Scientists discover intriguing cause of sex problems in young men – they’re spending too long in the office
Working 13 hour days could increase a man’s risk of intimacy-destroying erectile dysfunction, a study suggests.
Researchers said more than half of men with long working weeks experienced major stress and had difficulty with sexual function.
They also had more than 10 times the odds of developing the condition compared to men who worked eight-hour days – the least stressed group.
Scientists found that levels of testosterone in the highly stressed men were 40 per cent lower than those with the lowest levels of job worry.
It’s believed that spikes in the stress hormone, cortisol, have a knock-on effect on testosterone – the male sex hormone that drives arousal.
Experts have long warned that prolonged stress, which plunges the body into a constant ‘fight or flight’ state, can disrupt the body’s reproductive system.
It’s believed that the body prioritises surviving during this response, meaning sexual function and reproduction become compromised.
Researchers behind the new study looked at 826 full-time working men aged between 22 and 40.
Being stressed at work could significantly increase a man’s risk of erectile dysfunction, a study suggests
They investigated five factors that could contribute to stress at work.
These included working hours, decision-making, support from bosses, relationships with colleagues and pressure to get a promotion.
The scientists, led out of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China, also recorded each man’s ability to achieve or maintain an erection, and measured their hormone levels.
Also known as impotence or ED, the NHS describes erectile dysfunction as ‘very common’.
It’s believed that around one in five British men have the condition, the equivalent of around 4.3 million people.
The condition can vary in its severity, with some men able to achieve an erection but unable to maintain it.
Reporting their findings in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, the researchers found that around 54 per cent of men in the highest-stress group had some form of erectile dysfunction.
By comparison, only around eight per cent of those experiencing the least workplace stress had the condition.
The most stressed men worked an average of 65 hours a week, the scientists said, compared to around 42 hours among those in the lowest-stress group.
Levels of cortisol recorded in the morning for the highly stressed men were about 74 per cent higher than the bottom group, while their testosterone levels were also about 40 per cent lower.
Around one in five of the most stressed men suffered moderate-to-severe erectile dysfunction, compared with around one in 100 men in the least-stressed group.
Longer working hours were a major driver of the condition, however, having a supportive boss appeared to protect against it from happening.
The authors said their findings suggest that ‘physical workload is the primary factor affecting erectile function’.
The researchers also found that rises in cortisol tended to occur two to four weeks before testosterone levels began to fall.
Changes in testosterone then preceded worsening erectile function by a further four to six weeks.
The scientists said this suggests there may be a window to tackle stress to prevent sexual function from deteriorating.
