Is ED Inevitable? Know the Facts

For some men, erectile dysfunction (ED) increases with age. But that doesn’t mean that it’s always age related, that every man will develop ED, or that those who develop it will have it indefinitely.

In fact, the National Institutes of Health reports that only 4% of men in their 50s and 17% of men in their 60s are completely unable to exercise an erection—and most of those cases have nothing to do with aging.

So, if it’s not aging itself that’s causing ED, what is it?

Medical and Mental Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

There quite a few controllable and treatable factors that can affect a man’s ability to get and maintain an erection: obesity, low testosterone, diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can all play a role in ED. Also, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, anxiety, depression and stress can all interfere with erections.

Other issues, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and an enlarged prostate can also affect erections.

If you’re taking certain medications, talk to your doctor to find out if they could be causing your impotence. The most common types of drugs that can cause ED include antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, antihistamines, hormone therapy and calcium channel blockers.

Treating Erectile Dysfunction

Whatever the cause of your impotence, there are several ways to treat it. First, your primary physician or urologist may recommend a physical exam, psychosocial exam and blood test to try to determine the cause or at least rule out certain factors.

Many forms of ED are treatable with prescription drugs like Viagra, Levitra or Cialis. Each of the most common ED medications has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, including cost, how often you need to take it, how soon before sex you need to take them, drug interactions and side effects. You’ll need to determine which option is best for you.