Erectile dysfunction is at an all time high, with 1 in 25 men searching for ED support and advice over the last 12 months, shows a new study by online pharmacy brand Medicine Direct.

According to the analysis of 93 million Google searches between March 2020 and March 2021, the number of men using the search engine to seek information and treatment for erectile dysfunction has grown by 25% year on year.

The study also shows that searches for ED increased by 10% during lockdowns compared to non-lockdowns periods, suggesting a correlation between lockdown anxieties and sexual health.

Dr Jeff Foster is a private GP in Warwickshire. Speaking of the effect of anxiety on ED, he said:

“When we are anxious or stressed, we release the ‘fight or flight’ hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol and adrenalin can suppress production of the sex hormones oestrogen and testosterone so you will find it more difficult to get and sustain an erection, or even want to have sex.”

He points out that other factors such as a lack of sleep can also play a part in erectile issues.

“Men get an average of 15 erections a night although we don’t know it. This encourages the body to release plenty of testosterone. But to do this, we need at least three to four hours of quality deep sleep per night.”

Hussain Abdeh, superintendent pharmacist at Medicine Direct, led the team behind the study and said:

“If there was a list of topics that men are least likely to openly discuss, anxiety and erectile dysfunction would be right up there.

“Anxiety is one of the biggest causes of erectile dysfunction in the UK. Lockdown has added fuel to the male mental health problem in the UK and has directly resulted in an increase in men seeking treatment and help for erectile dysfunction. Whilst it is encouraging that more men are seeking help for erectile dysfunction instead of suffering in silence, the same is very much needed for men suffering with anxiety and mental health.

“ED is very easily treated with medication, however I firmly believe that if more men would open up about their mental health and seek help for it this would eradicate the main root cause of erectile dysfunction in a lot of men.”

It is estimated that one in eight men in the UK suffers with mental health problems, while The Centre for Mental Health has further predicted 10 million additional people will need mental health support in the coming months.

Medicine Direct is encouraging men to speak more openly about the challenges of mental health and erectile dysfunction with a comprehensive guide to the treatments of ED and the importance of being open about it with loved ones and peers.