A new study has revealed that obese men may be at risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction. Published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the findings showed that obese men often have a significantly lower level of hormones, which affects sex drive. Studying a group of nearly 2,500 men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction, the researchers discovered that excess weight was a significant factor in physical causes of sexual dysfunction, though it did not play a part in psychological or relationship-based causes.
They found a direct link between the weight of the patient and their levels of testosterone, which decreased as the weight increased. Testosterone is the key hormone in determining sex drive. Two out of three obese patients had low testosterone and it was also shown that overweight patients had low blood flow to the penis. A previous study has already linked excess abdominal fat with erectile problems.
The study will perhaps provide men with that extra push to keep their health in check. Diabetes, heart disease - such threats can perhaps seem vague and far off in the future. Reduced potency may be enough of a threat to prompt serious action. It is particularly unfortunate that obesity can reduce a man’s ability to have sex for sex is actually very good exercise; a vigorous session can burn as many calories as time on an exercise bike…