Researchers at University of Texas have postulated a potential link between recreational use of erectile medication drugs (EMD) and decreased erectile function (EF).
The study, which was an online survey, looked at levels of sexual function, levels of confidence in the ability to gain and maintain erection and the frequency of using EMD. In total, 1207 male students with a mean age of 21.9 years from various US Universities took part. Within that sample 2 per cent (24) had been prescribed EDM by a doctor and an additional six per cent (72) had been using EDMs recreationally. The key findings suggested that non-users and recreational users of EMD did not have problems with EF. Not surprisingly, the key finding was that there appeared to be an inverse relationship between recreational use of EMD and confidence.
This implies that there is a possibility that recreational use of EMD led to decreased confidence, which in turn led to continuing to use EMD, which then may have further decreased confidence. Without knowing the initial level of confidence, this is impossible to measure.
Although this study had a substantial sample, the total amount of men who were relevant to the key findings is rather low, thus making it hard to compare the groups. As such, a replication would be beneficial, such replication would have to incorporate the other suggestions that we have made to give any validity to the findings if corroborated by a better structured study. You can read the full report here.