The easy availability of online pornography is one factor that may account for the sharp rise in the incidence of erectile dysfunction among young men.
Until relatively recently erectile dysfunction has been largely considered a problem of older men — usually those over the age of 40. However, increasing evidence has emerged that a rapidly growing number of younger men are finding it difficult to get and keep an erection hard and long-lasting enough for sexual intercourse.
While erection problems among young men are not unknown, they haven’t been as extensively studied as have the symptoms of erectile dysfunction in men who are 40 or older. That’s beginning to change as researchers react to the growing number of ED cases among younger men.
Findings from Italian Study
A study by Italian urologic researchers, published in the July 2013 issue of “The Journal of Sexual Medicine,” found that one in every four patients newly diagnosed with ED was under the age of 40. Even more alarming was the finding that severe ED symptoms were slightly more common among younger men than in the men who were 40 or older.
Unlike the ED patients 40 and older, younger men diagnosed with ED tended to have fewer underlying health conditions, had lower body mass index values, and higher circulating blood levels of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone. However, the incidence of cigarette smoking and illegal drug use was higher for those under the age of 40.
What Factors Are at Play?
In the wake of the Italian study’s publication, Markham Heid, a writer for MensHealth.com, interviewed Tobias S. Kohler, M.D., an associate professor in the urology department at Southern Illinois University Medical School. Kohler offered his views on some of the factors behind the increasing incidence of ED diagnoses among younger men.
For many younger men, erection problems are psychological in origin, said Kohler. One off night can trigger anxiety that may stick with them for weeks or even months, making it all but impossible to get an erection. Anxiety triggers the body to release increased levels of adrenaline, which is one of three stress hormones that kick in as part of the fight-or-flight response.
Overthinking a Natural Reaction
Another psychological factor that can sabotage erectile function, according to Kohler, is the tendency to overthink what should be a natural reaction. In this respect, getting and keeping an erection is not unlike falling asleep, he said. The more you think about it, the less likely it is to happen.
However, noted Kohler, these psychological barriers to optimal erectile function have always been there and are probably not factors in the recent increase in ED diagnoses among younger men. One culprit, common to a wide number of young men these days, is a lousy diet, consisting of large quantities of fast food, low in nutritional value and high in fat and calories. A diet such as this undermines vascular health, which can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Some Foods Contain Estrogen
Widespread consumption of heavily processed foods poses other dangers as well, explained Kohler. Such foods contain a wide array of chemicals, including traces of the female sex hormone estrogen, which can lower a man’s testosterone, which plays a key role in regulating the male sex drive.
The increased use of potent painkillers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, meperidine, hydromorphone, and propoxyphene, may also account for increased erection problems among young men, according to Kohler. Such medications can suppress testosterone levels, which in turn dampens sexual desire, without which an erection doesn’t really make much sense. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption can also interfere with normal erectile function, so they too are serious problems, particularly for younger men.
Sedentary Lifestyle a Factor
Yet another factor that may be leading to the increase in ED among younger men is the increasingly sedentary nature of 21st century men and women. To counteract the effects of sitting all day at a desk (and most of the night sprawled out on the couch), Kohler says a man needs 30 to 45 minutes of vigorous exercise at least five days a week.
A more recent examination of the increase in ED among younger men came in the form of a review of relevant scientific literature conducted by researchers from the Department of Urology at Tulane University School of Medicine. Published in the October 2017 issue of “Sexual Medicine Reviews,” the study confirmed the rise in ED diagnoses among younger men. It noted that some estimates suggest the incidence of ED in men under the age of 40 may run as high as 30 percent.
ED of Psychogenic Origin
The Tulane researchers noted that many of the studies they reviewed have sorted ED cases among younger men into different categories based on the underlying cause of the problem. Erection problems of psychogenic origin might be caused by anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. In such cases, the ED is characterized by a sudden onset of symptoms and a notable drop in sexual desire. However, most men reporting this type of psychogenic ED enjoyed relatively high-quality spontaneous or self-stimulated erections.
The specific causes of organic ED include, first and foremost, those of vascular origin, the largest single cause of erection problems among men of all ages, according to the researchers. Other causes of organic ED may be traced to problems with the body’s nervous system or hormonal imbalances.
Effects of Too Much Porn
The increased availability of hard-core pornography has also been cited as a factor in the rising incidence of erection problems among young men. In an article posted at Playboy.com, writer Bobby Box reported that young men who prefer pornography to real-life sexual encounters can find themselves unable to perform when an opportunity for live sex presents itself.
Based on findings from research conducted at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego, sex therapist Morgan Francis said that “we are seeing a younger demographic of men, 18 to 35, that are experiencing erectile dysfunction.” She said that young men exposed to hard-core pornography on a regular basis run the risk of becoming overstimulated, which can cause an imbalance in brain chemistry, most often characterized by a sharp rise in dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasurable sensations.
Porn Viewing Habits Vary Widely
The research study at the Navy Medical Center surveyed 312 men between the ages of 20 and 40. It found that roughly a quarter of these men watched porn once a week or less. However, another 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to viewing porn at least five times a week, and 5 percent admitted that they watch porn up to 10 times a day.
For many men, their experiences from real-life sexual encounters pale in comparison to what they’ve witnessed in the pornography. They become desensitized and less able to function sexually without the extreme stimulation they get from porn.
ED Drugs Remain Treatment of Choice
For men whose ED is organic in nature, erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra and Cialis remain the treatment of choice. These drugs are available only by prescription in the United States and most other countries as well. If you have a prescription from a doctor, you can have it filled at the neighborhood pharmacy or opt instead to order the drug from a trustworthy online supplier such as eDrugstore.com. If you choose to go the latter route, you can fax your doctor’s prescription or scan and email it along with your order to eDrugstore.
If you don’t have a doctor’s prescription and would prefer to avoid the added cost of a doctor’s visit, eDrugstore can set up a complimentary online consultation with one of its team of licensed U.S. physicians. If your medical history and symptoms make you an appropriate candidate for an ED drug, the online doctor will authorize a prescription. You can start your order by visiting eDrugstore.com now.
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