Although erectile dysfunction is more common among older men, it is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Rather, the older you get the more likely you are to have damaged your health in ways that can lead to impotence. Erectile dysfunction can arise from a variety of different causes, but the one most widely observed is insufficient blood flow to the penis.
Compromised blood flow itself has a number of causes and contributing factors, including atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque on the inner walls of arteries; poorly managed diabetes, which damages blood vessels and nerves; and smoking. If your lifestyle invites some of these ills, you can help to head off the onset of impotence by changing your behavior.
Another cause of ED said to account for 10 to 20 percent of all cases, is depression and related mental and emotional ills. To overcome these psychological problems, you will probably need to enlist the aid of a psychiatrist or mental counselor.
Lastly, some men suffer a congenital or traumatic injury to the genitals, which makes it difficult or even impossible to get an erection. The only way to correct such problems is through surgical intervention.