Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
ED is usually caused by an underlying health problem, or a combination of problems, which if treated, can reverse your ED.[4]
Physical Causes
The majority of ED cases have a physical cause. The most common is a blood vessel or heart condition which is often linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and smoking.[5,6] Other conditions like nerve damage from Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease and hormonal problems that interfere with libido can also cause ED. [5,6]
Psychological Causes
Performance anxiety is a common psychological cause of ED, especially in young men. Just one bad experience can trigger an ongoing vicious cycle. The stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline suppress production of the sex hormones making it more difficult to get or sustain an erection.[7] Chronic stress and anxiety can also interrupt how your brain sends messages to the penis to allow extra blood flow.[8] Depression and low self esteem can also cause ED.[9]
Recreational Drugs
Recreational drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, MDMA, dextroamphetamines and marijuana can negatively impact your ability to get an erection, and it gets worse with long term use.[10,11]
Pornography
Watching too much pornography can desensitise you to sex in real life and eventually cause difficulties with erections.[12]
Myths about Erectile Dysfunction
Myth 1: ED only happens to older guys.
FALSE. One study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that one in four men seeking medical help for ED is younger than 40 years. [13]
Myth 2: If you can’t get it up at once, it means you have ED.
FALSE. Most of the time, the reason you can't get an erection is due to something temporary such as consuming alcohol or feeling tired. ED may be a chronic issue if experienced over a long period of time.
Myth 3: Men with erectile difficulties can’t achieve orgasm.
FALSE: You don’t need a full erection to be able to ejaculate. That’s because two different sets of nerves control erection and orgasm, so if erections aren’t happening, those other nerves can still trigger orgasm.[14]
Myth 4: If a man has ED it means he doesn’t feel desire.
FALSE. Low desire means you don’t feel like having sex. Erection problems means you want to have sex (which means you feel desire), but your penis won’t get hard.
Myth 5: Masturbation causes ED.
FALSE. Masturbation has many health benefits, like releasing tension and reducing stress [15]. However, masturbating to porn can contribute to ED by desensitising you to physical intimacy.
Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction
Healthy Lifestyle
Leading a healthy lifestyle including getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, reducing alcohol consumption, controlling stress levels and getting enough sleep can help manage common underlying causes of ED.[16,17,18]
Limiting Pornography
Watching and masturbating to porn too much can desensitise you to sex in real life, leading to erectile difficulties and relationship issues. Quitting porn can be tough, but there are support communities and tools to help you through your journey.
Herbal Supplements
Some herbal supplements may support healthy erections, but in most cases only have a small benefit and more research is needed to prove their effectiveness. These include l-arginine and pycnogenol, panax ginseng, yohimbe, ginkgo biloba and propionyl-L-carnitine.[19,20]
Oral Medication
Australian law prevents us from talking about certain medications for ED util you've spoken to a doctor. What we can say, though is that there are evidence-based oral medications to treat ED that are effective in the majority of men. These are the best starting points for effective treatment.
Minimally Invasive Treatments
Minimally invasive treatments like penile injections work by increasing blood flow when medication is injected into the penis and can give you an erection within 5-10 minutes that lasts up to an hour.[21]
Surgery
Surgery is an option if all other treatments fail to work. These include penile prosthetic implants or vascular surgery.[22,23]
Next steps: Mosh connects you with a doctor or psychologist online to help treat your ED. We'll tailor a treatment to meet your budget and needs, and ship it to your door discreetly. Easy as!
