Viagra vs. Herbs

Viagra is prolific…

“Viagra was introduced in the Spring of 1998, and by the end of the year more than a million prescriptions had been filled.  Impotency had “come out of the closet”.  However, many negative side effects have been reported, several deaths have been linked to its use, and few studies have been conducted to determine its long-term effects.” (Rosemary Gladstarr, Herbal Healing for Men.)

Katherine Ellen Foley reported in 2018, “In 20 years, it’s become ubiquitous: 62 million men all over the world have bought the drug, according to a Pfizer spokesperson. The US military shells out $41.6 million per year for it, and from 2012 onward, the US, Mexico, and Canada spent about $1.4 billion on it annually.”

…because erectile dysfunction is prolific.

These are some startling figures and they raise important questions.  First of all, if erectile dysfunction is affecting so many American men it is a silent epidemic, because we don’t hear much of it, which suggests men simply aren’t as comfortable as we might hope in discussing this issue and seeking healthy solutions.  But also, we can’t help but wonder, if Viagra was introduced just 20 years ago, what did men do to help with this issue prior to that?  And not to mention the fundamental - why is this issue so prevalent, and what’s causing it?

Xenoestrogens and endocrine disruptors.

Stephen Harrod Buhner writes that, “There is significant evidence that scores of substances, usually synthetic chemicals that either are estrogens or mimic estrogens, are entering mens bodies and altering the androgen/estrogen ratio far beyond the normal range that men have historically experienced… The males of every species, not just humans, are paying the price of these estrogenic pollutants.” 

These estrogenic pollutants, also commonly referred to as xenoestrogens, are part of a wide array of endocrine disrupting chemicals that keep male testosterone levels at unprecedented lows in the western world. This has gotten a lot of attention lately, and is often called an epidemic - people talk about “low T” and “andropause” (akin to male menopause).

This is highly problematic for men who want to have healthy libido and performance, or to maintain virility into later life, as testosterone is the hormone responsible for all of this, but testosterone also keeps men lean, energized, and in a positive mood. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘fountain of youth’.

What Viagra does not address are the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction.

So taking Viagra once in a while might be fine for our health, and it might provide a much needed night of connection and great sex, but it does nothing to address the underlying causes of impotency, the struggle to connect to libido, or to regularly experience a strong ‘performance’.  

Naturally occurring libido is a sign of robust health.  It indicates good circulation, hormone balance, and vitality. And it is something that we can build over time with the herbs in a way we can’t with Viagra.  

Addressing the deeper, root causes of poor male function is not a place where Western medicine shines. In fact, when men go on pharmaceutical testosterone replacements, we see a number of horrible side effects, but it also makes them infertile, as the body thinks it has enough testosterone and stops making its own, along with sperm cells.

Herbs on the other hand, have the ability to gradually increase testosterone levels over time, while decreasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that compete with its production, and often can enhance sperm count, quality and motility as well.

In cultures where men regularly consume the herbs with an affinity for male reproductive health and hormone balance, they often remain virile, lean, and sexually active later into life.