Are Erect Penis Problems and Osteoporosis Linked?

Osteoporosis is a condition in which a person experiences bone mass or bone density deterioration to a significant degree. Now, despite the fact that an erect penis is commonly referred to as a "boner," there are in fact no bones in the penis, so osteoporosis should not be considered a penis health issue. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the reverse is true - that an erect penis problem should be ruled out as an indicator of a bone health issue. In fact, some studies suggest just the opposite.

About osteoporosis

When a person experiences deterioration in their bones, they are said to have "low bone mass." This occurs when the body either loses too much existing bone, makes too little new bone, or a combination of both. When the loss reaches a certain point, a person is said to have osteopenia; when it reaches a further point, the diagnosis becomes osteoporosis.

If a person were to look at a bone under a microscope, they would see that healthy bones have a "honeycomb" structure to them. When they have low bone mass, the holes in the honeycombs become much, much larger. This weakens the bone, making it much more likely to fracture or break when put under undue stress. In severe cases, even "regular" stress may result in bone damage.

Some 54,000,000 Americans have low bone mass, and although it is thought of as a woman’s disease, that is not at all the case. An estimated 25% of all men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is expensive, ringing up costs of about $19 billion every year - and that cost is expected to climb precipitously.

The erect penis connection

So if the penis is essentially boneless, why should there be some connection between osteoporosis and a guy’s manhood?

A Taiwan study from 2016 looked at this issue. It examined more than 4400 men who were 40 years of age or older who experienced erect penis issues. It matched them with more than 17,000 men who did not report bouts of erectile dysfunction.

It then looked to see how many people in each group developed osteoporosis. According to this study, almost 6% of the men with erect penis problems went on to develop osteoporosis. Among the men without erectile dysfunction, there was still osteoporosis - but only about 3.7%. When they looked at the number of years in which there were osteoporosis incidents, the men in the former group were three times as likely to suffer as the men in the control group.

Why?

The scope of this study did not allow the researchers to determine why men with erect penis issues are more at risk of osteoporosis than those without. However, one theory the scientists put forth is that men with erect penis issues often have lower than normal testosterone levels. Testosterone is associated with erectile function in general. Lower testosterone is also associated with bone mass issues. In addition, men with erectile issues often have lower levels of vitamin D, which is associated with increased bone health.

Men with erectile dysfunction may want to consult with a doctor to determine if they need to be doing anything to help ward off osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and the link to an erect penis emphasize again the wisdom of maintaining overall penis health. One fine way to do this is to daily apply a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) . Be sure to look for a crème that includes vitamin D. The best crème should also include L-arginine, an amino acid that helps produce the nitric oxide which in turns plays a role in helping penile blood vessels expand to receive increased flows of blood.

A Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and Osteoporosis?

Men who struggle with erectile dysfunction already have many challenges. Now a new study indicates that they may have another one: a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. While this does drive home the importance of striving to maintain prime penis health , it seems like a bit of a stretch - so why did the researchers arrive at this conclusion?

Osteoporosis

As the National Osteoporosis Foundation puts it, osteoporosis is "a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both." When a person has osteoporosis, their bones become extremely weak or brittle, making it much easier to fracture them in the event of a fall. Sometimes a person with osteoporosis may get a fracture simply from coughing too hard.

Osteoporosis is a condition commonly associated with women, so much so that many men believe they cannot get it. This is simply not true: some sources indicate that 25% of men age 50 or older will break a bone due to osteoporosis. (It can also occur in men younger than 50, although it tends to appear later in life.)

The study

A recent study in Taiwan on a possible erectile dysfunction-osteoporosis link was published in June in the journal Medicine. Entitled "Increased risk of osteoporosis in patients with erectile dysfunction: A nationwide population-based cohort study," the research looked at 4,460 men (age 40 and up) who were diagnosed with erectile dysfunction between 1996 and 2010. It also looked at 17,480 men from the same age range without erectile dysfunction, in order to have a comparison group.

When the scientists compared the groups, they found that those men who did have erectile dysfunction were about three times more likely to have osteoporosis than those men whose erectile function was typical. Not only that, but osteoporosis seemed to develop more quickly in men with erectile dysfunction than in men without.

Why?

Because this was an observational study, it lacked data that could explain why there should be a link between the two conditions. Hopefully, future studies can be designed to answer this question.

However, the authors do have some theories about the possible causes of the link. For example, men with erectile dysfunction often have low testosterone levels, and testosterone is associated with greater bone strength and durability.

Vitamin D levels might also be a factor. The absence of sufficient vitamin D frequently results in a decrease in bone health; some studies indicate that vitamin D may also play a role in protecting the tissue that lines penile blood vessels and keeps them operating efficiently, thus impacting erectile function.

Prevention and treatment

A doctor should be involved in assessing bone health and recommending treatment for osteoporosis. Often increased intake of vitamin D and calcium is recommended to help prevent and to treat osteoporosis. Regular exercise and watching alcohol and tobacco intake are also commonly recommended.

Even without osteoporosis as a risk, men want to work to avoid erectile dysfunction. Keeping in good overall health is the first step, as is regularly using a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) to tend to the general health of the organ. It’s especially important to utilize a crème that includes vitamin D to help keep penile blood vessels in good health. But that crème also needs to include vitamin C and L-arginine. Vitamin C is an important component of collagen production, and collagen gives penile skin elasticity and aids penile firmness. L-arginine is involved in the creation of nitric oxide, which helps to keep penile blood vessels open and flowing.