Can Recreational ED Drug Use Lead to ED?

Recreational Erectile Dysfunction Drug Use in Young Men May Lead to ED, Study Says

July 20, 2012 -- Men who use erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs recreationally may be more likely to develop psychogenic ED, the type that originates in the mind, according to new research.

"Recreational use of ED medications increased the chance of psychological dependence on ED medicines,'' says researcher Christopher Harte, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

"Among young, healthy men who used ED medicines recreationally, the more frequent ED medicine use was associated with lower confidence in achieving and maintaining erections, which in turn was associated with lower erectile function," Harte says.

The study is published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The researchers found a link but not cause and effect, Harte tells WebMD.

However, another expert wonders if some of the men who reported ''recreational'' use actually had ED.

ED affects about 34 million men in the U.S., according to Harte.

The condition is more common with age. About 9% of men 18 to 39 are affected. Up to 70% of men 60 and older are.

However, men aged 18 to 45 are responsible for the largest increase in the use of Viagra among U.S. adults, Harte reports. From 1998 to 2002, the use by this age category grew 312%, he says.

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Can Recreational ED Drug Use Lead to ED?