Key TakeawaysErectile dysfunction is five times higher in men who have had the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus.Some of the same risk factors exist for both erectile dysfunction and having a severe case of COVID-19.Lifestyle improvements could reduce the risk of developing both conditions, as well as future heart disease.

Key Takeaways

Erectile dysfunction is five times higher in men who have had the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus.Some of the same risk factors exist for both erectile dysfunction and having a severe case of COVID-19.Lifestyle improvements could reduce the risk of developing both conditions, as well as future heart disease.

Several months ago, a group of Italian researchers hypothesized that there could be a connection between COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction—trouble getting and maintaining an erection. The cause, they suspected, was damaged blood vessels.

A March study confirmed their suspicions, showing erectile dysfunction was five times more likely to occur in men who had tested positive for COVID-19.

Can COVID-19 Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

“Survivors of COVID-19 are currently followed with lots of examinations, MRI, and tests attempting to evaluate possible sequelae [after effects] of the pneumonia associated with COVID-19,” Emmanuele Jannini, MD, professor of endocrinology and medical sexology at the University of Rome in Italy, tells Verywell. “All are more or less related to endothelial damage.”

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

Take Control of Your Health

Erectile dysfunction and COVID-19 share risk factors, including high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Managing those conditions to reduce risk factors is more important than ever.

“Unfortunately COVID is teaching us a lot. We prefer not to have this lesson, but the lesson is coming,” Jannini says. “It’s a very good idea to think of this pandemic as the time to revise your lifestyle, which is clearly so critical. Some endothelial problems that could be fixed sooner rather than later could reduce the risk of severe COVID as well as future cardiovascular disease."

And, of course, you should take actions to reduce the chance of getting COVID-19: get vaccinated, wear a mask, and wash hands often. “Avoid complications,” Jannini says.

What This Means For YouIf you currently have COVID-19 or have tested positive for it over the past year, pay close attention to your vascular health:If you have type 2 diabetes, make sure you do everything possible to control your blood sugar levels and keep them in thenormal range.If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s recommendations and treatment plan to meet your blood pressure target. Blood pressure that stays high damages the inner lining of blood vessels over time, contributing to complications such as erectile dysfunction or blood clots.If you smoke, quit. For help, go towww.smokefree.gov.

What This Means For You

If you currently have COVID-19 or have tested positive for it over the past year, pay close attention to your vascular health:If you have type 2 diabetes, make sure you do everything possible to control your blood sugar levels and keep them in thenormal range.If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s recommendations and treatment plan to meet your blood pressure target. Blood pressure that stays high damages the inner lining of blood vessels over time, contributing to complications such as erectile dysfunction or blood clots.If you smoke, quit. For help, go towww.smokefree.gov.

If you currently have COVID-19 or have tested positive for it over the past year, pay close attention to your vascular health:

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sansone A, Mollaioli D, Ciocca G, et al.“Mask up to keep it up”: Preliminary evidence of the association between erectile dysfunction and COVID-19.Andrology.2021 Mar 20. Online ahead of print. doi:10.1111/andr.13003National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction.Feletou M.The Endothelium. Part I: Multiple functions of the endothelial cells. Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sansone A, Mollaioli D, Ciocca G, et al.“Mask up to keep it up”: Preliminary evidence of the association between erectile dysfunction and COVID-19.Andrology.2021 Mar 20. Online ahead of print. doi:10.1111/andr.13003National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction.Feletou M.The Endothelium. Part I: Multiple functions of the endothelial cells. Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Sansone A, Mollaioli D, Ciocca G, et al.“Mask up to keep it up”: Preliminary evidence of the association between erectile dysfunction and COVID-19.Andrology.2021 Mar 20. Online ahead of print. doi:10.1111/andr.13003National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction.Feletou M.The Endothelium. Part I: Multiple functions of the endothelial cells. Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences.

Sansone A, Mollaioli D, Ciocca G, et al.“Mask up to keep it up”: Preliminary evidence of the association between erectile dysfunction and COVID-19.Andrology.2021 Mar 20. Online ahead of print. doi:10.1111/andr.13003

National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction.

Feletou M.The Endothelium. Part I: Multiple functions of the endothelial cells. Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences.

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