Study Says that Erectile Dysfunction and Depression are Linked

Erectile dysfunction: two of the most terrifying words a man can ever hear in connection with his penis health. Yet it’s something which is not uncommon. According to one source, about 10% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 have severe or complete erectile dysfunction, and 25% more have moderate or intermittent cases of it. That’s a full one-third of men in that age range affected to some degree by erectile difficulties. That’s one reason why it’s important to know the possible causes of erectile dysfunction, so that it can be properly treated. And increasingly, it seems that depression can be one of those possible causes.

For years, many doctors have noticed that many men with erectile dysfunction are also depressed – and understandably so. After all, men place an enormous amount of importance on their sexual prowess, so if problems develop “down there,” it can be devastating for some men. But there has been some disagreement of a “chicken or the egg” nature about depression and erectile dysfunction. Does depression cause the erectile issue/ Or does having a problem getting and maintaining an erection bring about a feeling of depression?

New study

Numerous studies have been conducted that address this issue. A recent one doesn’t answer that question definitively, but it paints a picture of a very strong association, and this can be interpreted to support the idea that depression can be a causal factor in developing erectile dysfunction.

Entitled “Erectile Dysfunction and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” the study has been published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant published studies which looked at this subject. After screening out studies for various reasons, the scientists were left with 49 publications that were relevant to their purposes.

Results

After combing through the studies and parsing through all of the data involved, the authors were able to determine that the risk of erectile dysfunction is 39% greater in men who experience depression. Conversely, men who are depressed are on average 1.39 times as likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Looked at another way, men with erectile dysfunction are 192% more likely to experience depression, and depression is almost three times as common in men with erectile dysfunction as compared to men without erectile issues. All of these findings are significant.

As with all such studies, there are possible limitations, but the strength of the findings does seem to indicate that physicians and other doctors need to pay attention to the link between depression and erectile dysfunction. For example, if a man reports depression, it pays for the doctor to probe to see if erectile dysfunction may also be an issue. Similarly, men who are being seen because of erectile issues should also be screened for signs of depression. In either case, the co-existence of depression and erectile dysfunction may have an effect on the desired method of treatment. With estimates that many as 322 million men may experience erectile dysfunction by the year 2025, making doctors aware of this link is quite important.

Depression is not the only reason a man may experience erectile dysfunction, but self-esteem issues like depression can also cause a man to ignore proper penis care. Maintaining good penis health is made easier by the availability of a first rate penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The best cremes will include both L-arginine and L-carnitine, two amino acids with different functions. L-arginine helps in the production of nitric oxide, which in turn better enables penile blood vessels to open and expand when needed. L-carnitine has neuroprotective properties, which can help prevent loss of pleasurable sensation in the penis due to rough use or indifferent handling.