Last Updated on June 26, 2025 by Bryan Dastan
Erectile Dysfunction Causes
Physical Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
Inadequate Blood Flow
Erectile Dysfunction occurs when erectile tissues (corpus cavernosum) in the penile area of a man do not get adequate blood flow to cause hardness and erection. Poor blood flow through clogged veins and arteries that flows into the penis, causing weak or no erections.
Low Testosterone (Male Hormone)
The primary cause of low sex drive or libido is low testosterone levels. Low testosterone can lead to erectile dysfunction. A deficiency in Vitamin D results in lower testosterone levels, contributing to decreased libido and fertility problems. By improving vitamin D levels, you can improve testosterone production, which boosts sexual desire and sperm quality.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
High blood pressure is a primary cause of erectile dysfunction. High blood pressure shows the blood is not flowing adequately to all vital organs, including the penile tissues. There could be multiple reasons, including underlying diseases that restrict blood flow. Hypertension can damage the lining of the blood vessels and disrupt a smooth blood flow into the erection tissues in the penile area.
Diabetes (High Sugar Levels)
High sugar levels damage blood vessels. It clogs penile veins and arteries, reducing the blood flow. Poor blood flow into the penile tissues results in weak or no erections. It is a warning sign of erectile dysfunction for diabetes patients. Insulin resistance that causes diabetes is also a cause of reduced blood flow in the penile arteries, causing erectile dysfunction. Enhanced insulin function helps unclog the blood vessels and improve and stabilize blood flow. In diabetes, patients experience circulation issues. Methylcobalamin repairs nerve damage caused by diabetes, especially small nerves controlling the blood vessel dilation in the penis. When you have damaged blood vessels, the arteries and veins cannot relax and contract for a smooth blood flow, causing erection difficulties.
High Cholesterol (Plaque formation)
High cholesterol or plaque can accumulate in the penile veins and arteries, which restrict the blood flow reaching the penis. Poor diet, lifestyle, lack of exercise, or underlying health conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes, can lead to cholesterol accumulation. Poor diet and unhealthy junk food habits form plaque in the blood vessels, disrupting blood flow.
Psychological Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
High Stress
Do you know that living a secluded life, all by yourself, with no social connection or mingling, can cause stress? Stress is one of the major causes of erectile dysfunction or impotence in young men under 40, as well as in older adults.
Stress throws you off the parasympathetic nervous system. To attain and sustain an erection, you need to be on the parasympathetic nervous system.
High cortisol levels cause stress, and the body switches from the parasympathetic nervous system to the sympathetic nervous system. You are not calm and vegetative. You need to be calm and vegetative for an erection.
When stressed out, the body will not allow the nervous system to stimulate normal arterial blood flow. Meditation and calming breathing techniques help attain calm. It will relax the pressure on your heart and allow your body to switch to the parasympathetic nervous system.
Depression
If you have acute depression and are using medication to treat depression, these medications can interfere with the erection process, causing ED.
Anxiety
Anxiety related to work or day-to-day life, and anxiety related to your relationship with your partner, can trigger erectile dysfunction. Whenever you are anxious because of relationship issues or the apprehension that you may not satisfy your partner, it leads to stress, which throws off the parasympathetic nervous system, decreasing erectile functions and satisfaction during intercourse.
Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms
Patients of the ED often wonder if the erection dysfunction is all in their heads. It is true if you have psychological ED at a young age, under 35.
There are three primary types of erections.
Reflexive Erection
Reflexive erection happens because of physical stimulation. Erection can happen because of some physical stimulation, even when you don’t feel turned on.
Nocturnal Erection
As the name suggests, this erection occurs at night. This erection is nonsexual, and men rarely notice it as it starts during adolescence. You can experience 3 to 4 nocturnal erections throughout the night, even when you are sleeping. The one that is most common during adolescence is the morning erection, or the morning wood, triggered by fantasy dreams. You usually wake up in the morning with morning wood, and it is noticeable.
Psychogenic Erection
This erection happens because of a mental or visual image or some sexual desire in your mind. Psychogenic erection is a biomarker for good health. You need to have a healthy nervous system, cardiovascular system, hormonal environment, and mindset.
Psychogenic Erections result from a host of psychological factors, such as self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, fear, relationship issues, an unattractive partner, or any mental disorder.
Studies suggest that erectile dysfunction patients are 2 to 4 times more likely to have depressive symptoms, a negative outlook toward life and society, or have more emotional stress.
Psychological Symptoms
Symptoms of depression-related erectile dysfunction include feeling sad or down for a prolonged period. Anxiety, feeling negative or hopeless about life, can cause psychogenic ED. Depressed people are lonely, cut off from friends and family, and do not enjoy the things they used to, like hobbies or activities. You may move a little slower than usual or have slower speech, difficulty sleeping, feelings of guilt, or suicidal thoughts.
So depression can be a symptom of ED and vice versa. Stress and performance anxiety are common symptoms of erectile dysfunction. You will have difficulty focusing on pleasure. Relationship issues can also be a symptom of ED. Pornography can cause difficulty in attaining an erection.
Physical Symptoms
You may notice physical ED symptoms when you have continued nocturnal erection, but in the daytime, when you try to penetrate during intercourse, you lose your erection.
Another symptom that you have ED is that although you may get an erection, it is not as rigid to penetrate or have intercourse with. It is also an ED symptom.
Erectile Dysfunction Treatments
Treating erectile dysfunction involves treating the root cause. ED medications available in the open market, such as Generic tadalafil, vardenafil, avanafil, udenafil, or Sildenafil Citrate Tablets 100mg are all temporary solutions to get you an erection that can last 4 to 6 hours. If you want to get an erection naturally without external aids or medications, you need to diagnose and treat the root cause first. The root causes are psychological (stress), vascular (clogged blood vessels), and hormonal (Testosterone).
Vitamin deficiencies can cause ED. Vitamin synthesis decreases with age and deteriorating health conditions. Three essential vitamins are necessary to unclog penile arteries and improve blood vessel elasticity in the penis. Taking the correct vitamins can improve erectile function.
The three primary vitamins that can help attain an erection naturally, without the help of any pills, are the following. However, they are not a quick fix solution for ED as the ED pills are. You need to take these vitamins for 3 to 6 months to see any effect on your sexual health.
Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12)
Take Methylcobalamin supplements that help penile arteries to relax and contract smoothly, ensuring improved blood flow in the penis. Take methylcobalamin for improved nerve sensitivity and blood vessel responsiveness for stronger erections. You can get methylcobalamin naturally from animal-based foods, such as red meat, eggs, fish, dairy, and liver. Consume methylcobalamin consistently for 3 to 6 months for significant improvement in erectile function.
Vitamin D
If you are low in vitamin D, the cells’ response to insulin reduces. It causes higher blood glucose levels, which can damage the delicate penile arteries, narrowing the small veins and arteries in the penis. Vitamin D helps relax the blood vessels indirectly. Vitamin D boosts libido and fertility functions. An improved vitamin D level boosts testosterone production, sexual desire, and sperm quality. Take the early morning sunlight for 15 to 30 minutes, wear less clothing, and foods like cod liver oil, fortified cereals, and UV-exposed mushrooms. Take Vitamin D3 supplements combined with K2 for individuals with poor vitamin D skin synthesis.
Vitamin E
It repairs the inner lining of blood vessels, revitalizing blood flow and gradually clearing clogged penile veins and arteries. It is a potent antioxidant that protects the blood vessels from oxidative stress and the resulting damage caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress speeds up the formation of plaque in the penile arteries, contributing to vessel clogging. Vitamin E slows down and delays the progression of arterial stiffening and preserves the elasticity of penile veins. It ensures smooth blood flow to attain and maintain erections. It improves nitric oxide production in the endothelial cells of the blood vessels. Nitric Oxide relaxes the blood vessels and increases blood flow into the penis, which gets you a sustainable erection. Excellent sources of vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, and avocado.
Quick Fix On-Demand ED Pills
Modern Medicine offers safe, effective, FDA-approved treatments that boost immediate and on-demand blood flow in the penile vessels, causing an erection. These medicines are generic sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, avanafil, and udenafil. While the effects of most pills last 4 to 6 hours, the effect of tadalafil lasts up to 36 hours. Start with a lower dose to avoid mild-to-moderate side effects and avoid overdosing, as it can be dangerous for your health.
