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Link Found Between Pornography and Erectile Dysfunction

During the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) on Friday, May 12, 2017, results from a recent survey were presented that showed a correlation between male pornography consumption and sexual dysfunction.

According to the American Urological Association, "Sexual dysfunction has a significant impact on one's quality of life and occurs when there is a problem preventing an individual from wanting or enjoying sexual activity. The use of pornography among females and its impact on sexual dysfunction is poorly described. Similarly, the impact of pornography use in evaluating males with sexual dysfunction is not well examined. Two separate surveys were conducted to better define pornography use and any contribution to sexual dysfunction in women and men."

Researchers surveyed 312 men, ages 20 to 40, who visited a San Diego urology clinic for treatment. Of those men, 3.4% said they preferred masturbating to pornography over sexual intercourse. In talking to these men, the researchers found a correlation between pornography use and sexual dysfunction for those who regularly viewed pornography. The typical outlet for viewing pornography was the Internet (72.3%) and smart phone (62.3%). The male survey also reported the weekly frequency of pornography use:

  • 25.9% indicated less than weekly
  • 24.66% indicated 1-2 times a week
  • 21.3% indicated 3-5 times a week
  • 5% indicated 6-10 times a week
  • 4.3% indicated greater than 11 times a week
"Visual stimulation will often increase sexual arousal in both men and women, but when the majority of their time is spent viewing and masturbating to pornography, it is likely they will become less interested in real-world sexual encounters," said Dr. Alukal, associate professor of urology and obstetrics/gynecology, as well as director of male reproductive health at New York University. "These studies suggest the issue may be trivial in women, but not so for men, and could lead to sexual dysfunction. Sex is half in your body and half in your head and it may not be a physical component driving the behavior, but a psychological one."