Living Well

Men, Skip the Little Blue Pills

Fancy a radioactive cocoa-butter suppository?

In the mid-1900s, "Vita Radium Suppositories" came in a small box containing a 15-day course of the stuff. And their maker, the Denver-based Home Products Company, advertised that these suppositories "contain a result-producing amount of highly refined soluble radium" which is "absorbed thru the walls of the lower colon, enters the blood stream and is carried to all parts of the body – to the weakened organs that need its vitalizing aid."

But it was one organ in particular that the company targeted...

The penis.

Specifically, these suppositories were meant to cure impotence, or erectile dysfunction ("ED"), in men.

(Thankfully, this stuff isn't around any longer. It was born of the "radium craze" in the early 20th century after the discovery of the radioactive substance, where companies added radium to consumer goods as a healthy additive.)

ED is the inability to have or maintain an erection. Getting an erection requires psychological effort and work from your nerves, blood vessels, and hormone system.

And ED is incredibly common...

More than half of all American men will experience trouble getting and keeping an erection as they age.

Some of the most common causes of ED include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Nerve disorders (i.e., Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis)
  • Smoking
  • Obesity

Any one of these can lead to ED. Medications like antidepressants and some operations (like prostate surgery) also have ED as a side effect.

Not only is ED super common, but it's also a problem that men don't bring up to their doctors. It's estimated that a staggering 75% don't seek treatment.

The Benefits and Boons of Online Erectile-Dysfunction Drugs

I get it... ED can be an embarrassing condition that you might not want to talk about. However, thanks to the anonymity provided by the Internet, it's now all too easy to order ED drugs and herbal supplements with the click of a mouse.

Some experts estimate that up to half of all online ED drugs are fake.

Ordering from an online retailer (like Hims, Roman, or BlueChew) carries risks, too. It can just involve a quick virtual consultation with a medical provider who can prescribe you drugs like Viagra or Cialis.

But as convenient as it is, going this route skips the physical exam with your doctor who can check for health conditions that can put you at risk of suffering dangerous side effects.

Worse, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned about in October, you're putting your health at serious risk if you order counterfeit prescription drugs from online pharmacies.

Thankfully, research is piling up in support of my favorite kind of "prescription": simple changes in lifestyle.

Three Tips to Combat Erectile Dysfunction

I think you'll find that changing several aspects of your life will help combat ED before turning to pills right away. Here are some of my top tips...

1. Exercise.

Getting your heart pumping on the regular will strengthen that muscle, lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, and reduce systemic inflammation – all of which are great for improving ED.

According to a review of 11 randomized controlled trials of more than 1,000 men, guys who got in regular aerobic exercise saw more improvement in their mild- to moderate-severity ED compared with their couch-potato counterparts. The exercisers did 30- to 60-minute sessions, three to five times a week, of heart-pumping workouts like cycling, running, and walking. (Yes, even 30 minutes of walking, according to a previous Harvard study, can lower your ED risk by 41%.)

2. Check your mouth.

Sure, losing your teeth won't do any wonders for your confidence. Nor will it do the same for your ability to maintain an erection...

Periodontitis is advanced gum disease, which happens from ignoring the red, swollen, and bleeding gums that characterize gingivitis. With periodontitis, the damage can run deep below the gumline to the bone, so your teeth can fall out.

Believe it or not, studies have found that having periodontitis nearly triples your ED risk.

I also explained last week why you shouldn't neglect your oral health if you want to stay sharp as a tack in your golden years. If you're not a subscriber to my flagship newsletter, Retirement Millionaire, give it a go for a month.

3. Get the right amount of sleep.

Studies show a link between sleep deprivation and ED.

Researchers explain that testosterone is made during your sleeping hours. That means if you aren't sleeping enough or aren't sleeping well, your testosterone levels will drop, which can lead to ED.

Because of this link, ED could also signal a deeper problem with sleep.

A study from Mount Sinai Medical Center found that 63% of patients who reported suffering from sleep apnea, a condition where your breathing starts and stops irregularly during sleep, also experienced ED.

The research is clear – making lifestyle changes can significantly improve or even reverse your ED. So before you or your loved one starts popping pills, give these three tips a try.

Do what I do and eat well, go for a walk after lunch, keep your gums healthy, and get plenty of sleep.

What We're Reading...

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
April 15, 2025