Health Matters: Men With Poor Erection Are 70% More Likely To Die Early

Recent study has found that men suffering erectile dysfunction are 70 per cent more likely to die early. Erectile dysfunction is an embarrassing condition that can affect a man’s performance in the bedroom.

The team of researchers from the University of Mississippi, United States (U.S.) has warned erectile dysfunction could have an impact on a man’s lifespan because the disorder is an important marker of cardiovascular risk.

The study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, concluded: “These findings have major public health and clinical implications in that erectile dysfunction is a strong predictor of premature mortality.

“Further research is needed to see the long-term results over a longer follow-up period.”

It was already known that erectile dysfunction is linked to cardiovascular disease risk factors – including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and smoking.

The disorder has also already been recognised as a risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease – in addition to angina myocardial infarction.

Erectile dysfunction is often thought of as an issue that primarily affects older men.

Yet, researchers said, nearly 20 per cent of men under the age of 40 are affected by the disorder.

Meanwhile, another study has found that men who have regular orgasms – once a day – are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Scientists have discovered that regular ejaculation throughout their lives reduces the risk of the disease.

The researchers, from Harvard Medical School, U.S., said they could not explain why orgasms could lower prostate cancer risk, adding further research is necessary.

However, it has previously been suggested that regular orgasms may flush out cancer-causing chemicals in the prostate.

Another theory is that if sperm is regularly cleaned out to allow new cells to develop, it helps stop the build-up of old cells that might be more likely to turn cancerous.

The prostate is a small satsuma-sized gland located between a man’s penis and his bladder.

Its main function is to produce a thick white fluid that is mixed with the sperm produced by the testicles, to create semen.

The Harvard study is the largest to date to examine the frequency of ejaculation and related prostate cancer risk.

The researchers found that men in the 40 to 49 age bracket who ejaculate 21 or more times a month reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 22 per cent.

This was compared to men who ejaculate four to seven times a month.

Also, another study has found that men who sleep with multiple women reduce their risk of prostate cancer.To protect against prostate cancer, take a lover – or 20.The research was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology.

According to a study, men who sleep with multiple women are almost a third less likely to develop the disease.Researchers at the University of Montreal, Canada, found men who have more than 20 notches on their bedpost slashed their risk of prostate cancer by 28 per cent.

And the study also revealed that men who have slept with more than 20 women reduced their chances of getting the most aggressive tumours by 19 per cent.Celibacy, on the other hand, doubles the risk of the disease.

Meanwhile, the scientists said the link between erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular risk may arise as a result of endothelial cell dysfunction and impaired production of nitrous oxide.

To arrive at their conclusions, they examined data from 1,790 men between the ages of 20 to 85 who participated in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They linked the survey data with death certificates from the National Death Index through December 21, 2011.

Erectile dysfunction was measured by asking: “How would you describe your ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse?”

Those who answered ‘sometimes able’ or ‘never able’ were determined to have the disorder.

The scientists found that 557 of the survey participants had erectile dysfunction.

After a follow-up of nearly eight years, 244 of the original group had died.

Meanwhile, while the researchers said they were unclear as to why ejaculation lowers the chances of prostate cancer, they called the results ‘particularly encouraging’.

The study followed almost 32,000 healthy men for 18 years – 3,839 of whom later were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Dr. Jennifer Rider, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said the results are ‘particularly encouraging’ but should be interpreted with caution.

She said: “While these data are the most compelling to date on the potential benefit of ejaculation on prostate cancer development, they are observational data and should be interpreted somewhat cautiously.

“At the same time, given the lack of modifiable risk factors for prostate cancer, the results of this study are particularly encouraging.”

Source: The Guardian