Linking Erectile Dysfunction and Diabetes
What causes Erectile Dysfunction?
![What causes Erectile Dysfunction: 40% Vascular, 30% Diabetes, 15% Medication, 6% Pelvic Surgery or Trauma, 5% Neurological Causes, 3%, Endocrine Problems, 1% unknown (not reported)](https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/medical-specialties/urology/diabetes-educators/ed-diabetes/_jcr_content/maincontent-par/image_1.img.EDiabetesTalk_EDCausesChart_960x650.png)
There are many physical causes for erectile dysfunction: vascular issues and diabetes account for 70% of the causes.
Medications, pelvic surgery, such as radical prostatectomy, trauma, neurologic disorders, and endocrine problems can also cause a man to experience erectile dysfunction.1
Why do men with Diabetes have Erectile Dysfunction?
Diabetes can affect the process of a normal erection.
![Up to 70% of people with diabetes have nerve damage which impacts the neurological response and limits the signal to increase arterial blood flow.11](https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/medical-specialties/urology/diabetes-educators/ed-diabetes/_jcr_content/maincontent-par/image.img.EDiabetesTalk_DiabetesNerve_960x500.png)
![Hormonal changes -> Diabetic ED | cavernosal structural/functional changes -> Diabetic ED | endothelial dysfunction -> Diabetic ED | neuropathy -> Diabetic ED](https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/medical-specialties/urology/diabetes-educators/ed-diabetes/_jcr_content/maincontent-par/image_0.img.EDiabetesTalk_DiabeticChart_960x650.png)
- Age
- Diabetes duration
- Poor glycemic control
- Presence of microvascular complications
- Cardiovascular disease
- Renal disease
- Retinal disease
- Diabetic foot
How common is Erectile Dysfunction in men with diabetes?
![1 in 5 men ages 20+ suffer from some degree of ED > Of the men with diabetes, more than 50% have ED caused by their diabetes which means 1 in 2 men you see could be suffering with ED.](https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/medical-specialties/urology/diabetes-educators/ed-diabetes/_jcr_content/maincontent-par/image_3.img.EDiabetesTalk_EDInfographic_980x750.png)
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