Does Pornography Damage the Erect Penis?

It’s definitely not headline news that there is a lot of pornography out there or that a lot of men enjoy utilizing it—sometimes a great deal of it. In recent years, there have been claims that exposure to pornography is dangerous to penis health, with the idea promoted that it can cause problems in getting or maintaining an erect penis. But is erectile dysfunction actually a serious side effect of viewing pornography? A new study indicates that the claims are exaggerated.

Pornography use

Exactly how many people view pornography and how much is not known for sure, but there have been some studies and surveys that provide some possible answers. According to one source, 40,000,000 Americans visit porn sites on a regular basis, and 70% of men between the ages of 18 and 24 visit pornography sites monthly. Another survey, run by a non-profit Christian organization, found that almost 80% of men between 18 and 30 view porn, and that 30% of those men are daily pornography consumers.

How accurate these numbers are is difficult to say. Even when surveys and studies provide anonymity, it is likely that at least some (and perhaps many) men may refuse to admit to pornography use or may understate their actual usage. But whatever the actual numbers, it’s safe to say that many men utilize pornography on a frequent basis.

The erect penis issue

Some groups and individuals claim that an epidemic of porn use is causing an epidemic of erectile dysfunction among men, leading to fears of multitudes of men with serious erect penis issues. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and entitled, “Is Pornography Use Related to Erectile Dysfunction? Results from Cross-Sectional and Latent Growth Curve Analyses,” looked at this issue.

The study looked at sexually active men whose records were drawn from three sources. Almost 150 undergraduate men in the U.S. were studied, along with almost 300 online survey participants and 433 men drawn from a crowdsourcing platform. As part of the study, all participants were assessed for erect penis issues, as well as for pornography use.

When the scientists studied the data, they found no relationship between erectile dysfunction and mere pornography use in general. They reported that, overall, the study participants had “very high levels of erectile functioning.” In addition, serious erectile issues were rare among sexually active porn users.”

The scientists did find a link between those who defined their pornography use as problematic and erect penis issues. However, they found that the evidence indicated that this was merely an association, not a causal relationship—in other words, it is unlikely that the erectile dysfunction resulted from use of pornography.

While not conclusive, the study does indicate that, for most men, use of pornography in and of itself is not likely to lead to erectile dysfunction, although there could be other sexual issues associated with its use. Men who find their level of pornographic usage to be problematic should seek help from a mental health professional in order to resolve this issue.

Although pornography may not create an erect penis issue for most men, it still pays to take steps to keep the organ in its best possible health to better enjoy its performance capabilities. Men should regularly apply a top-drawer penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) to better maintain general penis health. The best creams will have several ingredients that promote healthy members, including L-carnitine and L-arginine. The former is a neuroprotective agent that helps to maintain proper penile sensitivity, which may otherwise be damaged through rough handling or overuse. The latter is an amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide and thereby better enables penile blood vessels to expand properly for increased blood flow.