Low Testosterone Raises Death Rates in Impotent Men

Among men with erectile dysfunction, those who also have low testosterone levels face a higher than normal risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a new study has found.

In a second study, the same research team also found a link between obesity and impaired blood flow to the penis, which, in turn, is linked to cardiovascular disease in patients with erectile dysfunction.

In the first study, researchers led by Dr. Giovanni Corona, University of Florence, has examined testosterone levels of 1,687 men who seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. After an average follow up period of 4.3 years, 137 men had heart attacks, or other major heart problem, and 15 had died.

Those with lower levels of testosterone were more likely to die of heart problems, the study's authors found.

"Our work shows that the screening of low testosterone in men with erectile dysfunction may help doctors identify those most risk of cardiovascular events," Corona said in a press release of the European Society of Endocrinology. "However, at this moment we can not tell whether low testosterone levels are the cause or the consequence of this increased risk."

A second study found the same group of men and found a link between obesity clinic, which means a BMI greater than 30, and reduced blood flow to the penis. This reduced blood flow was significantly correlated with a higher incidence of cardiac events, such as heart attacks, in obese men but not in leaner men.