If you’ve been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), your healthcare provider may prescribe an ADHD medication such as Adderall to treat your symptoms and help you stay focused on tasks.
While Adderall is effective as an ADHD treatment, it can cause certain side effects, including a risk of intimacy side effects, such as ED.
If you’re taking Adderall and worried about ED, there may actually be an upside. We’ll dig into claims that Adderall might help you last longer in bed and uncover whether it’s one of those medications that cause ED.
Below, we’ll discuss how Adderall works and if it impacts bedroom performance. We’ll also explain how to improve function if you develop ED while using Adderall to treat ADHD symptoms. Let’s get into it.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a prescription medication for ADHD. It contains the active ingredients amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. This prescription drug works by stimulating the central nervous system, causing you to experience greater focus and improving your ability to control your actions by impacting dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
Children and adults are typically prescribed Adderall for ADHD to help stay focused, avoid impulsive behaviors and control other common ADHD symptoms. Adderall is also used to treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that can make you feel excessively sleepy during the day.
People occasionally use Adderall illicitly because it can enhance concentration and performance, giving it a reputation as a “study drug.” Misuse of Adderall could have a negative effect on your health and lead to a range of long-term issues, including prescription stimulant addiction.
Does Adderall Cause ED?
Like any medication, Adderall has some side effects, including a few that may affect bedroom health and performance. So, does Adderall cause ED? There’s not a ton of evidence that it does. However, this medication contains amphetamines, which could be a possible culprit of ED.
According to a 2020 review of studies on Adderall’s adverse effects, the drug can cause an alteration in intimacy performance and desire. Keep in mind that other side effects of Adderall may indirectly affect bedroom performance.
A few Adderall side effects include:
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Difficulty falling asleep or interrupted sleep
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Restlessness
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Headache
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Dizziness
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Constipation
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Nausea or diarrhea
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Dry mouth
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Loss of appetite
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Hallucination
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Paranoia
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Exacerbation of pre-existing mental illnesses
If you happen to have ADHD and depression or ADHD and anxiety, Adderall could amplify these mental health challenges. Since ED can be exacerbated by psychological issues like depression and anxiety, it’s possible Adderall is a contributing factor.
Symptoms of ED vary in severity. You may have ED if you:
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Can’t get hard at any time, even when you feel aroused and interested in intercourse or self-pleasure
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Can get hard, but it is inadequate or not hard enough
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Can get adequately hard but find it difficult or impossible to maintain your arousal long enough to have fulfilling or satisfactory intercourse
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Can get hard sometimes, but not consistently enough to be intimate every time you’d like to
Getting hard is all about healthy, optimal blood flow. When you feel aroused, blood flows to the bodies of tissue inside your member, causing them to expand and create firm arousal that allows you to perform intercourse. As a stimulant, Adderall can constrict blood vessels throughout the body. As a result, it can restrict the flow of blood to the reproductive organs and make it more difficult to achieve and maintain arousal.
Can Adderall cause permanent ED? There isn’t much evidence directly linking Adderall to ED. But if it’s causing arousal issues, they probably can be reversed through ED treatments or discontinuing the medication.
Learn more about ADHD and bedroom dysfunction by reading this guide.
Does Adderall Make You Last Longer in Bed?
While ADHD meds can certainly help you to stay focused and avoid impulsivity, there’s no strong evidence that they improve physical stamina or the ability to prevent PE during intercourse. Experts don’t know exactly why some men climax early during intercourse. However, research suggests that numerous factors may be responsible, including:
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Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin
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Changes in levels of certain hormones, such as prolactin or luteinizing hormone (LH)
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Mental health issues, such as depression, stress or anxiety
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Inflammation affecting the prostate gland or urethra
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Lack of self-confidence or a history of abuse
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Relationship problems or unrealistic expectations in the bedroom
Currently, no scientific evidence suggests that Adderall or similar medications have any impact on these potential causes of PE — or that taking ADHD meds could enhance your stamina. However, according to a 2017 qualitative study, amphetamines have a reputation for enhancing bedroom experience. Keep in mind that this study comes from a sample of 35 interviewees and is based on their personal experiences in various social settings.
Looking for PE treatments? Over-the-counter options, such as a Delay Spray and Clockstopper benzocaine wipes, may help you to last longer in bed by reducing sensitivity around the tip of your member. This guide to increasing stamina explains how treatments for PE work and how you can use them to improve performance.
Does Adderall Affect Intimate Desire?
Adderall can definitely affect intimate desire, both as a direct side effect and indirectly.
It turns out that psychological issues can be amplified when taking Adderall, so a person with anxiety or depression could feel worse mental health symptoms. The contributors of a low intimacy drive in men include anxiety and depression.
Like the study mentioned above, some find that amphetamines are among the drugs that increase bedroom drive, but there’s still not enough evidence to say this is true for the majority of people. Whether Adderall affects desire positively or negatively really varies from person to person.
How to Treat Adderall-Related ED
Dealing with ED can be a frustrating experience. Luckily, ED is almost always treatable. If you’ve recently started to experience ED and think your use of Adderall is the cause, it’s best to talk to a healthcare professional.
When you talk to your healthcare provider, make sure to inform them about your symptoms and when they started. ED is a common issue affecting men of all ages, meaning there’s no need to feel embarrassed or worried when you talk to a healthcare professional.
If you feel uncomfortable talking to your regular healthcare provider about ED, you can get ED help online from a licensed medical professional.
Your healthcare provider might suggest making changes to your use of Adderall to reduce the severity of ED and improve bedroom performance. This may include:
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Adjusting your dosage on days you have intercourse. This could help reduce the severity of ED symptoms. But only adjust your dosage of Adderall after talking to your healthcare provider.
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Not taking Adderall before intercourse. If you take a split dose of Adderall throughout the day, your provider might suggest not taking it shortly before bedroom activity. Don’t stop taking Adderall without first talking to a healthcare professional.
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Waiting it out. If you’ve only recently started taking Adderall, your healthcare provider may recommend waiting several weeks to see if your ED symptoms disappear over time on their own.
In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend switching to a different medication to treat ADHD symptoms.
In addition to suggesting changes to the way you use your medication, your healthcare provider might prescribe ED medication to improve arousal health and bedroom performance. Several medications are available to treat ED. Common oral options include:
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Sildenafil. The active ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil is a fast-acting medication that can provide relief from ED for approximately four hours.
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Tadalafil. The active ingredient in Cialis, tadalafil is a long-acting ED medication designed to provide relief from ED for up to 36 hours per dose.
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Vardenafil. The active ingredient in Levitra, vardenafil offers relief from ED for a little longer than sildenafil.
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Avanafil. A newer, second-generation ED medication, avanafil (sold as Stendra) works quickly to provide relief from ED and is less likely to cause certain side effects than older medications.
These medications work by increasing blood flow to the tissue of your member. This guide to PDE5 inhibitors (the class of medication common ED drugs belongs to) goes into more detail about how these medications work, their advantages and potential side effects.
Don’t love swallowing pills? Chewable hard mints for ED might be a great option for you. There is also an injectable ED medication, alprostadil, and a newer topical ED treatment, Eroxon.
If your ED is related to an underlying health condition, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, your healthcare provider may prescribe additional medication.
Finally, it’s often possible to reduce the severity of ED and improve intimacy health by making changes to your habits and lifestyle. Try to:
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Maintain a healthy body weight. Research shows that being overweight or obese can significantly increase your risk of developing ED. Obesity is also linked to other issues, such as diabetes and heart disease, that can contribute to ED. As such, weight loss may help reverse the condition.
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Keep yourself active. According to a 2018 review of studies, 40 minutes of aerobic exercise four times per week can decrease ED. And for those with ED specifically associated with physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases, 160 minutes of exercise weekly for six months was found to decrease arousal issues.
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Avoid cigarettes and nicotine. Nicotine and many other chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage blood vessels and impact blood flow, potentially affecting arousal function and intimacy health. If you smoke, make an effort to quit. Your healthcare provider might be able to prescribe medication to make the process of kicking the habit easier.
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Drink alcohol in moderation. Research shows that people who drink large amounts of alcohol are more likely to develop intimacy dysfunction, including ED, low bedroom desire and PE. Try to drink alcohol in moderation. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends a maximum of two servings of alcohol a day for men and one per day for women.
If you’re experiencing sudden ED, talk to your healthcare provider before making any lifestyle changes. They can help you with temporary ED or more long-term ED issues.
Adderall and ED: Takeaways
If you’re taking Adderall and experiencing ED, there could be a few reasons for it. Although some common side effects of Adderall might be related to ED, there’s not much evidence to prove the connection. Here are a few things to remember:
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Adderall is a medication typically prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy. It’s a stimulant and contains amphetamines, which have been shown to cause ED issues.
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Some side effects of Adderall, like the amplification of anxiety and depression, could contribute to ED issues for some people.
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ED medications, like Viagra and Cialis, can increase blood flow to help treat ED.
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Lifestyle changes — like losing weight, eating a healthy diet, giving up smoking, decreasing alcohol consumption and staying active — can help improve ED.
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According to some guys, stimulants like amphetamines may actually help them perform better in the bedroom.
This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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17 Ways Men Can Increase Their Stamina in the Bedroom
If you’re having trouble keeping up with your partner in bed, and it’s affecting your private life, you’re not alone. Not to worry, though, because there are plenty of ways you can increase your stamina, even if you’re encountering some hurdles.
Issues like PE, ED and performance anxiety can make it difficult to last longer in bed. Health and lifestyle factors can take their toll too.
The good news is they’re treatable. We’ll take a look at what stamina means and how you can improve your private life or better control your timing so you won’t climax so quickly.
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What does stamina mean for men exactly? Simply put, stamina is your individual physical and mental ability to sustain activity before having to rest. How long you last and when you reach climax can affect your stamina. On average, it takes five to seven minutes for men to come — although the range is wide.
Certain dysfunction problems and overall health issues can weaken your stamina. PE is one of the most common forms of dysfunction, affecting about 20 to 30 percent of men who are active (although reports are very subjective, so the true prevalence might be higher or lower). While PE can occur alone, it’s often seen along with ED.
Other factors that can affect stamina include:
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Coming. As you’ve probably noticed, you have to take a break after coming to rest and let your refractory period pass. The refractory period allows your body to rest from activity and return to a normal state.
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ED. Sometimes, your ability to maintain an ED can interfere with your performance. ED is the inability to get or maintain. When you have ED, you may lose you last.
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Physical exhaustion. At the end of the day, arousal is a physical act that can wear you out. If you’re exhausted from work, lack of sleep or overextending yourself physically, you may be too fatigued.
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Psychological factors. Your mind can play a role in your ability to perform in bed. Mental health disorders, dealing with PE in a relationship or just the fear of not satisfying your partner are all psychological factors that can affect stamina.
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If you’re aiming to increase your stamina and last longer during arousal, there are several things you can do — from making changes to your habits and lifestyle to using medication.
Below, we’ll share 17 simple, science-based tactics to increase your stamina, improve your performance and make it a longer-lasting, better experience for you and your partner.
Try Topical PE Treatments
If you tend to come too early during penetrative arousal, topical treatments might help.
Delay Spray is a PE spray that can reduce sensitivity in your genitals without completely numbing it. Spray it on 10 to 15 minutes before getting intimate to have an enjoyable performance without worrying about coming too quickly.
Our guide to lidocaine spray for PE goes into greater detail about how these products work and how you can use them effectively for better stamina and a more pleasurable performance.
Another topical PE treatment to consider is wipes. Clockstopper Climax Delay Wipes contain benzocaine, a local anesthetic that can limit overstimulation of the genitals and lengthen sessions.
According to one study, these wipes may improve symptoms of PE.
To use these wipes, apply them to the head and shaft of your genitals and allow it to dry for five minutes before performing.
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If do-it-yourself methods for how to improve stamina are ineffective, it might be time to seek medical care. If you’ve been diagnosed with PE, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to help manage symptoms.
Some medications can be used to treat PE, though they aren’t approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) to treat PE specifically. These include sertraline (the active ingredient in Zoloft), paroxetine (generic for Paxil) and sildenafil (Viagra).
When used as prescribed, these medications might help you control your climax and last significantly longer in bed.
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If you have dysfunction problems like ED, prescription medication may be a good option to increase stamina.
PDE5 inhibitors are ED drugs that can help you get aroused by increasing blood flow to your genitals. Some of the more common PDE5-inhibiting medications include sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) and avanafil (Stendra).
Our guide to PDE5 inhibitors covers how these medications work and how they can help promote harder arousals.
Some companies offer several ED medications online, such as chewable ED hard mints, following a consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who’ll determine if a prescription is appropriate.
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In case you didn’t know, poor health habits can contribute to dysfunction.
While performing can be considered mild to moderate physical activity, you’ll need to get physical outside the bedroom to maintain the healthy weight and cardiovascular health to keep you at peak performance in the bedroom.
According to a review of multiple studies, ED is commonly associated with the following factors:
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Physical inactivity
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Obesity
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Hypertension (high blood pressure)
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Metabolic syndrome
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Cardiovascular diseases
Obesity can impact stamina. A review of 47 studies revealed a substantial connection between obesity and decreased function. In fact, ED is more common among men with obesity than men without obesity.
When you have a high body weight, you’re more susceptible to weight-related diseases and other health problems.
The body mass index (BMI) can be a great screening tool to help estimate your risk for developing certain diseases that may later contribute to dysfunction. You can use the CDC’s BMI calculator to see what your number is.
See the breakdown of BMI rates for men below.
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Underweight: 18.4 or below
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Healthy weight: 18.5 to 24.9
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Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9
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Obese: 30.0 or higher
Keep in mind BMI isn’t the be-all and end-all for physical health. Speak with your healthcare provider to discuss weight concerns.
So, what can you do to maintain a healthy weight? Generally speaking, adults should aim to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
Even small bouts of exercise can help improve your functioning, so get moving.
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Remember the old saying, “You are what you eat?” Well, it’s actually true. If you want to increase stamina, you need to eat the right foods.
Aim for foods rich in amino acids like l-arginine. You can find l-arginine in most animal-based sources of protein, including fish, poultry, red meat and dairy products.
According to a review, your body converts l-arginine into nitric oxide, which helps relax your blood vessels to promote blood flow throughout your body. Nitric oxide is responsible for increasing blood flow to the genitals to help you get aroused.
Beyond protein, you can add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes to your diet. And try to limit junk foods, of course.
It’s important to keep in mind that eating certain foods won’t immediately make you a rockstar in the bedroom. Eating a healthy diet is more about long-term health and, over time, can reduce the risk of diseases (like cardiovascular disease) that may contribute to dysfunction.
(Related: What Foods Help You Get Hard: 8 Foods For ED)
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Since arousals are about healthy, consistent blood flow, good heart health is essential for maintaining arousal.
There are many connections between ED and cardiovascular diseases. In fact, ED is sometimes considered a vascular disease, meaning it affects blood flow.
A review showed that ED is commonly seen in men with high blood pressure. It also noted that this dysfunction problem could be a side effect of antihypertensive medications.
Diabetes is another cardiovascular disease that can contribute to ED. Research shows that men with diabetes are three times more likely to develop ED than men without diabetes.
Talk to a healthcare provider about your cardiovascular health and how it might affect stamina in bed. If necessary, your provider may prescribe medication or suggest changes to your habits and lifestyle to improve your heart function and promote better performance.
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Are you catching enough Z’s each night?
Poor sleep is associated with many health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, hypertension and cardiovascular disease — which, as you now know, are often at least party to blame for many guys’ issues with arousal.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 33 percent of American men have a “short sleep duration,” meaning they get an average of less than seven hours of sleep per night.
The CDC recommends adults 18 and older get seven or more hours of sleep each night.
A review of studies linked these sleep disorders to ED and other urological disorders:
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Obstructive sleep apnea
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Insomnia
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Shift work disorder
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Restless legs syndrome
To get your shut-eye, set a sleep schedule you can stick to or try a supplement or prescription aid (if appropriate)to fall asleep faster.
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There’s nothing wrong with having a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail here and there in social settings. But over-consuming alcohol is a no-no when it comes to how to increase your stamina.
A review of multiple studies revealed that alcohol is tied to performance problems, such as alcohol-induced ED.
In a study involving 100 men diagnosed with alcohol dependence, 72 percent had one or more dysfunction problems, such as PE, ED or low libido.
With this in mind, the CDC suggests limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks a day.
As you may already know, drinking heavily can affect your heart health too. A review found that daily binge drinking was associated with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and hypertension — both conditions can affect blood flow to the genitals.
Another habit that can impact stamina is smoking. A review found that cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing ED regardless of age or health problems. This is possibly because cigarettes can affect the nitric oxide pathway, worsening the mechanisms responsible for ED.
If you’re ready to quit smoking, contact your healthcare provider. They can provide resources and recommend medications to help you quit.
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Want to know how to improve stamina in a more simplified way? Spend more time with your partner before getting hot and heavy.
What exactly can you do? For starters, try kissing, touching or oral performances with your partner to extend your time together.
(Related: Does Honey Make You Last Longer?)
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As with foreplay, take your time to slow things down. Unless that’s the goal, fast performances can lead to coming early.
Instead of speeding through it, dial it back a notch and go at a slower pace, focusing on enjoying the shared experience with your partner.
To keep things interesting, try mixing different intensity levels. When things get more intense and you feel the climax approaching, slow down to get your breath. This is known as edging.
Going slow initially can pay off in more intense, exciting and pleasurable performances.
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Yes, something as simple as switching what condom you use can increase stamina in bed. If you’re feeling overstimulated, thicker condoms might be the answer.
Several brands sell “extended pleasure” or “delay” condoms to help slow coming. Some condoms for PE are thicker than average, while others may contain numbing ingredients to reduce the physical sensations of performances.
A study involving 100 patients with PE found that thicker condoms can be effective in enhancing the intensity and time of your arousal. You may have to try a few to find a comfortable condom that meets your needs.
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The stop-start and squeeze techniques are non-medical ways to treat low stamina.
With the stop-start technique, you have as usual until right before you reach climax, then slow down or stop until the urge to come disappears.
This method can be fairly easy and effective, but you might have to practice a few times to get it right.
Studies have shown that 45 to 65 percent of men have short-term improvements with performing using this technique.
The squeeze technique involves squeezing the head of your genitals right before climaxing, then waiting about 30 seconds to recover before continuing. Like the stop-start technique, this method can take practice.
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Guys, pelvic floor exercises aren’t just for women.
Pelvic floor exercises (aka kegel exercises) can train the muscles extending from your pubic bone across your tailbone. These muscles are responsible for controlling urination and some aspects of the process.
One study found that pelvic floor exercises increased stamina in men with PE. More evidence suggests pelvic floor exercises may improve arousal in men with ED.
Check out our guide to pelvic floor exercises for a simple kegel exercise routine. It only takes a few minutes a day to improve your control and potentially boost your stamina.
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It’s okay if you need more time to reach climax and come a second time. In fact, it can be quite normal for many men due to the refractory period, which can last a few minutes or as long as a day.
If you want to know how to improve stamina, consider jerking off hours before to slow down the climax and come.
Results of this method vary among men. Research suggests that some men find jerking off before performing helpful, but it only works if they’re able to get a second arousal within the right time frame.
Do so too long beforhand, and you won’t notice as much of a benefit. Experiment with timing to see what works best for you.
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Nothing’s wrong with watching adult content here and there, but too much of a good thing can impact your expectations about performing.
As discussed in our guide to adult content-induced ED, some research has found a link between adult content usage and decreased satisfaction — an issue that could contribute to a reduced level of interest in performing.
Also, adult content addiction can impact real-life relationships. A study involving 487 men aged 18 to 29 suggested that higher adult content use negatively impacted the enjoyment of intimacy with a partner.
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While you might be tempted to skip the doctor’s office and try non-prescription pills to increase stamina — take caution.
Non-prescription “Viagra” pills are often marketed as natural options for boosting stamina and improving function. But they may contain unlabeled ingredients that pose safety risks for consumers.
Learn more about the risks of these products in our guide to non-prescription ED pills. Or check out the FDA’s list of tainted enhancement products.
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Mental health disorders and emotional issues may contribute to low stamina.
In a study involving over 18,000 patients, having depression was highly associated with the risk of PE. A review of multiple studies showed that dysfunction can arise in younger men due to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and relationship issues.
If you’re facing emotional issues or have a mental health condition, consider in-person or therapy.
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To maintain arousal, control coming and lasting longer in bed, explore ways to increase stamina. The above tips and techniques can help you improve performance and enjoy longer-lasting experiences.
Here are a few takeaways:
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Low or absent stamina may arise from dysfunction, performance anxiety, medical conditions, poor physical health or mental health issues.
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PE treatments typically involve a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral modifications and pharmacologic therapy.
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ED treatments may include PDE5 inhibitors or other medications.
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Non-medical approaches and lifestyle changes might help with endurance. This includes the stop-start technique, using thicker condoms, limiting adult content, masturbating before performing, maintaining a healthy weight, doing regular workouts, drinking less and quitting smoking.
This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Featured Image Credit: Antonio_Diaz / iStock.
