A new study reports that many men seeking help for erectile dysfunction are below the age of 40.
Just in time for National Men’s Health Week, a new study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine is shedding light on the fact that many men seeking erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment are younger than you may think.
Researchers found in an Italian study that 26 percent of 439 men seeking ED treatment were younger than 40. Almost half of the men had issues with premature ejaculation, and nearly half of them under the age of 40 had a severe case of ED, compared to just 40 percent in men over the age of 40.
The men in the study, which spanned more than two and a half years, also had issues with premature ejaculation.
The younger men had a lower average body mass index (BMI) of 25.1, more testosterone in their blood and a lower rate of conditions that are often big ED contributors, such as hypertension.
Why so limp, then? Dr. Gregory Bales, an associate professor of urology at the University of Chicago, says that cigarette smoking and drug use may contribute to the problem. They can produce effects similar to the those of high blood pressure, which restricts blood vessel flow.
Bates said quitting the smoking habit can definitely help. A 2011 study reported that men who quit smoking had stronger, firmer erections after eight weeks without a cigarette. Additionally, stress, anxiety and body issues can also contribute to ED at a younger age.
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