By Luke Sumpter


Erectile dysfunction, often referred to as ED, affects millions of men across the world. The condition features both physiological and psychological causes, and can greatly impact intimacy, mental health, and confidence. Fortunately, men that experience ED have a variety of interventions available to them. These include pharmaceutical drugs and lifestyle changes.

Now, researchers are exploring cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible aid for the condition.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction? 

ED essentially keeps men from gaining and maintaining an erection long enough to engage in sex. The condition affects some men only for a short period of time, serving as a sign of stress or other psychological problems. However, in others, ED lingers for longer and arises as a symptom of underlying physiological issues.

To understand the mechanism of ED, you need to know what happens in the body to cause an erection in the first place. What we see as a penis, anatomists see as a complex physiological system consisting of three primary parts: the root, body, and glans (tip). The body possesses three cylinders of erectile tissue within. Basically, they’re tubes that fill up with blood to make the penis hard and functional during sex.

Smooth muscle regulates blood flow to the penis. As opposed to skeletal muscle, men can’t voluntarily contract or relax it. Instead, several steps are required[1] to relax these muscles and facilitate sex. Sexual arousal serves as the starting point. After feeling turned on at the sight or thought of your partner, nerve signals start to stimulate the penis.

Impulses from the brain and local nerves cause the smooth muscles to relax, which causes blood to rush into the now open spaces in the tissue. This buildup of blood causes the penis to become erect, hard, and ready for action. However, men that experience ED may fail to maintain this state for long, or fail to get there altogether. Mental or physical factors, or a combination of the two, can disrupt this mechanism at several points[2], including initial arousal and nervous system firing, hormonal signalling, smooth muscle relaxation, and blood flow.

  • Psychological Causes of ED

Anything from excessive stress at work to performance anxiety can disrupt the physiological cascade that fills up the organ with blood. These mental maladies include:

Stress Anxiety Depression
Relationship issues, such as poor communication and arguments
  • Physiological Causes of ED

Even if a man feels psychologically sound, certain underlying health issues can cause sexual dysfunction, including:

Obesity Diabetes
Parkinson’s disease Multiple sclerosis
Sleep disorders High cholesterol
High blood pressure Heart disease
  • Who Does Erectile Dysfunction Affect?

Population studies have managed to identify which groups of men are most susceptible to ED[3]. It turns out that age has a massive influence on the prevalence of the condition. Here are some of the key findings:

  • Approximately 10% of men aged 40–70 experience severe or complete erectile dysfunction
  • Another 25% of men in the same age range experience moderate erectile difficulties
  • Age plays a key role—the chances of moderate to complete ED rise from 22% at age 40 to 49% at age 70
  • Younger men, below the age of 40, experience ED at a prevalence of 5–10%
  • Findings indicate that ED affects quality of life, mood, and interpersonal functioning
  • How Is Erectile Dysfunction Currently Treated?

Doctors approach ED from several different angles depending on the root cause of the patient’s condition.

  • Lifestyle

Doctors may suggest lifestyle changes in cases of ED stemming from health issues such as obesity and diabetes:

Stopping smoking Physical activity
Dietary changes Reducing alcohol consumption
  • Pharmaceuticals

Doctors sometimes prescribe drugs that increase nitric oxide levels in the body. This chemical helps to relax the smooth muscle of the penis and increase blood flow:

Sildenafil (Viagra) Tadalafil
Vardenafil Avanafil
  • Psychological Counselling

Psychological interventions such as counselling can help men overcome stress, performance anxiety, and low self-esteem associated with ED. Types of therapy available for men with the condition include:

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): This method helps men understand how certain triggers work to evoke thoughts and feelings that can lead to physical reactions.
  • Psychosexual therapy: This type of talk therapy takes a deep dive into emotional, psychological, and sexual issues that might form the root cause of ED in some men.
  • Sex therapy: This form of counselling allows men to openly discuss sex and sex problems, where therapists often recommend exercises to assist their condition.
  • Surgery and Implants

Some men even opt for surgery and implants to mechanically overcome ED. These procedures include:

  • Penis pumps: Vacuum erection devices that pull blood into the penis
  • Penile implants: The surgical placement of malleable rods into either side of the penis

What Is CBD?

So, where does CBD fit into all of this?

CBD belongs to the cannabinoid chemical class found predominantly within the flowers of cannabis plants. Unlike THC, however, CBD doesn’t produce a psychotropic effect that leads to a high. Instead, it induces a clear-headed effect that helps people feel relaxed and at peace.

As a cannabinoid, CBD influences the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a large network of receptors and signalling molecules that govern almost every other system in the human body. Because CBD can tap into the ECS, it has the potential to influence a wide range of processes.

Ongoing studies[4] are examining the anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and antioxidant potential of the cannabinoid.

What Is CBD?

CBD for Erectile Dysfunction: What Does the Research Say?

So, can you use CBD oil for erectile dysfunction? It might not surprise you that scientific studies exploring the role of CBD in ED are few and far between. Although no direct research exists in this territory, there are some pieces of evidence from other studies that may serve as clues.

Of particular interest is the use of cannabis for sexual function[5] in the Ayurvedic system of India. Here, practitioners harness the herb in attempts to improve sexual performance and ejaculatory function.

Researchers have also uncovered a potential link between the ECS and ED. A paper published in 2015 displayed an association between habitual cannabis use and ED[6] in young users. The prolonged use of THC may cause issues when it comes to fertility and sexual function, which implicates the ECS in these conditions as well. This raises the question: Could modulating the ECS using CBD also impact ED, perhaps in a positive way?

Research published in 2009 supports this theory. Scientists from the University of Napoli in Italy reported the presence of cannabinoid receptors in the testicles[7] in a paper titled “The Endocannabinoid System: An Ancient Signalling Involved in the Control of Male Fertility”. Although CBD doesn’t directly interface with cannabinoid receptors, it does change the level of our endogenous cannabinoids by inhibiting enzymes that otherwise break them down.

CBD for Erectile Dysfunction: What Does the Research Say?
  • CBD for Performance Anxiety: Is There Hope?

Anxiety plays a big role in inhibiting erections and limiting how long men can sustain them. A few human trials have probed CBD for its anti-anxiety potential. Although none of them explored its role in ED, these findings could be relevant to the development of future treatments.

The journal Frontiers in Psychology published a study that tested the effects of CBD[8] on teenagers with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and avoidant personality disorder in a double-blind study.

Another human trial[9], this time published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in 2011, used functional neuroimaging to analise the brains of subjects with SAD after receiving either 400mg of CBD or a placebo.

Men that experience performance anxiety often view sex as a high-pressure situation. A 2011 article in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology tested the effects of CBD[10] on patients with social phobia during a simulated public speaking event, finding pretreatment with the cannabinoid to reduce cognitive impairment and the discomfort associated with speech performance. Could these findings translate over to the pressure felt by some men that experience ED?

  • How To Use CBD for Erectile Dysfunction

You might be wondering how to apply CBD oil for erectile dysfunction. In fact, that may not be the best course of action, as very little CBD makes it into the bloodstream this way. Some of the most popular CBD options include:

⇢ Smoking and vaping dried flowers
⇢ Vaping extracts and concentrates
⇢ Edibles, such as gummies, capsules, and oils
⇢ Sublingual oils
⇢ Transdermal patches
⇢ Topicals (low absorption rate)

How To Use CBD for Erectile Dysfunction

Natural Alternative Methods of Approaching Erectile Dysfunction

Exercise, diet, and other lifestyle factors can impact the prevalence and significance of ED. Doctors often recommend lifestyle changes that help to counter underlying conditions and even improve mental status.

  • Aerobic Exercise

Walking, running, cycling, and swimming are all forms of aerobic exercise. The word “aerobic” simply denotes “oxygen”. As well as keeping you generally healthy, randomised controlled trials have found that aerobic exercise may benefit men experiencing arteriogenic ED—a form associated with fatty deposits in the arteries.

Interestingly, aerobic exercise also fires up the ECS. That amazing feeling you experience after a workout, sometimes referred to as the “runner’s high”, most likely stems from an elevation of anandamide[11] (the bliss molecule). CBD also works to boost anandamide levels, which might result in some beneficial crossover.

  • Keep Your Weight Within a Healthy Range

Exercising regularly and cutting down on calories will help you maintain a healthier body weight. Obesity increases the risk of experiencing ED. A 2005 weight loss study[12] showed that 30% of men that took part in the research regained normal sexual function.

  • Don’t Smoke

We could write a long list of the detrimental effects of smoking, but we’ll spare you the time. Instead, take a look at this evidence: A 2015 study found that smoking messes with nitric oxide levels[13] in the body, the key chemical that relaxes the smooth muscles of the penis to increase blood flow.

  • Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol can help to relax your nerves before sex, but it can also prevent you from engaging in intercourse altogether. But you don’t need to quit the booze entirely. A 2018 meta-analysis examined the results of 24 studies to see just how alcohol affects sexual function[14]. They found moderate quantities to exhibit a beneficial effect against the risk of ED, whereas regular and high consumption had no effect on the initial risk. Another study, this time published in 2019, found chronic and persistent alcohol use to increase the risk of men developing ED[15].

  • Limit the Amount of Porn You Watch

Not only does viewing porn damage the dopamine reward system[16] in the brain, but it may increase the risk of ED. Research found that 45% of young men[17] experiencing porn addiction have ED. However, many of them only experience the problem during actual sex, not while watching porn.

  • Manage Stress

Stress creates changes in the nervous system and may disrupt how the brain sends signals to the penis during arousal. There are several easy means to reduce stress, including:

⇢ Deep breathing exercises
⇢ Meditation
⇢ Relaxing music
⇢ Biofeedback
⇢ Counselling

  • Keep Your Testosterone Levels in Check

We don’t want to sound alarmist, but men are facing a testosterone crisis. This sex hormone plays a key role in male biology, from maintaining sex drive to increasing muscle and bone mass. Right now, testosterone levels are declining by around 1% per year[18]. There are several variables that come into play, but environmental pollutants that mimic oestrogen, such as BPA[19], share some of the blame.

Testosterone helps to maintain libido. While some men that experience ED have normal testosterone levels, those low in the hormone might start to lose their sex drive[20] and experience the condition. Natural ways of increasing levels of the sex hormone include:

⇢ Exercise and lifting weights
⇢ Sun exposure and supplementing vitamin D
⇢ A healthy sleep schedule
⇢ Minimising stress
⇢ Herbal supplements such as ashwagandha and nettle

Does CBD Cause Any Side Effects?

CBD is generally regarded as safe and well-tolerated. However, the cannabinoid can cause side effects in some people. These include:

⇢ Dry mouth
⇢ Reduced appetite
⇢ Fatigue
⇢ Drowsiness
⇢ Diarrhoea
⇢ Interaction with other medications

CBD Oil for Erectile Dysfunction: We Need More Research

At the end of the day, we need dedicated human trials on the subject. Without testing CBD on patients with ED in a controlled clinical setting, we can’t make an accurate judgement. However, we do know that the cannabinoid has the potential to address some of the causes of the condition. If you’re considering taking CBD for ED, talk to your doctor first. The cannabinoid interacts with some medications, and they will also want to screen you for any other underlying conditions in order to provide the best treatment possible.

External Resources:
  1. How Erections Work, Ejaculation, and Penis Anatomy Image https://www.webmd.com
  2. Pathophysiology of Erectile Dysfunction: Ingenta Connect https://www.ingentaconnect.com
  3. Epidemiology of ED » Sexual Medicine » BUMC http://www.bumc.bu.edu
  4. Antioxidants | Free Full-Text | Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol https://www.mdpi.com
  5. A Review on Plants Used for Improvement of Sexual Performance and Virility https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. The Endocannabinoid System: An Ancient Signaling Involved in the Control of Male Fertility https://sites.oxy.edu
  8. Frontiers | Anxiolytic Effects of Repeated Cannabidiol Treatment in Teenagers With Social Anxiety Disorders | Psychology https://www.frontiersin.org
  9. Neural basis of anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in generalized social anxiety disorder: a preliminary report - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  10. Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  11. A runner’s high depends on cannabinoid receptors in mice | PNAS https://www.pnas.org
  12. Lose weight to lose erectile dysfunction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  13. Effects of cigarette smoking on erectile dysfunction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  14. Alcohol intake and risk of erectile dysfunction: a dose–response meta-analysis of observational studies | International Journal of Impotence Research https://www.nature.com
  15. Erectile dysfunction and severity of alcohol dependence http://ejournal-tnmgrmu.ac.in
  16. Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state - Neuroscience News https://neurosciencenews.com
  17. Does Using Porn Lead to Erectile Dysfunction? | Everyday Health https://www.everydayhealth.com
  18. You're Not The Man Your Father Was https://www.forbes.com
  19. “Bisphenol a: an emerging threat to male fertility” | Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Full Text https://rbej.biomedcentral.com
  20. A logical approach to treating erectile dysfunction - Harvard Health https://www.health.harvard.edu
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: