Uncovering the Impact of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance on Erectile Dysfunction

How To Treat Erectile Dysfunction Without The Little Blue Pill | This episode is sponsored by ButcherBox and Dr. Hyman’s Sleep Master Class

Erectile dysfunction is a very common problem among men. In fact, 10% of men under the age of 40 have erectile dysfunction and 60% of men experience erectile dysfunction by the age of 70. When Viagra, commonly referred to as the little blue pill, hit the market in the late 1990s, it opened the door for a conversation about this prevalent issue. And while traditional medicine has focused on targeting erectile dysfunction as a local problem, Functional Medicine recognizes that it is actually a systemic issue, often brought about by our ultra-processed, high-starch and sugar diets.

In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with Dr. George Papaicolaou to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to diagnosing and treating erectile dysfunction, and why it is so important to get to the root cause of this issue.

George Papanicolaou is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is Board Certified in Family Medicine from Abington Memorial Hospital. He is also an Institute for Functional Medicine Practitioner. Upon graduation from his residency he joined the Indian Health Service. He worked on the Navajo reservation for 4 years at the Chinle Comprehensive Medical Facility where he served as the Outpatient Department Coordinator. In 2000, he founded Cornerstone Family Practice in Rowley, MA. He practiced with a philosophy centered on personal relationships and treating the whole person, not just not the disease. He called that philosophy “Whole Life Wellness”. Over time as the healthcare system made it harder for patients to receive this kind of personal care Dr. Papanicolaou decided a change was needed. He began training in Functional Medicine through the Institute of Functional Medicine. In 2015, he established Cornerstone Personal Health – a practice dedicated entirely to Functional Medicine. Dr. Papanicolaou to join The UltraWellness Center in 2017.

This episode is sponsored by ButcherBox and Dr. Hyman’s Sleep Master Class. 

When you sign up for ButcherBox today, you can get 2lbs of wild-caught Alaskan salmon free in your first box. Just go to butcherbox.com/farmacy. 

In this modern world we place too much value on staying busy and deprioritizing sleep, which is why Dr. Hyman created his first ever Master Class. It guides you through the most important steps to getting better sleep, starting today. Get free access to Dr. Hyman’s Sleep Master Class at drhyman.com/sleep. 

In this conversation, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Papanicolaou discuss:

• Why erectile dysfunction is such a common problem

• The traditional medicine approach to treating erectile dysfunction

• How Viagra works

• How stress, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, and poor metabolic health can lead to erectile dysfunction

• The role that diet, alcohol, and sleep apnea can have in causing erectile dysfunction

• Why testosterone drops as we age

• Why lifestyle, meditation, and exercise can help improve erectile dysfunction

• Up and coming treatments for erectile dysfunction including peptides, stem cells, shock wave, and exosome therapies

Additional Resources

Male Menopause, Low Libido and Testosterone Replacement

https://drhyman.com/blog/2020/07/27/podcast-hc20/

Hormone Magic: Let’s Start With Testosterone

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/09/23/hormone-magic-lets-start-with-testosterone/

Man Magic: Part 2

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/11/22/man-magic-testosterone-part-2/

The State of Science for Sex, Aging, and Regenerative Medicine

https://drhyman.com/blog/2019/05/10/bb-ep53-2/

The Mind-Blowing Science of Fat-Burning and Insulin Resistance with Dr. Benjamin Bikman

https://drhyman.com/blog/2020/09/24/bb-ep154/

How Do Stem Cells Heal

https://drhyman.com/blog/2019/06/12/podcast-ep58/

How to Improve Your Sexual Pleasure with Dr. Amy Killen

https://drhyman.com/blog/2020/07/13/bb-ep136/