Sleep Apnea Linked to ED and Poor Sexual Performance

Sleep apnea is interrupted breathing during sleep, due to obstruction in the throat from loose tissue. Increased neck size is an important risk factor of sleep apnea, so the problem is extremely common in bodybuilders and weight-trained athletes. Telltale signs include snoring, waking often at night to go to the toilet, and daytime drowsiness. Sleep apnea increases the risk of coronary artery disease, heart-related sudden death, and automobile accidents.

German researchers, led by Stephan Budweiser, found that 69 percent of patients with sleep apnea had problems with erections, intercourse satisfaction, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and overall sexual satisfaction. The study examined 401 patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea. The results were independent of other risk factors of poor sexual performance, such as age, obesity, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and prostate disease. Sleep apnea is a serious health problem that can affect even young men. See your doctor if you snore or have poor energy levels during the day. (Journal Sexual Medicine, 6: 3147-3157,2009)