[Medical Q&A] Can taking tonic medicine or diet therapy solve the problem of erectile dysfunction?

Author: Liu Kaifeng, deputy chief physician, Subei People's Hospital, Yangzhou University

Reviewer: Chen Xiangfeng, deputy chief physician, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine

Many people think that taking tonic medicine or diet therapy can solve the problem of erectile dysfunction. However, in fact, stereotyped kidney-tonifying and yang-strengthening methods are not only unhealthy, but may also delay treatment.

Many men are influenced by traditional concepts and believe that taking supplements or diet therapy can play a role in tonifying the kidney and strengthening yang, can treat erectile dysfunction, and improve sexual function. These drugs may have a certain effect in the early stage of taking them, but patients will develop drug dependence. As time goes by, the efficacy of the drugs will weaken, which makes patients continue to increase the dosage and the number of times they take the drugs. Once the drugs are stopped, they will find that the symptoms are often more serious. It should be reminded that there are many factors that affect male sexual function, including both psychological factors and pathological factors. Patients ignore the differences in individual conditions and tonify the kidney and strengthen yang in a stereotyped way. Not only is it not good for health, but it is more likely to have adverse consequences. In addition, if patients blindly follow yang-strengthening drugs and do not come to regular hospitals for treatment until the disease is very serious, they will miss the best time to control the disease.