Many men experience sex-related problems, especially erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence. ED is defined as regular difficulty getting or maintaining an erection for satisfactory sex. It is not surprising that this happens. Getting an erection is a complex process where physical and psychological processes work together to achieve and maintain an erection.
The chance of developing ED increases with age. There is no fixed age when the penis suddenly stops working and there is no erection. And even though ED is common, not everyone experiences it.
Although research doesn't predict when ED will occur, there are several large studies that give us some information about the relationship between age, sexual function, and ED.
Research clearly shows that, regardless of age, there are some risk factors for ED over which you have some control. For example, if you eat a good diet and get plenty of exercise you may be less likely to experience ED. You'll also reduce your risk of other health conditions that can cause ED or make it worse.
In other words, prioritizing your general health and well-being as you age will benefit your sexual health, too.
What does research show about erectile dysfunction, age, and other risk factors?
Over the past 40 years, researchers have studied erectile dysfunction extensively, including its causes, treatments, and relationship with other medical conditions. And there is very clear consensus on the relationship between ED and age, health, and disease. Here are some of the highlights.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study was one of the first large studies to look at the relationship between age and ED. Researchers interviewed 1,085 men aged 40 to 70 over nine years between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. It has shown a strong connection between deteriorating sexual ability and increasing age. The study also showed that the number of times men had sex and the number of monthly erections declined as age increased.
A 2007 study studied the sexual habits of 1,455 men in the US. It also found that erection problems were more common in older men than in younger men.
Another 2007 study looked at data collected from more than 2,000 men surveyed in the 2001 to 2002 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. These findings reflect trends from other studies. Among men aged 20 to 39, 5% experienced ED, while 70% of men over the age of 70 experienced it.
And then there's the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behavior, a survey of 13,882 women and 13,618 men aged 40 to 80 from 29 different countries. The study collected data on all aspects of sex and relationships across different races and cultures. The effect of age on erection problems was profound across all regions and cultures.
The 2003 Health Professionals Follow-up Study is the largest study of male sexual dysfunction to date. Researchers surveyed more than 31,000 male health professionals in the US to understand the impact of age and other factors on rates of ED. (Note: Men with prostate cancer, which can cause ED, were not included in the study.)
Here are the details of survey respondents by age.
And here's what that study found.
Age and sexual function
The way men rate their sexual functioning declines with age:
Among men aged 53 to 59, nearly 3 in 4 rated their ability to perform sexually as "good" or "very good."
Among men aged 80 to 90, 64% rated their ability to perform sexually as "poor" or "very poor".
Only 1 in 10 men over the age of 80 gave a "good" or "very good" rating.
Age and sexual desire
The way men rated their desire to have sex also declined with age:
Among men between the ages of 53 and 59, more than 2 in 3 said their desire for sex was either "good" or "very good."
In contrast, only 1 in 4 men aged 80 to 90 said their desire for sex was either "good" or "very good."
Age and Erectile Dysfunction
This study found a strong association between increasing age and the onset of ED:
Less than 2% of men with erection problems report that their symptoms first started before age 40.
Only 4% reported that ED symptoms began between the ages of 40 and 49.
About 1 in 4 said their ED symptoms began between the ages of 50 and 59.
Two in five men reported that their symptoms began between the ages of 60 and 69.
The Relationship between ED, Health, and Disease
Regardless of age, several things can increase the chance of erectile dysfunction.
In a 2003 health professional follow-up study, researchers found an association between ED and these chronic conditions:
heart disease
high blood pressure
diabetes
the strokes
high cholesterol
Depression
Cancer (other than prostate cancer)
They also looked at the following risk factors:
drinking more than 2 alcoholic beverages per day
smoking
Having a BMI (25 or higher) is considered overweight or obese.
not exercising regularly enough
watching more than 8.5 hours of TV per week
And the reverse relationship was also true. The study found that men who did not have any of these diseases or risk factors had the lowest rates of ED at all ages.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study previously raised the connection between "good health" and lower rates of sexual problems and higher rates of sexual satisfaction. In fact, the most common reason for sexual inactivity among the men and women surveyed was the male partner's poor health. Among those ages 57 to 85 who said they were in intimate relationships but were not sexually active, 55% of men and 64% of women cited the male partner's poor health as the main reason for their sexual inactivity.
And in a 2007 study, researchers commented on the strong connection between ED and poor health. About 9 out of 10 men suffering from ED had heart disease or at least one major risk factor for it (for example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, or diabetes). And men with ED were also less likely to be physically active.
Treatment of erectile dysfunction at any age
If you're experiencing ED, know that it is treatable in most cases. And if it's caused by an underlying medical condition or a side effect of a medication, it may also be treatable.
If other health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and depression, are contributing to your ED symptoms, your healthcare provider will likely recommend treatments that directly address those conditions.
And there are several ED medications that specifically help improve erections, such as sildenafil (Viagra), Tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil, or avanafil (Stendra).
Bottom line
The risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) and other types of sexual dysfunction increases with age. But not all men experience ED in their older years. And there is no specific age when ED starts.
Research shows that having one or more health conditions may also increase the risk of ED – regardless of age. So making simple changes to improve your overall health may also benefit your sexual health and help prevent ED.
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