{"id":1004,"date":"2020-07-13T15:15:08","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T15:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ultracorepower.com\/blog\/?p=1004"},"modified":"2020-07-13T15:24:57","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T15:24:57","slug":"can-low-testosterone-cause-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ultracorepower.com\/blog\/can-low-testosterone-cause-ed\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Low Testosterone Cause ED?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erectile dysfunction is a topic most men would prefer not to talk about – with their partners nor anyone else. Not being able to have or maintain an erection can create a sense of embarrassment and questioning of one\u2019s manhood.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s therefore no wonder that it\u2019s highly likely to have a significant impact on relationships and self-esteem. There\u2019s consequently a fear prevalent amongst men who have low testosterone levels, that their low-T could be a sign of – or lead to – erectile dysfunction.<\/p>\n

This is because having a low testosterone level often leads to a decrease in libido, trouble maintaining hard erections, difficulty in climaxing and so on.<\/p>\n

However, even if you do have low-T and perhaps have trouble performing in the bedroom department, this doesn’t automatically indicate that you have ED. In fact, the majority of men will encounter problems of this nature at one stage or another.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, experiencing erection problems and\/or low testosterone can be very unsettling to begin with. So it\u2019s helpful to understand more about both these conditions and to what extent there may be a connection between the two.<\/p>\n

ED and Low-T: Is there a connection? <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you have Low-T, it\u2019ll probably come as a relief to know that it\u2019s rare for low testosterone on it\u2019s own, to cause erectile dysfunction. Only a minority of men have ED as a result of low-T without any accompanying health issues at play.<\/p>\n

Although having low testosterone levels can impact your sex drive and ability to reach orgasm, it does not actually have a physiological effect on your ability to get and maintain an erection. This is because erectile dysfunction is essentially a vascular issue, rather than one connected to hormones.<\/p>\n

Achieving erections is all about the blood flow to the penis and whether the flow is powerful enough. Thus, the strength of your erections is actually determined by how healthy your heart is and whether your circulation is strong.<\/p>\n

Erection problems are usually caused by atherosclerosis, which is when plaque builds up inside arteries, leading to them becoming hardened and more narrowed.<\/p>\n

This could lead to the blood vessels that supply the penis becoming damaged, and unable to dilate enough to continue distributing a strong enough flow for a hard erection.<\/p>\n

In this instance, the substances such as fat and cholesterol are what builds up the plaque in the arteries, and are therefore the main causes of this atherosclerosis and ED.<\/p>\n

That, alongside conditions such as high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes.<\/p>\n

Connection between Low-T and conditions that cause ED<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"coupleThough these conditions related to ED aren\u2019t a definitive result of low testosterone, there does seem to be a significant connection between them.<\/p>\n

For the majority of men who complain to their doctor about ED, low testosterone is usually found to also be present in addition to the atherosclerosis that\u2019s creating erectile dysfunction.<\/p>\n

For that reason, it\u2019s believed amongst health experts that having low testosterone can be a big contributor to men developing the conditions that ultimately lead to ED. Thus, increasing the inevitability of it through making a situation that\u2019s already difficult, significantly worse because of its link to these erectile dysfunction risk factors.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, researchers do not 100% understand exactly what the relationship is between low testosterone and ED. However, two facts that they are sure of is that you do not need a normal testosterone level to be able to achieve a normal erection.<\/p>\n

Additionally, even if you do manage to increase your level of T (i.e by having testosterone replacement therapy), this won\u2019t necessarily have an increase on how frequently you have erections, or the strength of them.<\/p>\n

Other causes of ED<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

There can also be a whole host of other reasons for having erectile dysfunction. Drug misuse, for instance. This may entail excess alcohol, tobacco, overuse of prescription drugs, and of course, illegal drugs.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also possible for there to be an underlying lack of sexual desire not so much related to a man\u2019s physical state, but rather, their emotional one. I.e. If they are experiencing depression or anxiety.<\/p>\n

Nerve damage can also be a route cause of ED, because it means that damage has been done to the nerves that are meant to deliver signals from the brain to the penis.<\/p>\n

This can occur for a number of reasons – pelvic trauma, pelvic or prostate surgery, and multiple sclerosis (MS) spinal cord injuries to name but a few.<\/p>\n

Men suffering from chronic kidney and liver disease may also find that they experience ED, due to their blood vessels, nerves, and hormone levels being affected by the disease.<\/p>\n

That being said, although low-T is not necessarily THE cause of erectile dysfunction, it\u2019s clear that there\u2019s an overlap in risk related factors associated with having low-T and\/or having ED.<\/p>\n

Testosterone replacement therapy<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Because of the loose connection between low-T and ED, many men embark on various avenues in search of ways to increase their testosterone levels – testosterone therapy being one of them.<\/p>\n

An important fact to remember in relation to this treatment, is that this does not mean your body will be supplemented with natural testosterone production, but rather, your hormones will be replaced with artificial testosterone.<\/p>\n

This would be in the form of medications, injections, patches and topical gels. It\u2019s meant to improve men\u2019s sex drive and the sexual satisfaction they give and receive in bed.<\/p>\n

This option, however, can have long-term risks in accompaniment to any potential benefits. Both of which are not yet entirely clear, which is why there are ongoing research trials on testosterone replacement, and it\u2019s likely that we\u2019re still several years away from discovering conclusive findings.<\/p>\n

One of the topics being researched in particular, is how safe it is in the long run. As more and more research is revealing that TRT may in fact have a downward effect on sperm count, permanently.<\/p>\n

Below are a few of the short term side effects:<\/p>\n