This article was written in partnership with Hims.
If Babe were a person and had a male counterpart (husband, bestie, brother)…. it would most likely be Hims. Just like Babe works hard to share the unspoken stories often considered “taboo” surrounding pregnancy, Hims is normalizing conversations for men around issues that have previously gone unspoken – like hair loss, depression, and erectile dysfunction solutions. In tandem with Father’s Day, we teamed up with Hims to shed light on these issues and provide facts (in the totally no-holds-barred voice you know and love from Babe).
The topic of erectile dysfunction has certainly come a long way since the days of Jim’s American Pie ordeal, but there’s still a very real stigma attached to men having any issues when it comes to their sexual prowess. And as we all know too well, most stigmas come from a lack of information. Like, don’t you think Pops would feel a lot better about his supposed “problem” if he knew, say, 52% of men over 40 experience ED at some point in their life.
So some news you (and pops) can use:
It’s not just about “getting it up.” It’s about erection satisfaction.
“Erectile dysfunction is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. As a man, it’s common and perfectly normal to occasionally have difficulty getting or keeping an erection. However, when difficulty getting or maintaining an erection starts to interfere with sex life, it’s generally viewed as erectile dysfunction,” says Dr. Stahl, a Urologist, and SVP of Men’s Sexual Health and Urology at Hims & Hers. ED is really about having a satisfactory sex life, which means: it’s not just about him. ED really manifests in relationships and is something couples experience (and work through) together.
This is common.
If you think you/your significant other’s struggle is unique to them, find comfort in the hard fact that 52% of men over the age of 40 experience ED at some point in their life. In fact, ED affects about 30 million men in the United States alone. “Although erectile dysfunction can potentially affect men of any age, it’s generally more common in middle-aged and older men than younger men,” Dr. Stahl tells us. “40% of men experience ED at the age of 40 and that climbs 10 percent with each additional decade so by the age of 70 it grows to 70%. While age can affect one’s risk of developing ED, as shared above, it is not the only factor to be considered.”
It’s not just older guys.
While the chances of ED get greater as you get older, this isn’t a geriatric syndrome. It’s a total myth that only older people experience ED. It can happen at any age for a variety of reasons including diet, mood disorders, lifestyle, and other health issues.
It’s not just mental, either.
Mental stress can definitely be a contributing factor when it comes to ED, but almost always, ED stems from a combination of factors, both physical and psychological. For example, there can often be a contributing related blood flow issue. “Believe it or not, ED is actually one of the early warning signs of cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Stahl warns, “which is why, if you’re experiencing ED, you should speak with your healthcare provider.”
There are REAL solutions.
Here’s the good news: Over 80% of men with ED see improvement with treatment in the form of medication. And it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Viagra may be the most recognizable medication on the market, but generic, FDA-approved ED meds with the same active ingredient are available online through Hims for 90% cheaper than name-brand Viagra, which means you could get your hands on treatment for as little as $3 per use. Through these affordable, doctor-trusted treatment options, Hims has been able to help hundreds of thousands of men with ED.
