CATEGORY: MEN’S HEALTH
Men who reported erectile dysfunction — ongoing difficulty getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sex — were more likely to die over the following years than men without it, including from heart disease, a long-term study of U.S. men found. Because the study followed men as they were rather than assigning any treatment, it points to an association, not proof that erectile dysfunction causes earlier death.1
How the Study Worked
Researchers drew on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a long-running U.S. health survey, using data from 4,110 men aged 20 and older who answered a standard question about erectile function in 2001–2004. They then linked those records to national death records and tracked who died over a median of about 16 years — meaning half the men were followed longer than that. During follow-up, 1,226 men died, 419 of them from cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) causes. The team adjusted for factors such as age, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking to help separate erectile dysfunction from other explanations.
What the Numbers Showed
After those adjustments, men with erectile dysfunction had about a 45% higher risk of dying from any cause and about a 57% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than men without it. The researchers noted that this added risk was in the same range as well-known heart risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and prior stroke.1
Why the Link May Exist
Erections depend on healthy blood flow, so the small arteries involved can be affected by the same vessel problems — such as stiffening or narrowing — that later show up in the heart. Because those smaller vessels can show trouble earlier, erectile difficulties are sometimes described as a possible early signal of wider cardiovascular disease. This kind of study can’t confirm that chain of events, and erectile dysfunction has many causes, including medications, stress, and hormonal or nerve conditions.
What This Does and Doesn’t Mean
This was an observational study — it watched what happened rather than testing a treatment — so it can’t show that treating erectile dysfunction changes survival. What it adds is evidence that erectile dysfunction may be worth treating as a prompt to check overall heart health, not just as a stand-alone concern. It is a reason for a conversation with a doctor, not a diagnosis on its own.
Key Takeaways
- In a U.S. study following men for about 16 years, those with erectile dysfunction had roughly 45% higher odds of dying from any cause and 57% higher odds of dying from heart disease, on average, than men without it.
- Erectile dysfunction may reflect early problems in blood vessels, which is why some researchers view it as a possible warning sign for the heart — though this study shows an association, not cause and effect.
- Erectile dysfunction has many everyday causes and does not by itself mean heart disease is present.
- If you experience ongoing erectile difficulties, your healthcare provider can help look into the cause and review your heart health — a worthwhile conversation to start.
References
- Bhattacharyya S, Miller LE, Rojanasarot S, Patel DP. Association of erectile dysfunction with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in US men: findings from NHANES 2001–2004 with 16-year follow-up. International Journal of Impotence Research. 2025 Nov 24. doi:10.1038/s41443-025-01218-z. link