THE INDEPENDENT (UK) – Spending a lot of leisure time on the computer may be linked to an increased risk of erectile dysfunction in men, research suggests.
A study of more than 200,000 men indicates that for every additional 1.2 hours spent using a computer, the chances of experiencing erectile dysfunction increased by 3.57 times.
The analysis, published in Andrology, also suggests these men showed a stronger genetic tendency for leisure computer use.
Long-term computer use for leisure was found to be associated with lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone in men, which stimulates the production of sperm.
However, the researchers said there was no evidence to suggest that other sitting activities such as watching television or driving for leisure increased the risk of erectile dysfunction.
They said further research is needed to understand the association between computer use and erectile dysfunction risk.
The authors wrote: “Although the specific mechanism of erectile dysfunction caused by computer use has not been clarified in the present study, the damage of sedentary behaviour to erectile function appears to be clear, which needs to attract public attention.
“In other words, physical activity can help to prevent or improve erectile function.”
For the study, scientists from China looked at data from genome-wide association studies, where genes linked to a particular condition or trait, such as risk of sedentary behaviour, are identified.
The cohort involved men aged between 40 and 60 from the UK Biobank …
