Being in front of the screen can promote erectile dysfunction: virility and sedentary lifestyle don’t go together

Our body is programmed to move, yet we do it too little. Now, however, there is one more reason that could encourage men to get off the couch and dedicate themselves to more active hobbies. A group of researchers, we read in a study published in Andrology, discovered that every 72 minute increase in free time spent using a computer for leisure activities seems to increase the probability of suffering from erectile dysfunction, that is, the inability to obtain or maintain an erection adequate for satisfactory sexual intercourse. The scholars reached this conclusion using data on variations in gene sequences provided by 220 thousand men between 40 and 69 years old extracted from a previous database. However, it has not emerged that watching television or driving in your free time increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.

The risks of a sedentary lifestyle

«The results open up many questions that require further investigation before considering the suggestions proposed by the study as proven. However, it is difficult to imagine a difference in consequences depending on whether one is sitting at the computer for leisure or for other professional reasons”, explains Carlo Foresta, former full professor of Endocrinology at the University of Padua and member of the Superior Health Council, president of the Foresta Onlus Foundation. From the data emerging from the “Digital 2024: Global Overview Report”, a worldwide analysis conducted by Datareportal, the typical Internet user spends 6 hours and 40 minutes online every day. “It is widely demonstrated that a sedentary lifestyle, as well as obesity, represent risk factors for erectile dysfunction because they can be the cause of various problems, including the most frequent cardiovascular diseases”, comments the expert.

How long can you stay seated?

The scientific literature is not unanimous on what is meant by sitting too much: some researchers speak of 11 hours a day, others say that 7 is already excessive. «There is no specific study that establishes how many hours one can sit», continues Foresta. «Common sense indicates that 11 hours a day leaves no room for any form of physical activity, if we also add 8 hours of sleep to these, the time left for a minimum of movement is very little».

Lifestyle interventions

And to think that lifestyle interventions alone could reduce the prevalence of erectile dysfunction by 66 to 44%. “The lifestyles are the elements on which one can act to improve erectile function: regular physical activity, correct nutrition, normalization of weight, elimination of smoking and alcohol, maintenance of a psycho-physical balance, reduction of stress, search for a balance for all the characteristic parameters of dysmetabolism such as diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. In fact, a multicenter study which also involved Italy on erectile dysfunction in healthy subjects reported the increase from 8% in the 20-29 year age group to 37% for the 70-75 year age group. The rates increase significantly if we analyze subgroups with risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, with peaks of 90%. +As regards movement, however, l‘aerobic exercisefor example swimming, cycling, running or teamwork, is the most effective type of activity for improving erection as it puts moves the cardiovascular system and stimulates the metabolism as well as acting on lowering stress. Anaerobic training can instead help to increase the level of testosterone which is very important in regulating libido and sexual activity in general.”