Erectile dysfunction affects one in every 10 men worldwide, and in the United States alone, 30 million men suffer from the condition, according to the Minnesota Men's Health Center. There are a number of possible causes of erectile dysfunction in men.

Identification

Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection during sexual intercourse. Men with mild erectile dysfunction may experience difficulty with erections 20 to 30 percent of the time during intercourse, while men with severe erectile dysfunction may struggle during every attempt at sexual intimacy.

Types of Causes

Any number of psychological factors can inhibit sexual performance, while medical conditions or medications that reduce blood flow to your penis are possible physical causes.

Specific Causes

Possible causes of erectile dysfunction include heart disease, hardening of your arteries, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, stress, treatments for prostate cancer, some medications to control blood pressure levels, alcoholism and low testosterone.

Features

Approximately 50 percent of men with diabetes develop erectile dysfunction, according to the Minnesota Men's Health Center. Your risk of developing erectile dysfunction increases as you get older.

Treatment

Some men are able to use erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to increase blood flow and have frequent erections. When health concerns or the causes of erectile dysfunction prevent use of these drugs, penis pumps, prostaglandin E treatments, vascular surgery, counseling and penile implants are alternative treatments.

Source

Mayo Clinic

Michigan Men's Health Center