It has been proven that impotence and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are interrelated conditions. According to experts from the USA , 80% of Americans suffering from sleep apnea have erectile dysfunction . These patients complained of a decrease in potency, lack of erection during sleep, and a reduction in the duration of erection in time.
It has been noted that the more severe the course of obstructive sleep apnea, the more pronounced erectile dysfunction in humans. And there is an explanation for this. First of all, frequent pauses in breathing during sleep and the micro -awakenings that follow them , characteristic of apnea, lead to a pronounced disruption of the sleep structure. At the same time, there is a decrease in the duration of deep slow sleep and REM sleep, which may even be absent. Men normally experience nocturnal erections during REM sleep, and the male hormone testosterone is produced during the deep stages of non-REM sleep.
The lack of oxygen during sleep apnea also plays a significant role in reducing the production of testosterone. Oxygen starvation of tissues causes atherosclerosis of blood vessels, deterioration of the blood supply to all organs, including the genitals. It follows that the more episodes of sleep apnea, the more sleep disturbances are noted, and the higher the risk of developing impotence.
Impotence can occur against the background of overweight or obesity. Sleep apnea is most commonly associated with obesity, which also affects testosterone levels in men. In obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, in conditions of sleep disturbance and oxygen starvation, the production of hormones that affect carbohydrate and fat metabolism decreases. This causes the accumulation of adipose tissue in the neck, waist, hips, and internal organs. In adipose tissues, the aromatase enzyme is produced, which is involved in the transformation of male sex hormones into female hormones. Therefore, obesity contributes to a decrease in testosterone levels, the appearance and progression of erectile dysfunction, up to impotence.
If the patient has intermittent snoring, daytime sleepiness and impotence, it is necessary, first of all, to undergo an examination at a sleep center for the detection of sleep apnea, since there is a high probability of having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome . Eliminating cessation of breathing in a dream, a person will get rid of impotence.
In patients with apnea, classical methods of impotence treatment (injection pharmacotherapy, vacuum erection therapy and surgical treatment) are often ineffective. The appointment of testosterone for sleep apnea is also contraindicated.
CPAP – therapy is accompanied by the restoration of potency in men. Already from the first nights of treatment, people feel a significant improvement. The use of modern auto-CPAP devices increases the acceptability of treatment and its effectiveness. Optimally opt for a high-quality device Prisma 20A from Weinmann – Loewenstein (Germany).
There is also a device for CPAP therapy Somnobalance E – a representative of the previous generation of devices from the same company. It can also be used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, although it is somewhat inferior to Prisma devices in a number of characteristics .