Many of the same things that are good for a man's heart may also be good for
his sex life, new research confirms.
An overweight man climbs a flight of stairs in
a 2003 file photo. Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and getting
regular exercise may all reduce the risk of developing erectile
dysfunction (ED), according to a study that followed more than 22,000 US
men for 14 years. [Reuters] |
Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and getting regular exercise may
all reduce the risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED), according to a
study that followed more than 22,000 US men for 14 years.
The findings, published in the Journal of Urology, help solidify evidence
tying lifestyle choices to ED risk. They may also give men added incentive to
make some changes for the better, said study co-author Dr. Eric B. Rimm of the
Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston.
Among the men Rimm and his colleagues followed, those who were obese at the
study's start were 90 percent more likely to develop ED than normal-weight men
were. Similarly, smokers had a 50 percent greater risk than non-smokers.
On the other hand, regular exercise appeared to protect against erectile
problems. Men who reported the highest exercise levels at the study's start were
30 percent less likely than their inactive peers to develop ED over the next 14
years.
At one time, Rimm noted in an interview, erectile problems were thought to be
largely psychological. But it has become clear that heart disease and ED share
many of the same risk factors, he said.
Anything that impairs blood vessel function and blood flow could affect
erectile function, and it's known that certain medical conditions that raise the
risk of heart disease -- like high blood pressure and diabetes - can also lead
to ED.
Similarly, the lifestyle choices that affect cardiovascular health, like
smoking and exercise habits, influence ED risk.
This knowledge may nudge more men to make lifestyle
changes, Rimm said, since heart disease can seem a distant risk, but erectile
problems may be more immediate. In addition, he said, with obesity rates
climbing among young people, the ED risk associated with obesity may
increasingly become apparent at relatively young ages.
