There’s a saying about the internet: It’s 5% normal, and 95% porn. While it used to be that a man would need to physically drive to a store to acquire pornography, in this day in age, it’s readily available at your fingertips. And while viewing porn every once in a while isn’t a cause for concern, there are some men that find it difficult to stay away from these triple X websites. For these men, viewing porn can be a daily occurrence, and can sometimes even begin to affect their daily lives and relationships. But what exactly does regular porn viewing do to the body? Can it actually lead to the development of erectile dysfunction?
Well, yes and no. To clarify, the actual act of looking at pornography has not been found to cause erectile dysfunction in any way, shape, or form. A man can look at all the dirty pictures he wants, and his erection should be just fine. But the same cannot be said if a man opts to enjoy himself every time he views pornography. If a man views porn daily and masturbates every time, it could lead to erectile issues.
The erection is dependent upon brain signals to function properly. These signals cue the penis when it is time to get to work, and they also alert the body when it is time to reach orgasm. But too much masturbation can actually throw these signals into flux. By regularly exposing your body to pleasure tailored to be delivered quickly via masturbation, the brain interprets these new signals and changes accordingly, making sexual pleasure a race for orgasm, instead of the long-lasting, partner-friendly activity sex should be.
So, by masturbating too often, the brain can cause your erection to struggle to last longer in bed, the stress and anxiety of which can lead to full-blown erectile dysfunction developing.
Thus, viewing porn by itself does not cause ED, but masturbating to that porn regularly can lead to complications. Like all things in life, enjoy porn and masturbation in moderation, and your erection should be just fine.