These findings, presented to the American Urological Association, have implications for men who need reconstruction of the penis, and for men whose penis is intact but has suffered nerve damage - such as men who have undergone radical surgery for prostate cancer.

Although the body of the penis can be grown in the lab through tissue engineering using smooth muscle cells, the organ needs a working network of nerves in order to achieve erection and function sexually. This animal study, led by Anthony Atala, MD, director of Tissue Engineering at Children's Hospital Boston, showed that implantation of engineered tissue made of collagen can coax nerves to regenerate in the penis.

The investigators cut the cavernosal nerves - the two bundles of nerves innervating the penis - in 90 rats. At the injury site, they implanted either a graft of the rats' own nerves, or a graft made from collagen, a natural protein found in connective tissue. Some severed nerves were left untreated. The collagen grafts had been engineered to form a channel shape, similar to the natural sheath of a nerve, and follow-up studies three months later showed that the rats' own nerve cells had regenerated and infiltrated this "scaffolding" material. "We used the body's own healing abilities to create the tissue," explains Atala.

The degree of nerve regeneration with the collagen grafts equaled that of both normal, undamaged nerves, and the grafts consisting of the rats' own nerves. The severed nerves that were left untreated showed no signs of regeneration.

Atala's lab previously showed that the tissue making up the body of the penis can be successfully grown in the lab, and successfully used to reconstruct the penises of rabbits that had part of the organ surgically removed. This new study takes penile reconstruction a step further; showing that the nerves required for erectile function can be induced to grow through tissue engineering.

"Right now we can do partial penile repair, but in order to do complete replacements, we need to make sure all the parts are there, including the nerves," Atala said. "This research takes us one step closer." Future work will attempt to tissue-engineer a complete penis, growing the body of the organ and providing it with a functioning set of nerves.

"It's an important indicator," says Dr. Ira Sharlip, at the University of California. "Erections depend on blood flow, so if there is a problem with blood flow to the penis, what these studies say is that reduced blood flow due to arteriosclerosis may exist in other parts of the circulatory system and could lead to heart disease or heart attack. Men need to recognize that the circulatory system is responsible for many components of overall health, and that erectile dysfunction, which some men find difficult or embarrassing to discuss with their doctors, should be taken seriously because erectile dysfunction may be a warning sign of even more serious illness."

It seems that Schrader may have inadvertently triggered something of an avalanche of research into the topic of male sexual health and cycling. The latest issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine contains three studies looking at how bike riding can affect the male reproductive system. Schrader himself was asked to review the three new articles - Bicycle Riding and Erectile Dysfunction, Study of the Perineum - Saddle Interface in Men with Erectile Dysfunction and Development of a New Geometric Bicycle Saddle for the Maintenance of Genital-Perineal Vascular Perfusion.

The three articles look into the mechanics of erectile dysfunction brought on by bicycling. They together report that the high pressures in the perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus) while straddling a saddle compress and temporarily stifle penile blood flow. The researchers also hypothesized that the lining vessels of the compressed arteries become damaged, thus leading to the possibility of permanent artery blockage.

But not all men who ride bicycles will develop erectile dysfunction. One past study suggested that sexual health consequences adversely affect 5 percent of riders. "One would not expect that every bicyclist would suffer from erectile dysfunction any more than one would expect every smoker would get lung cancer," said Schrader.

While the evidence linking erectile dysfunction and cycling keeps mounting, Schrader believes it's time for some solutions. Whereas past research emphasized whether or not a relationship existed between bicycle riding on a saddle and erectile dysfunction, Schrader now says that the next step of contemporary research on the subject should focus on intervention. And if that happens, it's possible that we may see some radically redesigned bicycle seats hitting the market in the near future. "The next steps are quite clear. Effective strategies based on sound ergonometrics and urogenital physiologic principles and testing are needed to reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction from bicycle riding," he said in conclusion.

A small study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated that drugs known as statins, used to treat high cholesterol levels and blocked arteries, can also be of assistance for men suffering from erectile dysfunction. The study, appearing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that statins showed promise in treating men who had shown a lack of response to erectile drugs like Viagra.

Thanks to : Penis Stretcher

But men who don't respond to oral medications shouldn't give up hope, says urologist Jack Mydlo, of the Temple University School of Medicine. He believes that when erectile medications fail, combination therapy might be the answer. "Medication used with other non-surgical treatments, such as pumps, injections or urethral suppositories, offers a safe and effective alternative for the small but significant portion of the population for whom oral medication alone doesn't work," he said.

According to Mydlo, the root causes of erectile dysfunction are many and varied. He cited smoking, obesity, cardiovascular disease and psychological stress among the chief culprits. He noted that obesity was a double-edged sword as it had physical (enzymes in fat tissue convert testosterone to estrogen) and emotional consequences (overweight men usually have poor body image), both of which can lead to erectile dysfunction. Other factors including pelvic surgery, cancer treatments and other medications (such as those for mental illness or high blood pressure) can also contribute to erectile dysfunction.

Mydlo believes that the tailored combination of different therapies - such as drugs, pumps, injections or suppositories - can overcome several problems simultaneously, as each therapy addresses a different aspect of the problem. "The good news is that in 2006, no one should have to suffer from erectile dysfunction. It just depends on how far you want to go," he said, adding that motivation, persistence and a supportive partner were also vital in beating the problem.

The findings, from a Cochrane Systematic Review, noted that depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and other psychosocial stresses can play a large role in erectile dysfunction. The review analyzed eleven recent studies into the influence that these psychological issues have on the male body's endocrine, vascular and neurological functions.

The studies involved nearly 400 men with erectile dysfunction who had been given psychotherapy, medication, psychotherapy plus medication or vacuum devices. A further 59 men were in non-treatment control groups.

"We found that 95 percent of men in the psychosocial therapy group benefited from the treatment, while there was no change in over the same period of time in the controls," said Professor Tamara Melnik, a psychiatrist working at the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil.

Melnik suggests that some large randomized trials with longer follow-up periods should now be conducted, in order to measure exactly how effective psychosocial therapy can be. "One problem with psychosocial therapy is that we are still uncertain which patients are most likely to benefit from it and if effectiveness depends upon personality factors [or] length of therapy time," concluded Melnik.

A strange thing happened to me the other night. My wife suggested we have sex. This was strange in that I'm the guy that usually initiates such things. After years of trial and error I have basically adopted the shotgun strategy. I initiate all the time. In bed, in the bath, driving home, while eating corn flakes. Because you never know when she might just say yes! But what was unusual this time is that she wanted it and I... couldn't. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't first time I've had a problem getting it up, but it was the first time I wasn't face down drunk at the time.

Thanks to : Penis Pills

Last year, Beale set out to change that by commissioning a detailed study amongst fifty randomly selected members of a natural penis enlargement (jelqing) program. Beale says that his penis enlargement program is the first to sponsor research into the effectiveness of its jelqing techniques. Subscribers were asked to complete two surveys - one prior to commencing the penis enlargement program - and one on completion of the penis enlargement program.

Results from the survey make interesting reading as to what results men can really hope to achieve from a penis enlargement program. Key findings include;

• Average increase in penis length was 1.8 inches
• Average increase in penis girth was 1.6 inches
• Average time spent on the penis enlargement exercises was 22 minutes per day for 4 days a week
• Interestingly, many respondents reported a much higher sex drive and increased sexual (ejaculatory) control
• Age was not in factor in any of the penis size results

Readers can check the survey at the Penis Health website.

Beale said that too many penis enlargement websites focussed on the provision of instructional material rather than conducting basic research into the effectiveness of their penis enlargement programs. "Having video and lots of penis enlargement resource material available is only part of the penis enlargement solution. We had research done which is the first of its kind in the field of penis enlargement. We want to clarify the whole field of natural penis enlargement so that men understand what they can achieve. That's also the reason behind our decision to have a doctor review all aspects of our jelqing program."

The active component in most of these pills is often Yohimbine, which comes from the African Yohimbe tree. Yohimbe has been the subject of several studies with laboratory animals. It is an alkaloid which is claimed to be both an aphrodisiac and a general sexual tonic boosting sex drive, potency and stamina. In rats, Yohimbe was found to boost the sex drive, hence its reputation for being an aphrodisiac. In humans, Yohimbe can raise blood pressure and increase the heart rate. It can also assist with blood circulation. Because of its effect on blood circulation, it is likely that Yohimbe could also have an effect on the erectile function of the penis, resulting in harder, and therefore larger, erections. Whether or not preparations such as these can stimulate actual penis growth is not known. Because these formulations can boost blood flow to the penis, an increasing number of men are using pills in combination with a natural penis enlargement program. Men who have tried combining the two say the increased blood flow to the penis benefits the penile massage techniques and that size gains are achieved more quickly. Men should be aware that Yohimbe formulations are prohibited in a number of countries outside the United States. Additionally, the FDA is investigating Yohimbe as it can have unwelcome side effects.

Leaving penis enlargement pills aside, researchers say that the best way to improve the size and performance of the penis is to maintain a healthy diet and watch what is taken into the body. One of the worst things men can do is smoke. Smoking can actually shrink the penis and its effects on health in general are well documented. Excess intake of alcohol can also have a detrimental effect. Apart from impotence (brewers droop), alcohol can also cause a general weight increase. Weight can have a very real effect on the size of the penis as excess body fat can cause more of the penis to remain hidden “inside” the body. In very obese men, penis size is often reduced dramatically.

Maintaining a trim physique - and a fit penis - can be achieved through a sensible diet and dietary intake should also include the following supplements to ensure a healthy penis and reproductive system.

Can I get a pill to enlarge my penis?
The simple answer is “no you can’t”. Just as there’s no pill to make your legs or arms grow, there’s no pill to make your penis grow. Most penis pill manufacturers have ceased to claim their products will enlarge the penis and now claim that their preparations are “penis enhancement” products. This is a more accurate description as some pills can increase the flaccid (non-erect) size of the penis by boosting blood flow to the genitals. Whilst these pills can often have a substantial effect on the size of a flaccid penis, they won’t increase your erection size a great deal. Any improvement in erection size will be due to the increased blood supply to the genitals. This may increase size (and firmness) somewhat, but the increase will not be a large amount. Some manufacturers claim their preparations will increase erection size substantially over time as the penis tissue expands to accommodate the increased blood flow.

Why would I want to increase my flaccid size?
Many men have quite small flaccid penises, which when erect are more or less average size. The small non-erect size can lead to what’s known as “locker-room-itis”, a perception some men have that they simply “don’t stack up” when compared to other men in the size department. Whilst this is unfounded, the feeling of inferiority is real, even though erection size is what really counts. For men worried about their flaccid size – either in the locker room or on the beach - pills that increase blood flow to the genitals offer something of a remedy and will certainly increase confidence.

Can they act as an aphrodisiac?
Quite possibly, although men typically don’t need much help in this department! Most brands of penis pill contain a variety of extracts that help with sexual stamina and libido. They can also help with erectile dysfunction, although probably a far more effective treatment would be the mainstream pharmaceutical products designed to assist with impotence, such as Viagra®.

Can pills help me ejaculate in greater quantity or with more force?
Certain supplements such as L-Arginine and L-Lysine can increase the amount of semen produced and ejaculated. L-Arginine is found in some preparations and is also available from some health food stores. Other extracts can also help in producing more semen. Ejaculating with greater force is not something that can be achieved by taking a pill and men would be better served by exercising their PC muscles on a regular basis to achieve more forceful ejaculations.

Are pills safe to take?
Stick to the recommended dosage and there’s little risk. Exercise caution with any preparation that contains Yohimbine, the extract from the Yohimbe tree. The FDA is looking at risks associated with Yohimbine as it may be linked to liver disease and other serious conditions.