Where You Grew Up May Affect Erectile Dysfunction

A new study from researchers at Durham University reports that there may be a link between where a boy grew up, his testosterone levels by adulthood and erectile dysfunction.

The study participants

Low levels of testosterone can contribute to issues like erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, and lethargy. On the flip side, too much testosterone can increase aggression, muscle mass and the risk of prostate disease.

The study looked at the saliva of 359 men with a variety of childhoods:

• 107 were born and raised in Bangladesh.
• 59 were born in Bangladesh but moved to the UK as children.
• 75 were born in Bangladesh but moved to the UK as adults.
• 56 were born in the UK to Bangladeshi parents.
• 62 were ethnic Europeans born in the UK.

Why Bangladesh and the UK specifically? Because they have huge differences in wealth, with nearly 75% of the population of Bangladesh living in poverty in 2016 but only 7.3% of the UK living in poverty that year.

The study also weighed for variables, such as age, height, weight and when puberty began.

The results of the study

The two main findings were that:

• Men who grew up and lived in the UK as adults had significantly higher levels of testosterone compared to men relatively well-off men who were raised and lived in Bangladesh.
• Men who born in Bangladesh but moved to the UK as children hit puberty at a younger age and were taller than men who were raised in Bangladesh.

More research needs to be done to further consider risk factors, but preliminary results seem to point toward environment playing a role in testosterone levels.

Treating erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction isn’t always caused by low testosterone, but regardless of the cause, many men see great success from taking the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra.

Viagra is the most popular erectile dysfunction drug in the world and also the most counterfeited. It’s one of the reasons men should seek a prescription for Viagra; to help ensure that the Viagra they’re getting is pure and safe, and effective at treating their erectile dysfunction.