With erectile dysfunction (ED) affecting nearly 30 million men in the US alone, it’s a problem that’s unfortunately all too common for men of all ages.
Now, with obesity rates climbing even higher, many men are left asking, “can belly fat cause erectile dysfunction?”
In general, being overweight or obese can lead to an increased risk of ED. Belly fat and erectile dysfunction are often linked together, and numerous scientific studies have found the link to be stronger than many would believe.
However, there are also many other causes of ED aside from belly fat, and it’s important to have the full picture when looking for treatment options.
Quick FAQs
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection that's sufficient for sexual performance.
Yes, having belly fat can disrupt different systems of the body that are responsible for causing an erection to occur.
Research has shown that losing weight helped men to reverse their erectile dysfunction.
This guide will help you understand the relationship between excess fat and ED, along with all of the other factors that put men at risk.
Plus, we’ll go over proven methods to help reduce the risk of ED along with how you can treat it today.
Before diving deeper into the causes of ED, it’s important to fully understand what erectiile dysfunction is and the problems it can cause.
A healthy erection is caused by increased blood flow to the penis, which is then trapped in place by a series of valves to keep the penis hard, elongated, and ready for intercourse.
A normal erection is often caused by sexual arousal, which can come from mental or physical stimulation. It can also be a natural occurrence simply due to increased blood flow while a man is awake or asleep.
With erectile dysfunction, the penis is either unable to become erect, or the erection is significantly weaker or shorter-lasting than desired.
Some common symptoms of ED include:
Not being able to achieve an erection despite sufficient sexual stimulation
Having erections that are significantly weaker than desired
Having erections that last for a short amount of time, despite sufficient stimulation.
Erectile dysfunction is often caused by physical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, or circulatory problems. It can also be caused by psychological factors as well.
Finding the root cause of ED is important, because the treatment options and preventive measures can vary wildly depending on the cause.
However, treating erectile dysfunction is very important, because beyond sexual dissatisfaction, it can cause a number of psychological and personal problems including:
Depression
Anxiety
Anger
Relationship difficulties
Low self-esteem
Luckily, there are many ED treatment options available that we’ll cover shortly.
Can Belly Fat Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Research has shown that men abdominal obesity have a higher incidence rate of ED. Belly fat and ED have a complicated relationship, which we’ll explore in more detail to help you understand how your waist size and erectile dysfunction are related.
Getting an erection is an intricate process within the body, and it requires multiple bodily systems to work in sync with one another for the erection to be healthy.
This includes your:
Circulatory system, or vascular system, which allows blood to flow unimpaired throughout your body, including your genitals. A well-working circulatory system is necessary in order for erections to form and be maintained during intercourse.
Nervous system, which allows your cells to send information to one another and can trigger sensations such as pleasure or pain. Your nervous system responds to both mental and physical stimuli as well. With a functioning nervous system, a man can respond to sensual stimuli by getting an erection.
Endocrine system, which is made up of eight major glands that help your body to regulate and release hormones, such as testosterone or oxytocin. Testosterone is especially important for a man’s sex drive, and the endocrine system is crucial for a well-functioning body.
In many cases, having excessive belly fat can disrupt one or all of these vital systems.
According to Dr. Wang Lushun of Arete Ortho, visceral fat can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These conditions result in damaged blood vessels, including those needed for erections.
Dr. Lushun also noted that belly fat can lead to low testosterone, or Low T, which can potentially impact a man’s sexual function. It's just one of the reasons why obesity has been recognized as a leading factor in erectile dysfunction for men.
Pro Tip: If you think low testosterone might be to blame then Promescent's Testosterone Booster might be just what you have been missing.
Additionally, Dr. Lushun mentions that, “Belly fat may cause inflammation in the body, which can also affect blood flow, making it a contributing factor to ED.”
While having belly fat does not necessarily make one obese, it is more often than not a sign of being overweight. If not controlled, either through diet, exercise, medication, or other means, it can lead to more serious health problems beyond ED.
Waist Size and Erectile Dysfunction
As shown by the study above, being overweight can be a major risk factor for ED and other sexual dysfunctions in men.
However, other studies have also shown that waist size and erectile dysfunction are even more closely linked than weight alone.
In a 2016 study, it was found that waist circumference correlated with more cases of ED and other sexual dysfunctions in men. What this means is that the larger a man's waist size is, the more likely they are to have erectile dysfunction regardless of their overall weight.
In the study, they followed 261 men over several years to gauge their sexual health and quality of life index. What they found was that waist circumference was a stronger predictor of erectile dysfunction than the body mass index, or BMI.
The study also found that a larger belly correlated with increased rates of Low T, which can be another cause of erectile dysfunction.
With Low T, men may experience problems such as:
ED
Depression
Tiredness
Weakness
Insomnia
Anxiety
Low Libido
Along with Low T, excessive belly fat may also lead to circulatory problems which can greatly influence the onset of erectile dysfunction.
BMI and Erectile Dysfunction
A high BMI, or body mass index, can be a major risk factor for the development of erectile dysfunction.
Some of the general health risks of a high BMI include:
Diabetes
Heart attack
Stroke
Circulatory problems
High blood pressure
Hormonal problems (including Low T)
Along with these general health effects, a high BMI can also lead to sleep disturbances and reduced physical activity, both of which may affect hormones, normal bodily functions, and sexual health.
Diabetes is also a common complication from a high BMI, and this disease can strongly hinder blood flow throughout the body. Over time, men with diabetes have a much higher chance of developing erectile dysfunction than those without it.
Belly Fat and Heart Health
Having excessive belly fat can put a lot of strain on the surrounding organs along with your overall cardiovascular system.
Studies have shown a dramatic increase in heart disease for men with excessive belly fat. Since heart disease negatively affects the entire cardiovascular system and hinders proper flow, it can lead to erectile dysfunction among other serious and potentially fatal complications.
So can weight gain cause erectile dysfunction? Unfortunately, it can, and even more so if the weight gain leads to chronic issues like heart disease or related afflictions.
Does Losing Weight Help with ED?
Losing weight can not only help to prevent erectile dysfunction and reduce the occurrence of other ED risk factors.
In a two-year study following 110 men, researchers found that men who steadily lost weight were able to fully reverse their erectile dysfunction.
Plus, the men also reduced their overall risk for other serious conditions, including:
Diabetes
Heart attack
Stroke
High blood pressure
Most significantly, they found that 31% of men who lost weight regained their full erectile functioning. In comparison, the sedentary control group only had 5% of men reverse their ED.
The men who reduced their weight lost an average of 30lbs through lifestyle changes such as increased exercise and a healthier diet. This shows that even a moderate amount of weight loss can have a very positive effect on erectile functioning.
Does Losing Weight Increase Blood Flow for Erections?
Losing belly fat can improve blood flow by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and blood pressure.
The following conditions have been to reduce or severely impact flood flow:
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Heart disease
In one large study, it was found that nearly 77% of overweight people have some form of hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Along with this, there are also increased rates of insulin resistance among obese patients, which is a major indicator for the development of diabetes along with hormonal disruptions.
Even if insulin resistance doesn't develop into diabetes, it can still reduce the overall amount of nitric oxide within the body.
Nitric oxide is a crucial compound that aids in hormone regulation and helps to dilate the blood vessels to encourage healthy blood flow.
Some potential side effects of low nitric oxide production include:
Erectile dysfunction
Low energy
Hormonal disruptions
Muscle weakness
Increased oxidative stress
Inflammation
However, this same study also confirmed that losing weight can lead to dramatic improvements in all of these conditions.
By losing even a moderate amount of weight, patients in the study were able to improve their insulin resistance, increase nitric oxide production throughout the body, and significantly lower their blood pressure.
Plus, those who lost weight also had significantly lower inflammation than those who maintained or gained weight throughout the study.
Other Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
While obesity and belly fat are major contributors to ED, there are also many other conditions that can increase the risk of erectile dysfunction.
Some of these common ED causes include:
Physical causes
Psychological causes
Medical treatments
Physical Causes
There are a number of physical causes of ED aside from belly fat, such as:
Clogged blood vessels
High cholesterol
Insulin resistance and diabetes
Hypertension
Peyronie’s disease (a highly curved or painful erection)
A tight pelvic floor
Damage to the genitals
Neurological disorders
While some of these conditions, like hypertension or insulin resistance, can be improved upon significantly by losing weight, other conditions may require separate treatments in order to improve.
Psychological Causes
Arousal is both a mental and physical response, and there are many psychological causes for ED that men should consider.
In some cases, having one or more of these psychological conditions can make getting aroused more difficult.
Along with the negative mental effects, these psychological conditions can also have negative physical effects.
Having constant stress or anger can raise one’s blood pressure, which as we’ve mentioned previously, can potentially cause ED.
Medical Treatments
There are many medical treatments and medications that can cause ED, including, but not limited to:
Prostate medication or surgery
Medications for neurological disorders
Certain allergy medications (such as Benadryl)
Chemotherapy and radiation
Blood pressure medication
Antidepressants (SSRIs)
If you experience erectile dysfunction while taking a certain medication, make sure to mention it to your doctor so they can work with you to find a solution.
In some cases, similar medications or a different dosage may help to limit unwanted side effects while still treating the original condition.
Making healthier lifestyle choices can help to greatly reduce the risk of ED, and even reverse it in some situations.
Even subtle changes, like taking small walks around the neighborhood or eating more leafy greens, can compound over time into greater lifestyle changes to your health.
There are a number of ED medications available that can help to increase blood flow in the penis, making for stronger and longer-lasting erections.
Many of these medications are classified as PDE5 inhibitors, and are generally regarded by the FDA as safe and effective for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
All of these medications will likely require a prescription, so make sure to talk with your doctor to see if they are safe and beneficial for treating your condition.
Less anxiety and depression may help make it easier for men to be sufficiently aroused and achieve an erection.
Pro TIp: If you're ready to talk to a professional about your ED, then check out this getting started with sex therapy guide from Promescent.
المكملات
Some supplements may help to increase nitric oxide production, which can encourage more blood flow into the penis.
However, not all supplements are FDA regulated, so it’s important to only take those with well-sourced ingredients that have scientific research backing their safety and efficacy.
Some high-quality supplements, like VitaFLUX Nitric Oxide Booster, utilize natural and highly researched ingredients that may help to promote nitric oxide production to provide:
Remember to always talk with your doctor before starting any supplementation.
Takeaways
So can being overweight cause erectile dysfunction? As studies have shown, obesity and ED are often linked together, and having a larger waist size is especially risky.
Despite the high prevalence of ED in obese men, losing weight can greatly help to reverse the trend while also providing numerous overall health benefits.
Since losing weight is often a slow process, it’s important to work with your doctor during your journey. Your doctor can advise you on how to best lose weight given your situation, and they can also recommend other ED treatments.
Practicing a healthier lifestyle is an effective way to improve erectile function and overall sexual health.
Dr LS Wang is an internationally published, award-winning, double-fellowship-trained Orthopaedic Surgeon with more than 18 years of clinical experience. Throughout the course of his career, he has pioneered advanced minimally invasive techniques for robotic knee and hip surgery that result in enhanced recoveries. He is currently the Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director of Arete Orthopaedic Clinic.
Sources:
Absorption Pharmaceuticals LLC (Promescent) has strict informational citing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic or research institutions, medical associations, and medical experts. We attempt to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references and only citing trustworthy sources. Each article is reviewed, written, and updated by Medical Professionals or authoritative Experts in a specific, related field of practice. You can find out more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
Inoue Y, Qin B, Poti J, Sokol R, Gordon-Larsen P. Epidemiology of Obesity in Adults: Latest Trends. Curr Obes Rep. 2018 Dec;7(4):276-288. doi: 10.1007/s13679-018-0317-8. PMID: 30155850; PMCID: PMC6215729. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
"Definition & Facts for Erectile Dysfunction - NIH." Niddk.nih.gov, 2017, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/erectile-dysfunction/definition-facts. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Sooriyamoorthy T, Leslie SW. Erectile Dysfunction. [Updated 2023 May 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562253/. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. How does the blood circulatory system work? 2010 Mar 12 [Updated 2019 Jan 31]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279250/. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
"What are the parts of the nervous system? - NIH." Nichd.nih.gov, 2018, www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/neuro/conditioninfo/parts. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Hiller-Sturmhöfel S, Bartke A. The endocrine system: an overview. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):153-64. PMID: 15706790; PMCID: PMC6761896. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Nauli AM, Matin S. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Front Physiol. 2019 Dec 5;10:1486. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01486. PMID: 31866877; PMCID: PMC6906176. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Morales A, Bebb RA, Manjoo P, Assimakopoulos P, Axler J, Collier C, Elliott S, Goldenberg L, Gottesman I, Grober ED, Guyatt GH, Holmes DT, Lee JC; Canadian Men’s Health Foundation Multidisciplinary Guidelines Task Force on Testosterone Deficiency. Diagnosis and management of testosterone deficiency syndrome in men: clinical practice guideline. CMAJ. 2015 Dec 8;187(18):1369-1377. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.150033. Epub 2015 Oct 26. PMID: 26504097; PMCID: PMC4674408. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Yassin AA, Nettleship JE, Salman M, Almehmadi Y. Waist circumference is superior to weight and BMI in predicting sexual symptoms, voiding symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms in men with hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction. Andrologia. 2017 May;49(4). doi: 10.1111/and.12634. Epub 2016 Jul 12. PMID: 27400881. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
"Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk - NIH." Nhibi.nih.gov, 2023, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Hsieh SD, Yoshinaga H. Abdominal fat distribution and coronary heart disease risk factors in men-waist/height ratio as a simple and useful predictor. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1995 Aug;19(8):585-9. PMID: 7489031. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Evans MF. Lose weight to lose erectile dysfunction. Can Fam Physician. 2005 Jan;51(1):47-9. PMID: 15732221; PMCID: PMC1479584. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
"Losing Belly Fat, Whether From a Low-Carb or a Low-Fat Diet, Helps Improve Blood Vessel Function - Johns Hopkins Medicine." Hopkinsmedicine.org, 2012, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/losing_belly_fat_whether_from_a_low_carb_or_a_low_fat_diet_helps_improve_blood_vessel_function. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Fantin F, Giani A, Zoico E, Rossi AP, Mazzali G, Zamboni M. Weight Loss and Hypertension in Obese Subjects. Nutrients. 2019 Jul 21;11(7):1667. doi: 10.3390/nu11071667. PMID: 31330870; PMCID: PMC6682923. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Kiani AK, Bonetti G, Medori MC, Caruso P, Manganotti P, Fioretti F, Nodari S, Connelly ST, Bertelli M. Dietary supplements for improving nitric-oxide synthesis. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E239-E245. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2766. PMID: 36479475; PMCID: PMC9710401. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Huang SA, Lie JD. Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) Inhibitors In the Management of Erectile Dysfunction. P T. 2013 Jul;38(7):407-19. PMID: 24049429; PMCID: PMC3776492. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Chand SP, Kuckel DP, Huecker MR. Cognitive Behavior Therapy. [Updated 2023 May 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/. Accessed on Jul, 5, 2023.
Moon KH, Park SY, Kim YW. Obesity and Erectile Dysfunction: From Bench to Clinical Implication. World J Mens Health. 2019 May;37(2):138-147. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.180026. Epub 2018 Jul 25. PMID: 30079640; PMCID: PMC6479091. Accessed on Jul, 11, 2023.
"About Dr LS Wang - Arete Ortho." Drlswangortho.com.sg/, 2023, https://www.drlswangorth.com.sg. Accessed on Jul, 11, 2023.
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
?
Can Belly Fat Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Does Losing Weight Help with ED?
Does Losing Weight Increase Blood Flow for Erections?
Other Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
How to Treat ...&media=//www.promescent.com/cdn/shop/articles/can-belly-fat-cause-ed_grande.jpg?v=1688576172)
