Thursday, October 17, 2024
If you’re living with high cholesterol, you might already know how it affects your heart health. But high cholesterol could also be affecting your sexual health—more specifically, your ability to get and maintain an erection.
Many people associate erectile dysfunction (ED) with ageing or psychological factors, but it often signals deeper health issues. Understanding the connection between high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction is key if you want to improve your sexual health and well-being. In this blog, we explain what you can do to tackle both high cholesterol and ED for a healthier, more satisfying life.
Cholesterol is a type of fatty substance that circulates in the blood. Around 20% of this cholesterol comes from the food we eat, and our bodies produce the remaining 80% in the liver (1).
There are two main types of cholesterol:
We all need a small amount of cholesterol to function, as it helps our bodies create hormones, vitamin D, and cell membranes. But too much total cholesterol can lead to various health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke—and erectile dysfunction.
Research consistently shows that the higher your cholesterol levels, the bigger your risk for erectile dysfunction. One study found that men with total cholesterol levels above 6.21 mmol/L were almost twice as likely to experience ED than those with levels below 4.65 mmol/L (2).
The type of cholesterol in the bloodstream also alters the risk for erectile dysfunction. Men with ED have significantly higher LDL levels than healthy individuals (3). Another study found that men with higher HDL levels had a much lower chance of developing ED than those with lower levels, even if their total cholesterol was the same (2).
The bottom line? The higher your cholesterol, the higher your chance of having erection problems.
The connection between cholesterol and ED primarily lies in how cholesterol affects blood flow. Because erections rely on good blood flow to the penis, anything that affects your blood vessels can also affect your ability to get and maintain an erection.
Anyone with high cholesterol has excess fat in the blood, which can start to clump together and form deposits on the lining of the blood vessels. Over time, this damage causes the vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow. In the case of ED, reduced blood flow to the penile arteries may impair the ability to achieve or maintain an erection.
High cholesterol can also interfere with the function of smooth muscles and peripheral nerves involved in the erection process (4). This can make it hard to get or maintain an erection, leading to erectile dysfunction.
As erectile dysfunction is closely linked to high cholesterol, managing your cholesterol levels may improve ED. Indeed, research shows that people with high cholesterol can experience stronger erections by lowering their cholesterol.
Cholesterol levels can be lowered through medications, lifestyle changes, or a combination:
Statins are the most common medication prescribed to help lower cholesterol. These drugs reduce the amount of “bad” cholesterol produced by the liver, lowering both LDL and total cholesterol levels to improve blood flow.
There’s been some debate about whether statins worsen ED, as they can lower testosterone levels (5). Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and plays a central role in regulating sex drive and erectile function. By potentially lowering testosterone, some argue that statins—while improving cholesterol—won’t improve erections.
However, other studies have found that statins improve the symptoms of ED (6). This is likely achieved by improving blood flow to the penis. And not only this—by lowering cholesterol, statins also help prevent heart disease and increase mortality rates. (7).
Lowering cholesterol isn’t just about taking medication; lifestyle changes can make a big difference too. Here are a few steps you can take:
By lowering total cholesterol or increasing HDL, these lifestyle changes may improve erectile function.
ED can have many causes beyond high cholesterol. Some other common risk factors include (10):
It’s important to note that lowering cholesterol will only be effective if high cholesterol is the root cause of your ED. For example, one study found that when treated with atorvastatin erectile dysfunction was significantly improved—but only if high cholesterol was the only risk factor for ED (11).
Often, multiple risk factors are at play, and it may take addressing all these issues to see an improvement in symptoms. This is why understanding why you have erectile dysfunction is so important. Identifying the underlying causes can help you find the right treatment tailored to your needs.
Lowering cholesterol can help improve ED, but other options that might help include:
There are also oral medications aimed directly at improving erectile function. The most well-known erectile dysfunction treatment is Viagra, which contains the active compound sildenafil. Other medications for ED include tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra). These drugs work by increasing blood flow to the penis, making it easier to achieve and maintain an erection.
Vacuum erection devices are another route. These are external pumps that help draw blood into the penis, creating an erection. Once the erection is achieved, a ring is placed at the base of the penis to maintain it. For men who do not respond to other treatments, penile implants may be considered.
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction, you may wonder if it’s safe to take statins and Viagra together. Generally speaking, it’s okay to take erectile dysfunction drugs while on statin therapy, and there is no known interaction between statins and Viagra.
However, Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis are not safe to combine with all drugs. These erectile dysfunction treatments should be avoided if you’re currently on nitrates and alpha-blockers. By causing blood vessels to dilate and increasing blood flow, these drugs can also be dangerous in people with a history of heart disease or stroke.
If you have both high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction, it’s vital to address these interconnected health issues. Managing your cholesterol levels can improve your erectile function, offering you better heart health, sexual health, and quality of life. However, you may also want to look at erectile dysfunction treatments.
At Oxford Online Pharmacy, we understand that seeking help for ED can feel overwhelming. That’s why we offer convenient, discreet services to help you access the necessary treatments without added stress. Learn more about your options on our erectile dysfunction page.