Health

BEWARE! Men not having early morning erection need medical examination- urologists

Published

1 month ago

November 26, 2024

By Francesca Hangeior

Medical practitioners in the field of urology have advised men to take their sexual health seriously by seeking medical evaluation if they are not experiencing morning erection, a common and natural occurrence in healthy men.

The urologists stated that men experiencing persistent erectile issues or concerns should consult a healthcare professional for personalised evaluation and guidance.

The physicians advised men not having morning erections to carry out a comprehensive health assessment, including hormone testing, semen analysis, and lifestyle evaluations, to determine the underlying causes which may be erectile dysfunction or infertility.

According to Healthline, morning erections, a natural occurrence in most men, are often seen as a sign of healthy sexual function. They are typically caused by increased blood flow and hormonal fluctuations during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep.

The health website, however, noted that a notable number of men have reported experiencing a lack of morning erections, raising concerns about potential fertility or sexual health problems.

While some experts suggested that the absence of morning erection could be linked to underlying health issues, including infertility, others argued that it is not a reliable indicator of reproductive health.

A consultant urologist, Dr Emmanuel Eze stated that the body’s ability to have regular morning erections may be a reflection of broader reproductive health.

The physician stressed that the absence of morning erections could signal problems with hormone levels, such as low testosterone, or vascular health, which could affect overall erectile function and, in some cases, fertility.

Eze emphasised that morning erection is a natural occurrence during the REM sleep stage, typically happening 3-5 times per night.

The physician explained that the absence of morning erections could suggest issues such as erectile dysfunction, low testosterone levels, or underlying cardiovascular conditions.

According to him, it is normal for men to experience morning erections three to five times each night. These erections are typically spontaneous and occur without sexual arousal. The process is part of the body’s natural hormonal fluctuations and is linked to the functioning of the nervous system and blood flow.

Eze explained that these spontaneous erections during sleep are crucial in maintaining healthy erectile function and, by extension, overall reproductive health.

He emphasised that they are a natural and healthy sign of the body’s ability to achieve and maintain erections, which are important for male fertility.

“While occasional changes in morning erections are normal as men age, a persistent lack of them could point to potential health problems such as erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, or even more serious conditions like heart disease. Men mustn’t ignore these early warning signs.

“A comprehensive evaluation can help pinpoint the cause and allow for timely treatment options, whether it’s lifestyle changes, therapy, or medications,” Eze added.

Speaking further, the urologist elaborated that the absence of morning erections could be an indication of various medical conditions that might impact sexual and reproductive health.

“Erectile dysfunction is often the result of an imbalance in the body’s ability to deliver blood to the penis. If morning erections are absent, it could be a reflection of poor blood flow or nerve function, which are key contributors to erectile dysfunction,” Eze explained.

In addition to erectile dysfunction, the male reproductive expert noted that the absence of morning erections may also be linked to low testosterone levels.

He added, “Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, essential for sexual function, mood regulation, and the production of sperm. A decline in testosterone can lead to a reduced frequency of morning erections. It can also cause a range of other symptoms, such as fatigue, decreased libido, and loss of muscle mass. While a decrease in testosterone levels is a natural part of aging, significant drops in testosterone could signal more serious health concerns.”

Eze also underscored the connection between erectile function and male fertility, stressing that problems with achieving or maintaining an erection could affect a man’s ability to conceive.

He explained that erectile function plays a critical role in sperm delivery, and when erectile issues arise, they could make it more difficult to engage in regular sexual activity, which could impact fertility.

“There is a direct connection between erectile function and male fertility. If a man is consistently not experiencing morning erections, it could indicate that there’s an issue with his reproductive system, whether it’s a problem with his hormones, blood vessels, or nerve function,” he said.

He pointed out that while the absence of morning erections does not automatically equate to infertility, it could signal underlying problems that should be addressed.

Eze advised that men who notice a persistent absence of morning erections should consult a urologist for an evaluation of their reproductive and sexual health.

He explained that poor blood circulation, which is often associated with heart disease or high blood pressure, can directly affect the ability to achieve erections.

“The vessels that supply blood to the penis are small and delicate, and when these vessels are compromised due to poor cardiovascular health, it can result in a decreased ability to have spontaneous erections.

“Erectile dysfunction is frequently one of the early signs of cardiovascular problems. If a man is not having morning erections, it could be a sign that his vascular health is not in optimal condition. It’s essential to recognise this as a potential red flag and seek medical advice before the issue becomes more severe,” the urologist warned.

However, a Senior Registrar in Urology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Akpo Edewor, argued that the lack of a morning erection is not necessarily an indication of serious health concerns, as many people assume.

Edewor emphasised that the absence of morning erections is not an automatic sign of erectile dysfunction or serious sexual health problems.

He explained, “Morning erections should not be viewed as the definitive measure of sexual health. It is important to understand that men can still maintain erectile function despite not having morning erections. This does not immediately indicate erectile dysfunction.”

The urologist stressed that various factors, such as sleep patterns, stress, or even the time a man wakes up, can influence whether or not he experiences a morning erection.

He further clarified that a key component in assessing erectile health is the ability to achieve an erection in response to sexual stimuli.

“If a man can still attain an erection when engaging with a partner, even without morning erections, this indicates that his erectile function is likely intact,” he stated.

Erectile dysfunction, according to Edewor, is more complex than just the absence of morning erections. It is a condition where a man consistently struggles to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.

The physician said various health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and even the medications used to treat these conditions, could contribute to erectile dysfunction.

He added, “Erectile dysfunction is often linked to vascular health and blood flow. The ability to achieve an erection relies heavily on the circulation of blood to the penis. If the arteries or veins are compromised due to factors like heart disease or diabetes, this can lead to erectile dysfunction. But again, this is distinct from the absence of morning erections.”

He stressed that when men experience difficulties with erections, particularly if the issue persists over time, it is important to consider underlying health conditions, rather than simply focusing on the lack of morning erections.

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Health

N120bn fake products destroyed in six months – NAFDAC

Published

6 days ago

December 30, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said it destroyed over N120bn worth of seized products from July to December 2024, in the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory.

This was as the agency assured Nigerians that adequate measures had been put in place to safeguard their health before, during and after the Yuletide season.

This was contained in the Yuletide message of the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, to Nigerians, in a statement signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, on Sunday.

Adeyeye emphasised the need to eat safe and stay safe during the festive period.

She reiterated the need for Nigerians to always procure food and drinks in outlets with identifiable addresses and locations to ease the agency’s track and trace obligation, adding that medicines and packaged food products that do not have NAFDAC number should be avoided. And when a product is too cheap, its most likely to be compromised.

Adeyeye said officers of the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate would continue the ongoing mop-up of substandard and falsified medicines and unwholesome food items from the markets across the country.

“Officials of the Agencys Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Pharmacovigilance Directorate and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate are jointly on the field mopping up falsified medicines, fake wines and drinks and unwholesome food products that could endanger the health of the people during the festive season.

“The agency had stormed supermarkets in the big cities across the country such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Aba, Ibadan, Kaduna, and the FCT, to apprehend manufacturers and merchants of fake drugs and unwholesome foods, while products running into billions of naira have been confiscated in the last three months of renewed enforcement.

“On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the agency destroyed expired, unregistered drugs worth N11bn in Ibadan, Oyo State. In November, the Agency seized N300m worth of fake medicines during a raid of Tyre Village, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos State. Officers of the agency also busted counterfeit alcohol packaging centres and seized items worth N2bn in Lagos. This followed reports of illegal revalidation of expired alcoholic beverages at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos,” it noted.

It said the agency also confiscated bags of repackaged and expired rice worth N5bn, and sealed a factory and eight shops where counterfeit rice are packaged and distributed in Nasarawa State.

It added that over 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice worth N5bn were confiscated in Wuse and Garki markets, Abuja.

Adeyeye maintained that only safe, quality, and wholesome food products should be available to Nigerians during the Yuletide and beyond.

She specifically instructed that those counterfeiting popular brands of rice should be arrested and their products removed from the market.

It stated that a total of 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Aba, a suburb of Abia State, were shut down following an operation by the agency.

“As the mop-up operation was going on in the FCT and Nasarawa State, NAFDAC was carrying out a two-day operation in the Aba market on December 16 and 17, 2024. During the operation, the agency uncovered large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods, including beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, vegetable oils, and revalidated food items such as noodles, powdered milk, and yoghurt with a market value of N5bn.

“The agency on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, also destroyed expired, unregistered, counterfeit, and smuggled products valued at N10,991,458,374.60.

The destroyed items, collected from five states in the South-West Zone (excluding Lagos) and Kwara State in the North Central Zone due to its proximity, were incinerated in Ibadan.

“In total, over N120bn worth of seized products were destroyed by the agency in six months (July-December) in the six geo-political zones and FCT.

“The DG, however, stated that the agency would not rest on its oars until the merchants of death are forced out of operation, warning that the agency would make it hard for them to operate freely and endanger the health of innocent consumers. The coming year will be tough for the people that prioritise money over the well-being of their fellow human beings by compromising quality of medicines and food products in the country,” the statement noted.

Health

Medical Experts Identify 3 Major Factors Responsible For Kidney Disease

Published

7 days ago

December 29, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Medical experts have identified Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis as three major factors responsible for the rise in kidney diseases across the globe.

The experts also blamed the surge on unhealthy diets, particularly processed foods.

According to the World Health Organisation, kidney diseases are now the 10th leading cause of death globally, stating that mortality has increased from 813,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019.

The Nigeria Association of Nephrology says about 20 million Nigerians are presently living with chronic kidney diseases.

Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise in an exclusive interview on the worrisome rise, a Consultant Nephrologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Dr. Theophilus Umeizudike, identified an increase in Type 2 diabetes which he blamed on the consumption of processed and unhealthy foods as a major cause of kidneys diseases globally.

Umeizudike also blamed the rise in kidney diseases on hypertension and glomerulonephritis.

The nephrologist explained, “Globally, the cause mainly is because of the increase in Type 2 diabetes which is also rising in our environment.

“The reason why Type 2 diabetes is rising globally is because of people abandoning natural foods for processed foods.

“So, processed foods are the reasons why people are coming down with Type 2 diabetes and people with Type 2 diabetes come down with kidney diseases later in life. Hypertension is also increasing cases of kidney diseases.”

The kidney specialist noted that kidney diseases were on the rise in Nigeria.

“In our clime, we have a very young population that are prone to many infections and inflammatory conditions that can affect the kidneys.

“Oftentimes, the early signs of infection or inflammation of the kidney are silent. So, years down the line, these things begin to manifest.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, we have glomerulonephritis that affects the kidney. It causes kidney damage over months or years usually within a period of five to 10 years. There are viral infections like hepatitis B, C, and HIV that cause kidney diseases”, he said.

The nephrologist also attributed the surge in kidney diseases to a lack of access to affordable healthcare.

Umeizudike said, “Another cause is that many of these young people do not have access to affordable healthcare. So, they resort to alternative therapies like herbal remedies which can damage their kidneys.

“Again, we have a predisposition to coming down with kidney diseases as people of African origin because of gene mutation.”

On how people can avoid coming down with kidney diseases, the nephrologist enjoined them to embrace a healthy lifestyle and to go for regular health checks for early detection and proper management.

Umeizudike explained that when people keep living on processed foods, the tendency to come down with kidney diseases is high.

“Eating processed foods pushes people to Type 2 diabetes and increases the risk of kidney diseases later on in life”, he reiterated.

According to him, for someone to know whether he has a kidney issue, the person must go and do a test, adding that without a medical test, kidney diseases cannot be detected.

He noted, “Medical tests are very important because early forms of kidney disease are completely asymptomatic. Once people start having symptoms of kidney disease, it means that it has advanced which will then require dialysis or transplant.”

He pointed out that everybody should be worried about kidney diseases, assuring however that the risks of kidney diseases could be reduced or avoided through regular health checks and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

According to him, people in their 20s are coming down with kidney diseases.

Also, a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, Cynthia Onyekwere, told PUNCH HealthWise that an unhealthy diet was a major contributing factor to the onset of kidney diseases.

The dietician explained, “For one to keep kidney diseases away, it is important to pay close attention to his/her diet and make some dietary adjustments by mainly reducing intake of certain foods that can affect renal function negatively.

“One of such foods to be reduced is salt. Salt contains sodium which when consumed in excess can cause high blood pressure which can lead to kidney damage.

“To achieve a reduced salt intake, one can start by reducing the amount of salt and stock cubes used in cooking, stop adding salt to meals when eating, and limit intakes of pastries and salty snacks.

“Also, processed foods can also affect renal function and as such should be consumed in limited amounts. Examples of processed foods include canned meat as well as canned fruits and vegetables. They should be consumed sparingly as they contain a lot of sodium.”

Speaking further, Onyekwere noted, “Too much intake of protein can damage the kidneys. Although protein is required for the repair of worn-out tissues and the build-up of new ones, when consumed excessively, it is harmful to the kidneys. This is because it is the kidney that helps the body to get rid of the waste products that are generated after the digestion of protein.

“Eating too much protein will place more burden on the kidneys and this can progressively cause damage. People must also be wary of herbal concoctions to ensure optimal renal function. Herbal concoctions in water or alcohol extracts contain substances that may be toxic to the kidneys.”

Health

Frequent ejaculation not certain to prevent prostate cancer – Urologists

Published

2 weeks ago

December 22, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Association of Urological Surgeons in Nigeria, NAUS, has expressed concern about the recent and continued circulation in the public space of what it labelled as misinformation on social media and mainstream media regarding the link between frequent ejaculation and the risk of prostate cancer.

In a position statement on “Risk of Prostate Cancer and Frequency of Ejaculation” obtained by Vanguard, the executive committee of the NAUS – a professional organisation dedicated to advancing the field of urology in Nigeria – noted that while some studies have explored a potential correlation between increased ejaculation frequency and a reduced risk of prostate cancer, the evidence remains inconclusive, and more research is needed to fully understand the connection.

The statement – CAC/TT/No. 125351 – dated December 16, 2024, and jointly signed by the Association’s President, Prof. N.K. Dakum, and Secretary General, Prof. Muhammed Ahmed, cautioned that at this time, it is important to interpret the existing evidence carefully, and frequent ejaculation should not be seen as a guaranteed way to prevent prostate cancer.

The Association said that as a body of experts, it had a sense of duty to clarify the claims to prevent the spread of misleading information regarding ejaculation and prostate cancer risk

The statement reads: The Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria (NAUS) has observed with concern the recent and continued dissemination of information on social media platforms and even the main stream media in Nigeria regarding the relationship between sex/frequent ejaculation and the risk of prostate cancer.

“There is a need, as professionals in the field to make a statement in that regard in order to avoid the perpetuation of often misleading and inaccurate statements or conclusions.

“We, therefore, wish to state that while there are studies suggesting a potential association between frequent ejaculation and reduced prostate cancer risk, the evidence is not yet conclusive, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between the two.