Although the incidence of erectile dysfunction among younger men is much smaller than it is among those over 40, it does occur, according to EverydayHealth.com. In fact, the National Institutes of Health estimates that about 5 percent of men between the ages of 20 and 39 suffer from some form of ED.
The younger the man, the greater the likelihood that his ED can be traced to psychological causes, the most common of which are depression and performance anxiety. Depression-related erectile dysfunction can be difficult to treat because some of the medications prescribed to ease the symptoms of depression may make it difficult to get and keep an erection.
While most ED among young men is psychological in origin, other factors that may be causing erectile problems include heavy drinking, drug abuse, and obesity. Some young men may lose their erections while putting on a condom, because that procedure represents a break from stimulation that can wilt some erections.