Sexual queries: 'My sex life is becoming dull'

We invited Get Ahead readers to mail in their questions. Here is the next set of responses:

Dear Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti

I am a male of 41years, married for the last 15. From the past 6-7 years I am feeling that my erection is not as it used to be intially. I don't have diabeties and till date nothing has been detected medically. Sometimes the erection is hard enough and sometimes not. Also, previously my body muscles were hard as I used to play upto 6-7 hours of cricket (physical exercise) 7-8 days in a month, which I have stopped totally now. I feel this might be the reason. Kindly advise?

Thanks
Vipin

The Massachussetts Male Aging Study has shown that 52 percent of men above the age of 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction (ie, impotence). So you are not alone. There are billions like you. Today, it is recognised that ED is an important marker for future vascular disease (cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular). This makes a strong argument for regular, periodic checkups, including andrological; especially if one has a family history of vascular disease.

Good physical and cardiovascular fitness certainly contribute to sexual fitness. So, there is a strong argument in favour of your continuing these fitness activities. But one must remember that physical vitality will inevitably decrease with age. This explains why sportsmen often retire in their thirties, or even earlier. Read Chapter 14, Are My Macho Days Over? in my book, Sexx is Not a Four-Letter Word.

Lifestyle modification in middle age is valuable in prolonging one's sexual innings. Exercise, good diet, proper sleep, cessation of smoking and strict moderation of drinking, and mental fitness and calmness, are all very important and helpful. If these don't work, you must consult an andrologist.

Dear Sir,

I am 29 years old and unmarried. I have a habit of eating tobacco, and mastubate daily once in a day, Now I am facing a problem in having an erection and face the losses of sperm very quickly. So kindly guide me without disclosing my name to anybody.

Thanks.

You don't need me to tell you that you must stop the use of tobacco immediately. You already know that you must. Tobacco is not a friend of the penis. Many tobacco chewers and smokers have cold, contracted penises. Tobacco is a vaso-constrictor, ie a substance that narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow. Tobacco use aggravates vascular disease.

Masturbating once a day is actually very good for you. Your inability to attain/ sustain erection is definitely not related to your masturbatory practices.

Dear Dr. Krishnamurti,

I ama 29-year-old male and recently got married. I have a problem of premature ejaculation during intercourse. Sometimes it happens as soon as I enter my partner. I have tried medicine like Vita Ex gold for 3 months. I have also read somewhere that holding yourself frequently while urinating will also help, but all these measures have not resulted in any improvements. My married life is becoming very dull. Please help me. Request you to kindly not publish my name.

Thanks.

The recommended treatment for premature (early) ejaculation nowadays is pharmacological, especially SSRIs. It is well known that most other drugs don't work, except as placebos (psychological). Sometimes, premature ejaculation can occur due to physical causes. You need to see an andrologist.

Do you have a question for Dr Krishnamurti? Simply e-mail him at sexualqueries@rediffmail.com; responses will be published each week and names will be withheld upon request.

Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti is an international award-winning andrologist and microsurgeon. He is the only Indian on the world's first-ever batch of sexual medicine fellows (Oxford, 2007). Best known for the Krishnamurti Operation for Peyronie's Disease, he is also the founder of Andromeda, India's first andrology center, and author of the book Sexx is Not a Four-Letter Word. Click here to purchase the book from rediff Shopping.

Disclaimer: Please note that Dr Krishnamurti will be answering the most relevant queries at his discretion each week. His advice may not necessarily reflect the opinions of rediff.com and while it is in the capacity of professional medical counselling, it in no way should be considered an alternative to visiting a medical specialist for sex-related ailments.