Can you get erectile dysfunction at a young age

Erectile dysfunction ED , once called impotence, occurs when the penis does not receive enough blood to produce an erection for satisfactory intercourse. ED is very common — most males experience difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection at some point. According to some estimates, ED affects 30 million males in the United States alone. This article looks at how aging affects ED. We also explore the risk factors, causes, and treatments. The data also suggest that the number of people under 40 seeking medical attention for ED is increasing.

Many factors that contribute to ED can occur at any age. These include physical and emotional factors — both of which are important for sexual activity. Some contributing factors include:. At any age, making adjustments such as lowering levels of stress and exercising more frequently can help improve erectile problems and boost overall health.

Age is a main risk factor for ED. While people are more likely to develop ED as they get older, aging does not directly cause it. ED is not a normal part of aging — some males are sexually active into their 80s. However, as people get older, they are more likely to develop medical conditions that increase the risk of ED. These include:. In fact, diabetes and atherosclerosis are the two most common medical problems that cause ED.

Meanwhile, erectile problems can be a side effect of medications that people are more likely to take as they get older, such as blood pressure medications, tranquilizers, and ulcer medications. These vary widely and can include psychological, neurological, and lifestyle-related factors.

ED can also be a side effect of some medications. Stress, anxiety, and lifestyle factors can contribute to ED at any age, while physical factors are more likely to play a role for older adults.

Physical causes include conditions that affect the vascular system, the nervous system, or the hormone system. Some of these causes include:. In many cases, ED is caused by factors such as an unhealthful diet, a high level of stress, a lack of exercise, and smoking.

We hate to break it to you, but young men are not immune. The National Institutes of Health estimates that erectile dysfunction strikes as many as 30 million men in the United States. Its prevalence does increase with age — 4 percent of men in their 50s are affected by ED, 17 percent in their 60s, and 47 percent of those over But research has also found that 5 percent of those affected were between 20 and Why would these men who are expected to be reaching their sexual peaks be unable to keep an erection?

For guys in their 20s and 30s, however, it may be more of a psychological issue. Performance jitters. For some young men, the desire to perform well in bed can be so overwhelming that, in turn, it causes them to not perform at all. The profound sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness that characterize depression may also cause ED among younger men. It can be a chicken-and-egg situation. This restricts blood flow to the penis and reduces the chance of getting a firm erection.

If there is a family history of heart disease in a relation under the age of 40 then your risk is increased. Hormonal imbalance. Using steroids to build up your muscles can put you at higher risk of ED.

Other hormonal causes include abnormally high or low levels of thyroid hormone or prolactin a hormone produced by the pituitary gland.

Some common drugs can cause erectile dysfunction, such as those prescribed for depression, heart conditions and blood pressure. However, you should talk to your doctor before you stop or change them.

Drinking heavily and using illegal drugs can also contribute towards erectile dysfunction in young men. For more information, see erectile dysfunction causes. Psychological treatment. Counselling or therapy may help deal with stress, depression or performance anxiety and can be combined with medicines which treat the ED in the short term. Obesity, smoking and lack of exercise can result in narrow blood vessels, which is a cause of ED.

Losing weight , quitting smoking and getting fit may therefore help resolve the problem. Men who drink heavily or use illegal drugs may find that giving up these activities helps their ED. There are four main prescription-only medicines which are used to treat erectile dysfunction in young men:. You can purchase all of these erectile dysfunction medicines through our discreet online service. They all work in roughly the same way, by opening up the arteries which supply blood to the penis.

This allows blood to fill the erectile tissue in the penis, and for an erection to be achieved and maintained. The two main physical treatments are vacuum pumps and constriction rings. A vacuum pump is a cylinder which is placed over the penis.

Constriction rings are used to maintain an erection.