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Topics: Health, Spain, Sex and Relationships
Liv Bridge
Experts have revealed there is one common overlooked issue that could explain erectile dysfunction - and fortunately it's fixable.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) happens when a man can't get or keep a erect penis while getting intimidate, with studies showing stress, trauma or physical health problems can contribute towards it.
The issue is believed to affect around 30 to 50 million men in the US, according to NIH, which has wider repercussions for men's mental health and sex life.
And while ED can be triggered by a number of factors, a team of scientists have found a common deficiency could be fuelling the problem which can effectively be treated once recognized.
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The team of Spanish toxicologists from the Complutense University of Madrid wrote in the medical journal The British Journal Pharmacology that they found a link between a vitamin D deficiency and ED.
As per the Daily Mail, the researchers found those diagnosed with the victim deficiency also suffered function in their corpora cavernosa - the spongy tissue in the penis that is vital for maintaining erections.
Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue, affecting around one billion people across the world and about 35 percent of adults in America.
The nutrient helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, keeping bones, teeth and muscles healthy - and apparently your relationships, too.
Sunlight is the greatest source that creates vitamin D straight to our skin, but in areas plagued by bad weather or in the darker months, health experts recommend taking a supplement or eating more foods that have the nutrient, like mackerel, salmon and eggs.
The new study involved taking samples of the spongy penile tissue from 12 donors with a vitamin D deficiency.
The scientists then tested the function of the nerves by stimulating the tissue with an electrical probe and discovered the men with the lowest blood levels of the nutrient had the weakest responses.
Interestingly, there was also a correlation amongst the deficient cohort who also had lower than average levels of the protein, SLPI, in the blood, which also works to help repair tissue damage in the area.
The same researchers further put their theory to the test with rodents and found the rats that were fed a diet free from vitamin D were less responsive to Viagra compared to rats that did not follow the diet.
Dr Miguel Olivencia, a researcher at Complutense University and co-author of the study said: "Our results suggest that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the lack of response to this first-line treatment of erectile dysfunction.
"The findings raise the possibility that restoring vitamin D in patients with vitamin D deficiency and erectile dysfunction would improve sexual performance."