How Common Is Erectile Dysfunction: Mens Sexual Health

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

How common is erectile dysfunction?

The American Urological Association estimates that erectile dysfunction affects 25 million American men. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study involved a random sample of more than 1,700 men between the ages of 40 and 70 living near Boston. Researchers found that about 43% of the men were classified as having some level of erectile dysfunction (see Figure 1). Technically, erectile dysfunction can strike any man old enough to have an erection, but it becomes increasingly common with age. Nearly 5% of men in their 40s and 25% of men in their 60s have complete erectile dysfunction (see Figure 2).

Figure 1: Overall occurrence of erectile dysfunction

Figure 2: Aging and complete erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction becomes more common with age. While less than 5% of men ages 40–50 have complete erectile dysfunction, about one-quarter of those ages 60–70 have this condition. Adapted from Kleinman KP, et al. "A new surrogate variable for erectile dysfunction status in the Massachusetts male aging study," Journal of Clinical Epidemiology (January 2000), Vol. 53, pp. 71–78, with permission from Elsevier Science.

Still, these numbers don't mean that erectile dysfunction is something that a man simply has to live with as he gets older. It isn't. Although testosterone, a male sex hormone that's essential to sexual performance, tends to decline with age, it remains within normal limits in most men. And while other age-related factors can affect a man's ability to have an erection — tissues become less elastic, and nerve communication slows — even these factors don't explain many cases of erectile dysfunction.

Often erectile difficulties are the result of an illness that becomes more prevalent with age. Or it may reflect the treatment of such an illness — erectile difficulties are a potential side effect of many medications. But many of these illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, can be prevented through good health habits, such as following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a normal weight, and not smoking.

Moreover, staying healthy often fosters good sexual functioning. In surveys, 50%–80% of healthy couples over age 70 say they have sex regularly, and half say they have intercourse once a week. And many men continue to have erections into their 80s and 90s.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008