The Erectile Dysfunction condition (or ED) is a difficult topic to discuss. A lot of men nowadays agree that they experience social pressure when it comes to their ability to perform in bed. In addition, it is common that men that are unable to achieve and/or maintain an erection for a longer period of time to enjoy their sex life experience serious pressure and deterioration of their mental health. To make things even worse, more and more younger men are diagnosed with this condition, where almost a half of all men under 40 years old experienced ED at one point, suggesting the rates of this condition is growing, especially during the past few decades. Researches are still trying to find the key reason behind the growing rates of this condition, especially among younger men. Current evidence available points at some specific factors which take prevalence like drug or alcohol consumption, increasing rates of mental health issues, and overconsumption of pornographic materials.
Therefore, the following article explores some of the key contributing factors of the ED condition among younger men and provides top tips to tackle this issue.
What is ED?
Also known as impotence, ED is a common sexual health condition that affects men where they struggle to maintain and/or achieve an erection to have sex long enough. The science behind it showed that it occurs when there is not enough blood flow to the penis or premature overproduction and release of a PDE-5 enzyme that subsides the erection. As a result, this condition could be very troubling for men, especially if they are unable to fully engage in sexual activity.
What are the Causes of ED?
The key reason behind this condition can vary from man to man, including underlying physical health conditions like cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, as well as mental variables like depression, stress, and anxiety. Furthermore, age could be considered as one of the key contributing factors of ED where the natural changes in the body increase the risk of the condition. However, there are other considerable factors that could be the reason behind the growing rates of ED conditions for men under the age of 40. These reasons include:
Consumption of Drugs:
Here in Europe, the rates of cocaine consumption among younger adults have grown substantially over the last few decades. Even though many surveyed samples state that cocaine initially improves the sexual experience thanks to dopamine release, in the long run, the sexual performance of these people worsened due to the drug side effect – tightening of blood vessels. As a result, it is harder for men to engage in sexual activity whilst experiencing this side effect, even further deteriorated by other side effects like loss of sensitivity or lower libido. Therefore, from this evidence, it can be concluded that the growth rates of consumption of this drug could be one of the key reasons for this condition occurring.
A similar case can be made for the consumption of cannabis, a rapidly growing and even sometimes legalized drug. Some research suggests that consumption of this drug could have an inhibitory effect on somebody’s receptors. As a result, some research suggests that chances for regular smokers to develop ED condition is three times higher than a non-smoker. As a result, the growing consumption of this drug could also justify the growth rates of this condition among younger men.
Diet:
In addition to the factors mentioned above, some research also suggests that maintaining an unhealthy diet and constant consumption of junk food could be the reason for increased risk of having ED condition. For example, the higher level of cholesterol or fat build-ups in the arteries can be one of the reasons why the blood arteries narrow down and restrict the blood flow leading to reduced blood circulation. Considering the fact that obesity and diabetes condition rates are growing among younger adults, it could be the reason why some people nowadays start experiencing more underlying health conditions, including ED. Furthermore, with the growing relative availability and affordability of unhealthy foods, more and more younger adults could be prone to this condition.
Furthermore, in addition to growing rates of diabetes and cholesterol-related conditions, the fat levels that could be found in junk food often deposit in arteries. As a result, this narrows the blood flow, increasing the chances of an ED condition. Furthermore, those fats often correlate with CVD (Cardiovascular diseases) conditions. Interestingly, if you are experiencing ED at a younger age, there is a chance that sometimes this could be an early sign of CVD. Therefore, it is worth checking in with your doctor if you believe that your ED might be caused by this, allowing you to identify this condition earlier and adopt preventive measures.
Furthermore, consumption of alcohol is a common pastime for younger people, where half of the adults drink at least once per week. Furthermore, considering more men are more likely to drink than women, in combination with rising alcohol consumption during Covid-19 lockdowns, the rates of ED diagnosed among younger men increased substantially. As a result of heavy drinking, there is a chance that the blood vessels might narrow, further increasing the risk of ED condition.
Mental Health Issues
While considering that it is significantly more common for older men to experience ED conditions due to the natural physical changes, the reason for ED for younger men might not be as one-sided. One of those reasons could be the psychological pressures and mental health issues that becoming more common nowadays among younger men. For example, the social pressure to perform well in bed, as well as contemplations about the potential inability or lack of experience can completely prevent sexual activities. As a result, if this process becomes repetitive, more underlying mental health issues might arise. This, combined with growing rates of anxiety and depression disorders compared to previous generations, could have a serious negative effect on libido and sexual desire, furthermore increasing the risks of ED condition.
Busy lifestyles, Covid-19 restrictions, and personal issues contributed to the rising alcohol consumption levels as well as overall increased levels of anxiety, stress, fatigue, and depression among many individuals. As a result of this, the demand for ED treatments spiked significantly compared to the average figures.
However, there is some good news – many researchers consider the increasing rates of ED temporary due to the sudden Covid-19 related lifestyle changes. Furthermore, there is a handful of clinically proven, effective, and safe available on the market that can help many men get their mojo back.
Treatments
The treatments that available for treating the ED condition vary depending on the intended use factors like the duration, activation time, strength, and type of treatment (i.e. temporary or long-run treatment). The most common types of treatment include:
Viagra:
Viagra is one of the most common treatments, available as an over-the-counter version (Viagra Connect) or prescription-based . This treatment is generally affordable and contains sildenafil citrate – an active ingredient that relaxes the blood vessels and improves the blood flow
Cialis:
Another popular ED treatment, , contains Tadalafil as the key ingredient, which also relaxes the tissue and improves the blood flow. However, compared to Viagra, Cialis starts its effects much faster, after about 30 minutes after consumption compared to 60 minutes
Sildenafil:
Sildenafil is medically equivalent to Viagra, containing the same key ingredient and way of working. However, the key difference between Viagra and is the latter lack of brand name, offering the same efficient treatment for less than half of the price.
Tadalafil:
Just like Sildenafil and Viagra, Tadalafil is a generic form and unbranded version of Cialis, allowing you to save on the price of the treatment.