Erectile Dysfunction Tied to Sleep Disorder
A follow-up study on men with restless legs syndrome (RLS) confirms that having the sleep disorder increases the risk for impotence.
And the more frequently that RLS symptoms occur, the greater the risk for impotence, also called erectile dysfunction (ED).
Harvard researchers looked at more than 11,000 men, all doctors, dentists, and other health professionals who are part of the ongoing Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, who did not have diabetes, arthritis, or ED at the beginning of the trial in 2002. The average age of participants at the trial's start was 64.
The researchers found that about 4 percent of the men had RLS, which meant they met the four diagnostic criteria recommended by the RLS Study Group and had symptoms more than five times a month.
They then evaluated the group as a whole for ED and identified 1,979 cases. The researchers found, as suspected, that older men had a greater incidence of ED. But they also found that the incidence of ED increased in men with RLS and that those with more frequent RLS symptoms were more likely to have ED. Men who experienced RLS symptoms up to 14 times a month were 68 percent more likely to have ED.
In January 2010, the same researchers reported similar findings and speculated that the brain chemical dopamine was the link between RLS and ED.
"The mechanisms underlying the association between RLS and erectile dysfunction could be caused by hypofunctioning [or low production] of dopamine in the central nervous system, which is associated with both conditions," study lead author Xiang Gao, M.D., at Harvard Medical School said in 2010.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.
|
Of all of the medical terms out there, perhaps restless legs syndrome (RLS) best describes the symptoms experienced by people with the disorder. With RLS, you literally have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs. But for many people who have RLS, the signs and symptoms don't stop there. You may also experience the following:
- Your legs feel funny. Specific sensations vary from person to person, but they may include throbbing, creeping, pulling, tingling, and other unpleasant feelings. They may range from irritating to painful.
- You want to move your legs. This may occur for two reasons. First, RLS causes the irresistible desire to move your legs. Second, moving your legs helps relieve the discomfort. As a result, you continue moving them to minimize the uncomfortable sensations or to prevent them from coming back.
- Symptoms strike at night. It's a cruel reality that relaxing revs up symptoms. This can make falling asleep and staying asleep nearly impossible. So, to make matters worse, you may experience symptoms of sleep deprivation since you aren't getting enough sleep. Left untreated, RLS can lead to issues such as daytime sleepiness, which can interfere with your work, relationships, and daily life.
- Your legs move spontaneously. More than 80 percent of people with RLS also experience a condition called periodic limb movement of sleep (PLMS). With PLMS, your legs may twitch or jerk while you're sleeping as often as every 15 to 40 seconds. This can continue all night long, seriously affecting your ability to get adequate sleep.
- Your symptoms may come and go. Some people with RLS experience periods of remission, in which symptoms get better over several weeks or months, and then return.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information. |