Comedian George Burns said something that rings true…
Unfortunately, this is true for many people that aren’t yet 90. Whether you call it impotence or erectile dysfunction it is a problem for most men at some point in their life.
Is there something you can do about it?
YES!
If you need to turn your rope into a hard piece of wood, there are a few things you can do.
First of all, there is our Thor’s Hammer Formula, but you can get a number of other herbs that can help in this regard. As discussed with Dr. William Wong, there appear to be four main factors in turning rope to wood. Below, I’ve added an additional fifth one to that discussion.
Buy Thor’s Hammer Sexual Potency Formula Now
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1 – Testosterone
Libido is one of the many functions of testosterone. There’s a little bit of a trick that nature seems to play on us. Often times, you might not have enough T to “get it up,” though the desire might still be there.
Although testosterone naturally declines with age, there are lots of things that you can do to restore it towards optimal and youthful levels. These include steps like diet, working out, sleep, having sex and much more. Be sure to check out this article on Men’s Hormone Health for more details, including the related hormones, enzymes and other factors at play.
Our two most popular herbs in this regard are Pine Pollen and Tongkat Ali. Though they work through different mechanisms both herbs help to give you better testosterone levels and help in sexual function in some other ways as well.
It was with pine pollen that we first noticed the morning wood effect. And if it’s happening more and better then that means it’s likely to work better at other times as well.
2 – Dopamine
Another aspect of libido appears to be the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine has a lot to do with desire, sexual and otherwise.
Dr. William Wong told an amazing story of Parkinson’s patients, at 60 and 70 years old, having sex like rabbits. This was because Parkinson’s has been treated with a drug called L-DOPA to restore dopamine levels.
The good news is there is a natural herb for this too. Mucuna is rich in L-dopa, the precursor to dopamine. For this reason, it appears to be great for getting your dopamine levels functioning better (and in a moment you’ll find out a couple reasons they can be disturbed from modern-day living).
Whether it is through this dopamine-precursor or through another mechanism, Mucuna pruriens has been shown to support both testosterone and growth hormone levels. This is a very exciting herb.
Many natural foods can also support dopamine. Precursors to L-dopa include the amino acids L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine. So a good supply of these, which you can get from many foods, also will help support dopamine.
L-Phenylalanine → L-Tyrosine → L-DOPA → Dopamine
So why might your dopamine be disturbed? Dopamine is triggered to help you have a drive towards something. Once you get that something, dopamine is released. From hearing the ‘ding’ on your phone with social media, or with specially designed games meant to trigger dopamine addiction, this once helpful neurotransmitter can be hijacked to not work correctly.
One of the worst pieces of this problem in regards to our current issue is what is called Porn-Induced ED. With the simple access to porn of any and every type readily available with a click of a button online you can live out your fantasies even several times a day. And clicking from one video to another just to release a little more dopamine and get more excited further fuels this.
As bigger and bigger surges of dopamine get released in this way, your body and brain become resistant to its normal levels.
Eventually, you may get to a point where you can’t get it up without that same porn. Even “normal” sex may not be exciting enough. You’ll need to wean yourself off or go cold turkey in order to help get your dopamine-release around sex back in order.
Lots more could be said on this issue, but I just wanted to introduce it to you, in case it happens to be a problem for you.
3 – Nitric Oxide
So we’ve talked about hormones and neurotransmitters. Next, we move onto blood flow for our next to components.
Here’s a quick anatomy lesson. In order for the penis to become erect the spongy tissue in it, called the Corpus Cavernosum, must relax. Yes, that says relax which may seem counter-intuitive at first, as things appear to be anything but relaxed in that moment. This relaxation is triggered by nitric oxide (NO) in the endothelium of the blood vessels, which then allows blood to flow into the penis. Voila, you have an erection.
NO is important in more than just erections too. It acts as a vasodilator and thus plays a major role in exercise as well as general cardiovascular health.
One of the often used ways to support NO production is the amino acid L-arginine. This amino acid is a precursor to NO so many people take 2-10 grams before sex.
Herbs can also support NO. Cistanche is a likely candidate. Although there isn’t too much science to back it up, I’m sure it would be if studied. Historically, it’s always been used in sexual formulas and is said to direct blood flow to the genital area.
Some other foods and herbs that can support this function are garlic, cayenne, cacao, ginseng, pomegranates, Beets, amalaki, green leafy vegetables and Horny Goat Weed (which will be talked about more in the next factor).
4 – PDE5
NO is a gaseous molecule that only has a short half-life. What that means is that it can go away quickly. This may be responsible when you have no problems getting hard but then go limb.
PDE5 means phosphodiesterase type 5. We might not even know about this enzyme except for an accident with a drug. Sildenafil citrate was being investigated as a heart medication when they noticed a peculiar side effect. The men had raging boners! And thus, Viagra® was born and changed the face of medicine making significant amounts of money.
This drug and many of the others are classed as PDE5 inhibitors. Inhibiting this enzyme is useful as it primarily is used in the breakdown of factors, derived from NO, which keeps your erection.
The physiological details of how this works with PDE 5 and the NO-cGMP pathway is fairly complex which you can read more about here if you want to: The role of nitric oxide in erectile dysfunction: implications for medical therapy.
Although ED drugs are often thought of as a cure-all, they only work on this one mechanism and thus don’t work for everyone. As a drug, they also come with a list of side effects.
Horny Goat Weed, also know, as Epimedium, in addition to raising NO levels, has an “active” constituent called icariin which also acts as a PDE5 inhibitor.
Other herbs that are thought to be PDE5 inhibitors include Xanthoparmelia Powder. Cuscuta chinensis, and others.
It’s important to note that these natural herbs, unless the “active ingredient” is isolated and used in massive levels, they do not have the same powerful effects as drugs do.
Coming from that frame of mind, many people seem to expect too much right away. This should be strongly warned against.
5 – Psychological
In addition to these four physiological reasons for impotence, we also have to talk about the psychological.
For any man that has ever had things not work, perhaps based on one of the above factors, this can then set up a horrible loop where you have anxiety and worry about it not working. This surely then makes it harder for things to work.
There are lots of reasons your thinking can get in the way here that are beyond the scope of this article.
The good news is that supporting physiological function with herbs or other changes can often than help with the psychological too.
And we can’t discount the placebo effect either. If you think something might help, that can do a lot to relieve any mental pressure, and then things DO work better.
There’s also something to be said for the body’s wisdom. If things aren’t working, that can indicate too much stress in your life, lack of health in the many ways listed above, as well as relationship issues.
Special Note to Women
These factors matter for you just as much! Testosterone is a critical component in libido for women too, although progesterone and estrogen also play their role. Dopamine matters for you too.
And although it isn’t as well known, women have erectile tissue as well. For more detail, you can read Women’s Anatomy of Arousal.
Thus, NO and PDE5 will matter for you too, so the same practices and herbs can support your sexuality as well. And of course there are some women specific things to do, but that’s a topic for another time.
Putting this into Action
So, if you’re suffering from any signs of impotence what should you do?
The best bet is to try to identify the main component behind it. Is it one of the five reasons listed above? Is it a combination of them?
Try tweaking your lifestyle, and take herbs, to support that function. Notice if things get better or not. If they don’t, try something else.
Here’s a helpful guide on where you might want to start. As I said, it could be a combination of several factors.
Testosterone – Are you 50 or older? Do you see other signs of insufficient testosterone like losing strength, depression, fatigue or many more possible signs? Do you not wake up with morning wood?
You can also do blood or saliva testing for testosterone, though as mentioned here, it’s very beneficial to look at other related hormones too.
Dopamine – Be honest here. Are you watching porn regularly? Are you doing anything else that could be over-triggering dopamine, which could get in the way of your desire?
On the flip side, something you do want to see; when it comes time for sex do you get so exciting you’re almost shaking with it?
Nitric Oxide – Are you over 40? Can you not get hard in the first place? Do you not get frequent morning wood? Are you generally out of shape with a poor diet?
PDE5 – Do you get erections but they disappear? Do you have morning wood but it doesn’t last very long after you wake up?
Psychological – Do you worry about having erectile problems before or during sex?
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Liz says
Honestly I do not see anyone saying here this product works. It’s all questions and answers. How can I trust buying this product ??
Logan Christopher says
If you’re talking about Thor’s Hammer than check out the reviews on that page specifically. This is an article so yes there are questions and answers about the topic here.
desmond says
what do I do to keep erection hard for a longer time during romance and during sex coz my erection easily drop during romance and before sex and looks embarrassing pls what do I do to stop dis mess.
Zane Christopher says
Well, if you watch porn daily you definitely want to quit doing that to resensitize yourself to real nakeness in front of you. Besides that, I would recommend stopping any form of ejuculation for a couple weeks up to a month. If you have problems in the bedroom after a month of non-ejaculations then you have some real physiological issues going down. Typically, it will be duh to chronic overstimulation of our senses around sex. Masturbating to ejaculation everyday is not necessarily the healthiest thing for guys to be doing. Hope I am not the only one telling you that. Good luck!
Joe says
Zane,
There is a really good website called YourBrainOnPorn.com.
It really goes into details the emotional and psychological affects
of porn on your brain. Your suggestion that if you still have a problem after abstaining from porn and ejaculation for at least a month means it
is probably physiological, might not be necessarily true. According to
YBOP it sometimes takes men 6 months to year to recover.
Zane Christopher says
Makes sense. I definitely am not claiming to be the end all of porn addiction advice. Just offering strategies that have helped me in the past that many men consider unthinkable and therefore may not think to consider. You are correct that it could still be psychological, however, deep-seated issues commonly take on a physical nature in the body. Working on healing from all possible angles will usually work better than not on chronic problems. But yes, you are right. I am not sure why I said that at the time since I don’t necessarily believe that. Talking out my ass no doubt, haha. Thanks for pointing that out Joe.
RENATUS says
I have been taking Blood pressure medication and at the moment my erection is weak, which I have ED . Please can you tell me the best herbs to use to cure the ED.
Zane Christopher says
With your blood pressure medication you have to very careful with what herbs you take Renatus. I would suggest consulting with a chinese medicine doctor or herbalist as they will know more how to skirt the dangers of herb/pharmaceutical interaction.
docgarvey says
can you take this ever day? and is there enuf in 1 bag to last a month?
Zane Christopher says
Would love to help you out! What herb are you talking about? This is the erectile dyfunction article. Thanks!
Michael says
Hi Logan,
I just turned 66 and have been dealing with ED issues for the past 2 years no libido, no. desire, no morning wood, now erection no sperm ejaculant, no nothing!
I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, and degenerative arthritis 2 years ago and my sciatic nerve has been damaged from this but other than that I’m in fairly good health that I know of.
I have read several of your articles with regards to the Tongkat Ali, and the Pine Pollen Tincture and was to begin a regimen using these two products until I read your latest article on the Thor’s Hammer Formula which pretty much describes my current delima. So I have decided to write you for your suggestion, and recommendation as to what regimen would work for me.
Thanks,
Mike
Zane Christopher says
Talked to Logan and he suggested you try those out first. I am thinking because of the inflammation and stress of that inflammation you would also do well on something like Ashwagandha tincture or Spartan Formula. You probably can’t do all of them at the same time but as definitely the ashwagandha might be something really good for you as it is extremely androgenic through cortisol reduction and works well on inflammation conditions as well. Combining pine pollen tincture with the ash tincture in the morning and evening time, dropperfuls could be a good start. Throwing tongkat on top in the morning could just boost the effect though taking a couple days off each week is probably a good idea but you having such issues you may not need to take time off for awhile.
George Zavala says
Herbs do not agree with my body specially herbs for libido. Can you help
Zane Christopher says
Sure George. First, I would work on your digestion. There is no reason ALL herbs should not work on your body. For libido effects, go outside and get a tan, no sunscreen. Don’t use soap for a day or two after that and really let your vitamin D levels build up. Recommend tanning your genitals as well. Lift heavy, squats and stuff like that will help build HGH and testosterone. Hangout with naked women, that builds T. Get outside and hiking and camping. Nature balances our systems and should help out with libido. SLEEP! A lot, as much as you can! Lack of sleep severely hampers hormonal balance. Also, maybe see a therapist. Many ED issues are purely in the head or are because of an emotional wound we carry with us. And it goes without saying, eat a very nutritious clean diet. No sugar or caffeine would be ideal. Those are definitely some of the things that could help. Will be a slow process but I believe in you sir!
Curious says
And where does one go to “hang out” with naked women? For scientific research, of course…
Russel Merchen says
I would recommend your bedroom or perhaps take them for a stroll to your kitchen table or maybe even up against the shower wall from time to time.
Just a few suggestions.
Cheers!
Chelsea Satterthwaite says
All good advice. Lost Empire applauds diversity in diet and life, for your health.
Zahur says
I am using Hammer of Thor for last three days but yet no effect. Can you tell me how long it will take to work. My age is 68 years for lost 2-3 years I am facing ED problem.
Zane Christopher says
We do not carry Hammer of Thor sir. Wrong website.
gr8595 says
Obviously he meant Thors Hammer formula
Zane Christopher says
No, if you google hammer of thor, you will find a entirely different product that uses softcore porn images to sell it. We get hit up a lot by people on the other side of the world looking for Hammer of Thor. We do not wish to associate with this other company in anyway as we do not desire possible extra government scrutiny because we have a similarly named product.
rydah says
Hi,
I have been reading up a little on Pine Pollen, and there is one particular online writer that recommends only taking Pine Pollen once per week in order to prevent resistance to it. Likewise, he suggests six other herbal supplements, one to be taken for each day of the week – to prevent developing resistance to these as well. Could you pass your thoughts on this? Your website suggests it is ok to take Pine Pollen every day. Is resistance something to worry about? As it is certainly a lot more hassle to buy seven different supplements for each day of the week.
Zane Christopher says
Hi Rydah. We actually work with that writer (if he is the same guy). He simple holds a diffirent view on how you should take herbs. In all of my herbal research of past and present traditions, he is the only one I know that practices and recommends that. Most traditions hold to consistency in taking herbs, as in daily doses. I am not saying his way of doing stuff is wrong, there are after all many different ways to go about your health. You just have to find what works for you. In my experience and a lot of our customers experiences, resistance developing is not an issue. The only place I have really seen or felt that is with the tongkat ali and just taking a break from it solves that which is why we recommend a couple days off every week. I personally view pine pollen as a food more then an herb because it is so nutritious and food herbs can definitely be consumed on a daily basis. Plus I do not believe the xenoestrogen detoxing effects of pine pollen come through fully if you only took it once a week.
Ray Scheibe says
Friends just a suggestion: You might go to Shane Ellison”s website called
thepeopleschemist.com and check it out. I bought his book titled Over-The-Counter
Natural cures . Really good.I am not saying this to turn people away from herbs by no means, because I definitely believe in them and Empire Herbs have a lot of common sense information. Fantastic. I will be purchasing Thors Hammer soon. FYI I have suffered with a type of ed from my twenties and now almost sixty. I am always ready for sex and get erections while sleeping and when I awake they don’t last long also when I have sex I am so sesitive that I can go in 3 seconds . I think it’s the porn I have watched over the years. However haven’t seen any in 20 years. Need more work on this subject. Also I believe if we eat right, excersise, and get the sleep we need we are half way there. Then the Herbs will work even better. Hope this helps guys.
Ray
Zane Christopher says
That you for the recommendation Ray! I believe those three things you mentioned are more important then any herb you could take for sure. Herbs are just there to help with and are not an end in and of themselves. Let us know how the herbs help you though.
ross leland says
Hi, I have a complex question that no one as of yet has been able to answer. I am 49 and a, 2 year renal transplant patient taking immunosurpressants. I have mild ED due to either anxiety, or lack of intimacy. Still able to achieve an erection, but not for long, and also not at times when I need it !. No morning wood either. Can anyone advise me of any herb, vitamin, ext…that I could safely use without effecting my meds and benefiting my libido / erections safely ?
THANKS
ROSS
Zane Christopher says
Hi Ross, unfortunately, I am not sure how any herbs would interact with immunosuppressants as I have never researched that issue. I’m sure your doctor would say not to risk even trying as they tend to do. I am purchasing the book linked below so I will look through it and see what I can find.
http://www.eclecticherb.com/herb-contraindications-drug-interactions/