Scientists discovered an unexpected cause of sex problems in young men

Erection problems are commonly associated with age, illness, or psychological difficulties. However, young men also face such disorders, and scientists continue to investigate what might be behind them.

A new study by Chinese scientists, highlighted by Daily Mail, has revealed another factor that can significantly impact men's sexual health.

Researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine studied 826 full-time working men aged 22 to 40.

Scientists evaluated five factors that could contribute to work-related stress: working hours, autonomy in decision-making, support from management, relationships with colleagues, and pressure related to promotion.

Simultaneously, they investigated whether participants had difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection and measured hormone levels.

And here a significant difference emerged. Among men who experienced the most work-related stress, about 54% had some form of erectile dysfunction. In the group with the lowest stress level, only 8%.

One of the main factors turned out to be the duration of the working day. The most stressed group worked an average of 65 hours per week, or about 13 hours per day during a five-day work week. In the group with the least stress, this figure was about 42 hours.

Men who worked the most and experienced the strongest stress were more than ten times more likely to face erectile dysfunction.

Even more indicative was the difference in severe cases. Moderate or severe erectile dysfunction was found in approximately one in five men who experienced the most work-related stress. Among participants with the lowest stress level, it was approximately one in a hundred.

According to the study authors, prolonged work was one of the main factors associated with impaired erectile function. Managerial support, on the contrary, had a protective effect.

The study also revealed a significant difference in hormone levels. In men who experienced the most work-related stress, morning cortisol (the stress hormone) levels were approximately 74% higher, while testosterone levels, on the contrary, were almost 40% lower compared to those with the lowest work-related anxiety.

As experts explain, prolonged stress can keep the body in a state of constant readiness for danger, known as the "fight or flight" mode. It is believed that in such conditions, the body primarily supports functions necessary for survival, while reproductive and sexual functions take a back seat.

Increased levels of cortisol, in turn, can affect the production of testosterone, which is essential for sexual desire.

Moreover, researchers managed to trace the sequence of these changes. Cortisol levels usually rose two to four weeks before testosterone began to fall. And a decrease in testosterone preceded the deterioration of erectile function by four to six weeks.

According to the authors, this may mean that there is a kind of "window" between increased stress and the appearance of sexual disorders, where timely reduction of stress can help prevent the development of problems.

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