Some problems can cause trouble working in the boardroom and in the bedroom.
Erectile dysfunction affects millions — and while it was once thought of as an older man’s issue, it’s becoming increasingly common in younger men, too.
While there are many causes of ED — including underlying health issues — new research had found that a hard job can make things less hard elsewhere.
Mind over mojo is a top trigger for going soft, according to Dr. Leon Telis, a board-certified urologist and director of the Men’s Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital.
“A very large portion of ED in younger men is what’s called psychosomatic, basically stress- and anxiety-induced,” Telis previously told The Post.
And with the workplace being a top stressor, a study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice suggests it’s linked to sexual dysfunction.
Assessing workplace psychological stress of 826 men aged 22 to 40 working full-time, researchers found that those who were more stressed had higher chances of experiencing ED.
Five aspects of work were used to determine stress levels among the men: hours worked throughout the week, decision-making autonomy, supervisor support, colleague relationships and promotion pressure.
Based on the scores of these five determinants, the participants were divided into four groups of low stress, medium-low, medium-high and high stress levels.
Erectile function showed a clear declining trend with increased stress scores across all groups.
However, compared to the low-stress group, those who experienced the highest amounts of stress were 10 times more likely to have issues with erections.
Meanwhile, the prevalence of ED in the high-stress group reached just over 54%.
In addition to ED, levels of the stress hormone cortisol and testosterone (which plays a role in sexual desire and can co-exist with ED) were measured over the course of several weeks.
In the first two to four weeks, higher cortisol came before testosterone decline — which then gave way to ED by four to six weeks.
Working hours and pressure to receive a promotion had the most effect on cortisol levels, with those in the high-stress group often working an average of 65 hours a week.
The strong connection between workplace stressors and erectile function revealed the biological mechanisms at play behind psychological stress and male sexual function.
Working long hours throughout the week could lead to physical fatigue, sleep deprivation and less time for sex.
Pressure to get promoted can trigger emotional responses, which may also affect sexual desire and activity.
And feeling supported by managers can not only relieve stress, but also provide support and enhance a sense of control at work.
The findings provide evidence for identifying young men who may be at risk for psychological ED, according to the study authors, through the “integration of psychological stress assessment and hormone testing.”
