What causes ED?

A wide range of conditions can cause ED. Any physical or psychological disorder that interferes with the physical sequence of events needed to produce an erection may cause ED - particularly any condition that affects the flow of blood to the penis during sexual stimulation.

The majority of cases of ED will have a physical cause; the most common being vascular disease - hypertension, coronary disease, diabetes and other heart diseases.

Some of the health conditions commonly associated with ED include:

• TDS - Up to 37% of men with ED may have TDS ¹⁷.
• Diabetes - Over half of men with diabetes may be affected by ED. Men with diabetes have more than a three-fold increased prevalence of ED compared with men without diabetes ¹¹.
• Hypertension - damage to arteries can cause restriction of blood flow to the penis leading to ED. Impaired endothelial function is also associated with hypertension and can reduce erectile function.
• Heart disease - 39% of men with treated coronary heart disease may be affected by severe ED ¹⁴. This may be because some of the mechanisms which impair coronary blood flow can lead to decreased blood flow to the penis.
• Depression - along with stress, anxiety and fear of failure, depression can cause ED. Similarly, men who have ED due to another cause can experience depression, stress and anxiety.
• Prostate Surgery - unavoidable damage to the cavernous nerves can often affect the erectile mechanism.

A wide number of prescription drugs could cause ED - cases have been reported with therapies used to treat depression and hypertension for instance.

Smoking, overuse of alcohol and illegal recreational drugs are all associated with ED.