What Should You Discuss with Your Doctor about Erectile Dysfunction, According to Dr. Yaser Bassel?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Dr. Yaser S. Bassel, MD, is a board-certified urologist in Tampa, FL, who specializes in treating erectile dysfunction.
  • Patients should not hesitate to discuss erectile dysfunction with their healthcare provider and should focus on managing risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes.
  • Medications are typically the first line of therapy for ED, and a conversation with a healthcare provider can help determine the most appropriate treatment option.

Introduction: The Urologist and Erectile Dysfunction

Yaser S. Bassel, MD, a board-certified urologist in Tampa, FL, practices at Advanced Urology Institute, the largest urology practice in Florida. In this article, Dr. Bassel addresses the importance of discussing erectile dysfunction (ED) with your physician and provides insights into managing risk factors and potential treatment options.

Breaking the Silence: Discussing Erectile Dysfunction

Many individuals may feel timid or afraid to discuss erectile dysfunction with their healthcare provider. However, Dr. Bassel emphasizes that ED is a common issue and urges patients to initiate conversations about it. Identifying and addressing the organic sources of ED is a crucial step toward finding appropriate treatment options.

Managing Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction

Dr. Bassel advises patients to work closely with their primary care physician to control cardiovascular risk factors that may contribute to ED, such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. By effectively managing these factors, patients can prevent their erectile dysfunction from worsening over time.

Treatment Options for Erectile Dysfunction

Thanks to the development of various medications, there are now easy ways to treat ED. Dr. Bassel explains that the first step in addressing ED is discussing the available medications, their potential side effects, and benefits with patients. Medications are typically tried as the first line of therapy, and the conversation helps determine the most suitable treatment option for each individual.

Advanced Urology Institute: A Leader in Urological Care

As the largest urology practice in Florida, the Advanced Urology Institute provides comprehensive care for patients dealing with a wide range of urological issues, including erectile dysfunction. With a team of experienced, board-certified urologists like Dr. Yaser Bassel, patients can expect state-of-the-art treatment options and compassionate, personalized care.

TRANSCRIPTION: 

My name is Yaser Bassel. I’m a board-certified urologist with Advanced Urology Institute. 

A lot of people are a little timid or a little afraid to bring up that issue with their physician, but it is very common. And oftentimes we try and talk to patients about trying to figure out an organic source of their ED and correcting that. I think for patients, the main thing is that when they’re starting to deal with that, it is important for them to continue to follow with their primary care doctor to control their cardiovascular risk factors, their cholesterol, their blood pressure, their diabetes. And once that’s under control, you can prevent the erectile dysfunction from worsening. The good news is, of course, with the advent of these medications, there are easy ways to treat this issue. And oftentimes we’ll talk to patients about the medications that we have readily available to us, the different side effects and the benefits of each of those medications. And that’s how we typically start the conversation and then see where the patient would like to go. And then usually we try medications as the first line of therapy.

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Why Walnuts Make Men More Fertile

Are you a man struggling to have children and looking for a way to boost your fertility? If so, consider eating a handful of walnuts every day. According to a study conducted by the University of Delaware, eating a walnut-enriched diet boosts sperm quality and aids in preventing male infertility. Working with two groups of mice, one fed on a walnut-enriched diet and the other fed on a control diet for 9 weeks, the researchers found that the group fed walnuts had a significant improvement in sperm quality.

How Do Walnuts Work?

Walnuts reduce lipid peroxidation, a form of cell damage that interferes with sperm membranes and harms sperm cells. Sperm is made of polyunsaturated fatty acids which are liable to damage by lipid peroxidation. Walnuts are the only tree nut made of mostly polyunsaturated fatty acids and will therefore effectively replenish sperm cells. In fact, just 1 ounce of walnuts contains 13 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in 18 grams of total fat. By preventing sperm damage and replenishing sperm cells, walnuts help to improve sperm morphology, motility and vitality.

First Study on Walnut Efficacy

The study by the University of Delaware was based on a previous study by the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and School of Nursing. According to the first study, which was based on a randomized control trial at UCLA, eating 2.5 ounces of walnuts each day (about 30 walnut halves) significantly improves the motility, morphology and vitality of sperm in men. During the research, more than 100 healthy young men eating their usual Western-style diet participated in monthly calls to share what they ate throughout the study. At the end of the study, it was clear that walnuts improved sperm quality, though more research was necessary to verify the role of the nuts.

Second Research Study by the University of Delaware

When the University of Delaware conducted its study, it was designed to reveal the mechanism by which walnuts had improved sperm quality in the UCLA study. Two groups of male mice, one consisting of healthy male mice and the other of genetically predetermined infertile male mice, were fed on either a walnut-enriched diet or a controlled diet for 9 to 11 weeks. At the end of the study, significant improvements in sperm morphology and motility were observed in mice consuming 20% of their daily calories from walnuts (equivalent to 2.5 ounces daily in humans). Most interestingly, even infertile mice had a remarkable boost in sperm morphology and both groups showed noteworthy reduction in peroxidative damage. The researchers concluded that walnuts improve sperm quality by reducing peroxidative sperm cell damage, though recommending further studies to determine which specific nutrients in walnuts are responsible for this improvement.

Walnuts are Beneficial for Sperm Health

Fertility in men is determined largely by sperm quality and quantity. For instance, if the number of sperm ejaculated is very low or the sperm are of poor quality, it may be difficult or even unlikely for pregnancy to occur. Since one-in-five infertility cases are solely due to the male partner and about one-in-twenty men suffer from some form of fertility problem related to low numbers of sperm ejaculated, using a healthy and proven method of improving sperm morphology, vitality and motility is a good way to begin addressing fertility problems. Enriching your diet with walnuts can be an effective first step in resolving your fertility issues and, if needed, there are many other treatments for infertility using medications or surgery. For more information on dealing with male infertility, visit Advanced Urology Institute.