erectile dysfunction. Halikas et al. conducted a longitudinal study in 1985 and published it in ‘International Journal of the Addictions.’ This research focuses on approximately 100 regular weed consumers from 1968 to 1970. The team managed to choose, locate and interview 97 weed users from the population after 6 -8 years. While conducting this review and interviewing them, most revealed that using cannabis enhanced their sexual performances and experience.

In addition, another team carried out a different report involving James Halikass in 2012. The team published their reports in a journal known as the ‘Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. ‘From the study, the researchers revealed that a large number of chronic marijuana users said the drug acts as a sexual stimulant. Halikas reported and focused on thorough research for the previous 15 years in the report.

The results indicated that those males using marijuana believed it enhanced their desire to have more sexual intercourse. Nonetheless, the reports suggested that using cannabis has viable evidence of causing certain reproductive health issues. The common reproductive issues among the males that marijuana usage caused were a reduced sperm count, decreased testosterone levels, and potency problems.


In the study, Tishler also noted these concerns. The concerns were adamant that the majority of the sexual complications and issues responded well when using a cannabis solution. Cannabis was vital in treating low libido, ED, and premature ejaculation conditions. The doctor was also keen to outline that proper dosage played a key role in achieving the top results from the treatment. Choosing the proper dosage will enhance the solutions and sexual experience. Dr. Tishler also pointed out that it's impossible to keep a proper penis erection while your head is orbiting Jupiter.


The researcher advises the marijuana users to be wary of the dosage they take because it’s majorly a personal decision. Individuals have different reactions and tolerance levels to marijuana. Overall, Dr. Tishler advises that having lower doses of cannabis was ideal for men to enhance their sexual desires, but women required higher doses. The researcher also believes that inhaling cannabis through vaping is the appropriate consumption method. Sharing a vape is an excellent foreplay mechanism you can use to enhance your sexual experience. Choosing to vape as a consumption method is vital for enhancing your sexual desire and experience.


Final Thoughts on Erectile Dysfunction and Marijuana


Despite the limited research on the topic, from the basic research and scientific sources, it seems likely that consuming excess marijuana may cause more harm to your penis erections. Thus, if you have erectile dysfunction and you’re seeing for the best solution to enhance your sexual experiences and life, weed is the best option. However, it’s imperative to consider choosing a lower dosage for effective results.


Although Dr. Tishler recommends using a vape as the best way to consume marijuana, he also encourages those using topicals to continue using them. Importantly, when using topicals, it’s imperative to understand that they may take longer for the drug to be effective and offer the best results. If you want the best solution or remedy for erectile dysfunction, products like CannaMojo help achieve greater results and the best sexual life.


However, the availability of these CannaMojo products is currently limited due to the huge demands. Experts predict that with the growth of the market and men seeking more ED solutions, more options will become available in the market. Erectile dysfunction and Marijuana Use


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