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Published on: 5/6/2025

What Are the Common Causes of Erectile Dysfunction in Older Men?

Older men often experience erectile dysfunction due to changes in blood vessels, nerves, and hormone levels, as well as health issues like heart disease and diabetes.

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Explanation

As men age, many changes happen in their bodies that can make it harder to get or keep an erection. The blood vessels that carry blood to the penis may become less flexible or narrow because of heart disease or high blood pressure, which means less blood flows when it’s needed to create an erection. Nerve signals that tell the body to start an erection might also not work as well because of natural aging changes. Hormone levels, especially testosterone, tend to drop, which affects sexual desire and performance. Other health conditions common in older age, such as diabetes and obesity, can further make it difficult as they impact blood flow and nerve function. Some medicines that help with other health issues can also have side effects that lead to erectile dysfunction. All these reasons together explain why erectile dysfunction is more common in older men. If these problems are affecting life, it is important to talk with a doctor who can help figure out the best way to manage them.

(References)

  • Gökçe Mİ, Yaman Ö. Erectile dysfunction in the elderly male. Turk J Urol. 2017 Sep;43(3):247-251. doi: 10.5152/tud.2017.70482. Epub 2017 Aug 3. PMID: 28861293; PMCID: PMC5562240.

  • Gareri P, Castagna A, Francomano D, Cerminara G, De Fazio P. Erectile dysfunction in the elderly: an old widespread issue with novel treatment perspectives. Int J Endocrinol. 2014;2014:878670. doi: 10.1155/2014/878670. Epub 2014 Mar 17. PMID: 24744785; PMCID: PMC3976909.

  • Ferrini MG, Gonzalez-Cadavid NF, Rajfer J. Aging related erectile dysfunction-potential mechanism to halt or delay its onset. Transl Androl Urol. 2017 Feb;6(1):20-27. doi: 10.21037/tau.2016.11.18. PMID: 28217447; PMCID: PMC5313305.

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