Latest news with #DrBabakAshrafi
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
GP warning over staggering rise in erectile problems in young men - and common habit is to blame
Watching pornography is driving a wave of erectile dysfunction problems in young men, a GP has warned. Dr Babak Ashrafi, a family medic with Superdrug Online Doctor, said there had been an 46 per cent increase in men under the age of 30 currently seeking help from its erectile dysfunction service compared to last year. Also called impotency or shortened to ED, erectile dysfunction is a condition where men can't get or keep an erection and is classically more common in older groups. But Dr Babak said a spike in younger men experiencing the problem could be linked to the 'exponential' consumption of explicit online material. 'Despite men between the ages of 45-54 years old being the most likely to suffer from erectile difficulties, younger male audiences are increasingly requesting treatment,' he said. Dr Babak explained that while occasional pornography viewing was harmless, frequent or marathon sessions could re-train men's brains and prevent them become aroused normally. 'Repeated overexposure to graphic content can over time make it harder for individuals to become aroused by real-life sexual experiences,' he said. The family doctor added that porn could be giving men to unrealistic perceptions about their manhood, or how long they should last in bed. This, he explained, could result in men agonising about their personal bedroom performance, a known trigger of erectile dysfunction. 'The unrealistic depictions of sexual encounters featured in porn can lead to pressure and stress about performance and longevity, resulting in ED,' Dr Babak said. And with access to a colossal catalogue of adult content just a few taps away on their phones, the medic warned accessing porn has never been easier. Other experts have previously warned modern masturbation practices could be setting men up for impotency far earlier than is typical. Earlier this year, experts told MailOnline that a new rapidly growing fetish called ' gooning ' could lead to impotency and pornography addiction. Gooning sees men undertake 'marathon' self-pleasure sessions of up to seven hours while delaying orgasm. Dr Richard Viney, a consultant urological surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, warned overuse of pornography for arousal could have real world consequences. 'A man can find he needs pornography to get aroused rather than on the presence and touch of his partner,' he said. Excessive use of online adult content can also lead to a little-known condition called porn addiction. Experts say this most commonly occurs in people using pornography as an escape, such as from stress or depression. Research suggests that as many as one in 20 Britons have problematic porn usage, meaning their habit is having a wider negative impact on their life. Experts caution however that estimates of how many people might be living with a porn addiction are inherently unreliable. Many sufferers avoid seeking professional help due to shame and embarrassment of their affliction or fear of exposure. Such feelings can also contribute to men not seeking help for erectile dysfunction. The condition is thought to effect about half of men over 40. While most cases are isolated and nothing to worry about, repeated or sustained impotency should be checked out by a GP. This is not only because it can usually easily be treated through medications like Viagra but because ED can also be a potential indicator of serious health problems. These include issues like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, diabetes, hormone imbalances and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Drugs like sildenafil, generic name for Viagra, can be used as well as therapy if the impotency is being caused by a mental health problem. Millions of British men now take drugs to help impotency. The latest NHS backed data shows nearly 5million prescriptions for such medications were handed out by GPs in England in 2024, at the cost of £15.5million. This data doesn't cover over the counter purchases, with many high street pharmacies, as well as online shops, now selling their own brand versions.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
I'm a GP - I know the reason you're feeling exhausted right now, no matter how much sleep you get
Hay fever could be to blame for relentless tiredness that won't go — no matter how much sleep you get, according to a UK GP. The pollen allergy, which affects a quarter of all adults in Britain, can trigger an immune system reaction that's known to deplete energy levels, Dr Babak Ashrafi has warned. He added that dreaded symptoms like runny nose, scratchy throat and stinging eyes can disrupt sleep, exacerbating fatigue. Dr Ashrafi's insight comes amid an explosion in hay fever far earlier than usual, due to this year's unusually dry spring. Experts from the Surrey allergy clinic claim said sufferers are experiencing early-onset symptoms that are also more severe than is typical. Dr Adrian Morris, an allergy specialist, blamed the unusually high pollen count and increased resistance to antihistamines. He warned that as a result, people have 'become afraid to go to the park'. Speaking of the impact of the allergy on sleep, Dr Ashrafi said: 'When we have an allergy, whether it's hay fever related or not, our bodies work in overdrive to fight off the foreign bodies which can lead to a drop in energy levels. 'Other hay fever symptoms such as a runny nose can also result in a restless night's sleep, depleting energy levels further.' And not dealing with the symptoms can lead to changes in mood. 'Common hay fever symptoms such as sneezing, congestion and irritable eyes can inadvertently affect your mood,' said Dr Ashrafi. 'It has even been reported that self-reported lower moods were associated with high pollen counts.' He recommended trying antihistamines in the first instance but warned they may cause drowsiness. 'I often recommend speaking to a pharmacist about non-drowsy options to help tackle hay fever without impacting your energy,' he said. Meanwhile, sleep expert Dr Daisy Mae recommended buying an air purifier to remove potentially harmful particles from your bedroom. 'Even at night, dust and pollen remains in the air. It would be worth buying a silent air purifier, so that the noise doesn't keep you up at night,' said Dr Mae. 'This can help minimise the impact of allergies and hay fever. 'If you can, turn it on just before bedtime so that it starts taking out the allergens before you get into bed, and clears the air ready for you to settle.' Another tip is hoovering your mattress. 'By whipping out your hoover and getting it on your mattress, you'll massively reduce the amount of dust and pollen particles that you bring in from outside and ensure that they're limited in the bedroom,' said Dr Mae. The doctor also recommended switching to hypoallergenic bedding, designed to keep allergens such as pollen and dust mites away. 'It is worth investing in if you're someone that suffers with hay fever. It uses hollowfibre rather than feather alternatives, and reduces the chance of pollen and dust build up at night-time by preventing pollen, house dust and other allergens getting trapped inside the bedding.' Hay fever is an allergy to pollen, the fine powder plants produce as part of their reproductive cycle. Typically, the allergy season begins in March and runs through to September, peaking in spring time. Experts have warned that hay fever seasons are set to get worse. The UK Health Security Agency said research has confirmed that 'longer and more intense pollen seasons are something that we are beginning to experience in the UK' — and that people could begin to suffer hay-fever even earlier in years to come.
