Erectile dysfunction, or ED for short, is the difficulty – or complete lack of ability – to develop or maintain a proper erection. The symptoms of erectile dysfunction can vary in nature and severity. While some men suffering from ED can achieve erections occasionally, others are unable to get erect at all.
Another form of ED is being able to achieve an erection without any problems, but not being able to sustain it for the period required to satisfy sexual intercourse. ED can occur intermittently, or it can become a long-term or even a chronic condition.
Men can develop ED for a variety of reasons, ranging from poor physical health to psychological causes, such as depression and performance anxiety.
But can watching porn also lead to erectile dysfunction? Well, recent medical studies and research have revealed it certainly can. That’s why in this article we’re going to look closer into what you should know about porn-induced erectile dysfunction.
What Will You Learn?
- How Porn Can Affect Male Sex Performance
- Studies About Porn-induced Erectile Dysfunction
- How to Overcome Porn-Induced ED?
- Other Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
- Available Treatment Options
How Porn Can Affect Male Sex Performance
Historically, erectile dysfunction has been typically associated with older men. However, in the last couple of decades, the prevalence of ED among sexually active men under 40 has increased drastically.
Many researchers are blaming internet pornography for this rise as an increasing number of studies have identified a correlation between erectile dysfunction and pornography.
Porn-induced abnormally low libido and porn-induced erectile dysfunction are now considered as valid medical conditions.
There’s mounting evidence that suggests excessive exposure to porn can lead to lower sexual sensitivity in males and an increased tolerance for sexually arousing material.
In other words, watching too much porn can cause you to become desensitized to “normal” sexual arousal triggers, and you’ll need sexual material of an increasingly extreme nature to become excited.
This “porn overload” can prevent men from getting sexually aroused with an actual sexual partner. Over time, this can potentially lead to the development of sexual dysfunctions such as ED.
In order to understand how watching too much porn can cause erectile dysfunction, you first need to understand the role of the brain. There are around one hundred billion neurons in the brain – these are cells that which enable the communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
Now, the exchange of chemical messages between neurons is facilitated by something called neurotransmitters. One such neurotransmitter, known as dopamine, transmits information to the “reward center” of the brain.
The brain’s reward center is responsible for releasing “pleasure hormones” into the brain whenever you eat something tasty, kiss someone, etc.
This chemical rush produces a “high” which makes you want to perform that activity over and over again. The brain is designed to motivate you to do things that enhance your health.
However, there’s a catch: the brain can be tricked.
When you use addictive substances, the brain receives a “false signal”. As it can’t tell apart a harmful addictive substance from something healthy, the brain activates its reward center and dopamine is released.
As the amount of dopamine being released increases, the tolerance increases as well and the cravings become increasingly intense in nature. Eventually, the addictive substance forces the brain into a direction it isn’t meant to go.
This is what porn does to the brain. Furthermore, your erections are directly linked with the brain’s reward center. Erections and sexual arousal are very much dependent on dopamine signaling in the body.
Studies & Surveys About Porn-Induced ED
There’s a myriad of medical studies that support the link between pornography addiction and decreased sex drive and performance.
According to the results of a survey conducted by the American Urological Association, men who’re addicted to pornography are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction and less likely to fully enjoy sexual intercourse with a consenting adult partner.
A review of a medical study conducted in 2016 provided evidence supporting the correlation between pornography addiction and sexual dysfunctions such as ED, diminished libido, decreased sexual satisfaction and delayed ejaculation.
The review also presented a series of clinical reports which suggested that watching porn can potentially alter the brain’s motivational system, which can subsequently condition sexual arousal in a negative manner.
Moreover, a medical study conducted in Italy also revealed that teenage males who watched excessive porn were more likely to develop sexual anorexia, a condition characterized by a pathological lack of appetite for sexual interactions of a romantic nature.
How to Overcome Porn Induced ED
Fortunately, there are certain ways to overcome porn-induced ED. As PIED is more or less a psychological condition, many experts suggest that abstinence is the most effective cure for porn-induced erectile dysfunction.
Abstaining from porn and masturbation for 90 days allows the brain to switch from getting aroused by visual and auditory cues to three-dimensional sensual cues. It allows the body and the mind to readjust to normal sexual cues and helps restore sexual sensitivity.
However, porn withdrawals can be quite intense initially. Men often experience a complete loss of sexual drive before a slow recovery initiates.
After a couple of months of total abstinence, most people not only recover normal sexual arousal but also report less fatigue, depression, and just feeling better overall.
The PIED recovery process is far from linear and varies from person to person. Although 3 months is the average period required to recover from porn addiction, for some individuals it can be more or less than that.
However, here’s an outline of the different phases that occur in an average PIED recovery process.
- Phase 1:
The individual will experience intense cravings for porn-induced stimulation.
- Phase 2:
After about a couple of weeks of abstinence, the individual will experience a slightly increased libido and will feel better overall.
- Phase 3:
The individual will completely lose sex drive and will not experience any erections, even immediately after waking up.
- Phase 4:
After about 45 days of abstinence, the erections will return and the individual will experience a much-improved libido. They will also start enjoying normal sexual intercourse with a partner.
Like we mentioned, the rate of recovery from PIED varies from person to person. Those who’re not extremely addicted to pornography generally report an improvement within a few weeks. However, it can take as long as 6 months of abstinence from pornography to restore normal sexual function.
Adolescents typically take longer to recover from PIED because the easy accessibility of porn make relapses more likely. Sex therapy is another porn induced erectile dysfunction treatment that’s known to be effective.
Other Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
In addition to porn addiction, there’s a myriad of physical conditions and psychological issues that can cause or contribute to erectile dysfunction. Even though ED is, of course, more common for older men, it’s by no means an inevitable consequence of aging.
Conditions & Diseases
There are certain diseases and conditions that can cause or contribute to erectile dysfunction. Some examples are:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis
- Peyronie’s disease
- Diabetes (type 2)
- Psychological reasons
While most erectile dysfunction cases are caused by physical health conditions such as the one mentioned above, emotional or psychological issues can also lead to ED. Any of the following psychological problems can contribute to ED:
- Depression
- Lack of self-esteem
- Anxiety or stress
Available Treatment Options
In most cases, erectile dysfunction can be cured permanently, and there’s a myriad of treatments and medication available in the market; both synthetic and natural.
Prescription Drugs
First, we’ll discuss the common drugs prescribed for erectile dysfunction.
Sildenafil
Sildenafil, which is commonly known as Viagra, is one of the most popular and commonly-used drug for erectile dysfunction. It’s a phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor which works by increasing the blood flow to the penis, making it easier to achieve and maintain an erection.
However, what’s important to bear in mind is that Sildenafil is not an aphrodisiac. In other words, it won’t help you get aroused and it won’t enhance your libido. Sildenafil, when taken in oral form, generally takes 30 to 60 minutes to work, and its effects typically last for 3 to 5 hours.
Some common side effects are a blocked nose, headaches, and feeling lightheaded.
Tadalafil
Tadalafil, also known under the name Cialis, works quite similar to Viagra as it also stimulated blood flow to your downstairs department.
The drug takes a lot longer to actually start working, around two to three hours, but after that, it lasts for a lot longer than Sildenafil. The effects of Tadalafil can stay on for as long as 36 hours. In terms of side effects, the list isn’t pretty, with nausea, numbness of parts of your body, and dizziness as possible problems.
Vardenafil
Vardenafil is another popular ED pill. Just like the other drugs in this list, Vardenafil is a PDE-5 inhibitor, meaning its main effect is stimulating the flow of blood.
It works a lot quicker than Tadalafil, in about 30 minutes, but the effects won’t last for much longer than 4 hours. Side effects are less intense, but people have noted issues like blurred vision and even color blindness.
Avanafil
Next on the list is a drug called Avanafil or Spedra. Again, it is a PDE-5 inhibitor. This drug is considered the fastest working of all options, as it often takes only about 15 minutes to start working.
Like with the others there are of course some side effects to consider, including back pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
Natural Herbal Supplements
All the synthetic erectile dysfunction pills listed above have quite some scary side-effects, so you might want to consider natural supplements instead. We’ve outlined a few of the most popular ones below.
Ginseng
First up is Panax Ginseng, often just called red ginseng. This Korean herb has been used to treat several illnesses for centuries, and ED is one of them. Part of why it’s effective is because it raises the nitric oxide (NO) levels in your body, promoting more blood flow towards your penis.
One study actually looked at a collection of existing studies about red ginseng and the possible effects it can have on erectile dysfunction and it turned out that the majority actually proved the herb to be effective!
L-arginine
This is an amino acid that supports the creation of protein in your body. Furthermore, once inside your body it converts to nitric oxide, which as we’ve seen above can help your ED.
DHEA Extract
As you grow older your testosterone levels drop – as you probably already know – but did you know the same thing happens to your DHEA levels?
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is actually very closely related to testosterone and your energy levels, and increasing its presence in your body will help you and your erections.
Gingko Biloba
This South American herb has a long history of treating men who struggle with their downstairs department. Like with most products in this list, it will increase the flow of blood towards your penis, thus helping you and your erectile function.
Horny Goat Weed
This stuff might have a bit of a funny nickname (its normal name is epimedium), but it is definitely an accurate one. It has been used for centuries and has been proven time and again to treat ED.
All Natural Supplements
So where to find all these magical natural ingredients that can help you overcome your erectile dysfunction problems?
The easiest way is to consider Viasil, the all-natural erection pill that contains all the ingredients above plus many more. Since it’s completely natural you don’t have to worry about any side effects, but due to its powerhouse ingredients, it’s still extremely effective.
Conclusion
As we’ve discussed, erectile dysfunction can be caused by a wide variety of physical and psychological health factors.
If you think you’re experiencing the symptoms of porn induced erectile dysfunction, a prolonged period of abstinence can help restore normal erectile function.
However, if you suspect that your erectile dysfunction symptoms aren’t porn related, the best thing you can do is consult with your general practitioner. While ED is rarely related to anything severe, in some cases it can indicate serious underlying medical conditions.
While there’s a wide variety of prescription ED drugs and great all-natural products such as Viasil available, it’s important to communicate with your GP before you decide to take any ED medication or supplements.
