A new study has discovered that men experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) are more likely to be less productive at work. The findings of the study would indicate that in fact men with ED could actually be twice as likely to have lower output at work in comparison to those colleagues that are not suffering with the condition. Men with ED were also found to be more likely to be off from work and stay at home, work despite being unwell, as well as have a lower quality of life in general in regard to their health. “This study shows that ED remains a prevalent concern, one that impacts work productivity and absenteeism,” commented co-author Dr Wing Yu Tang, a director at pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, who pioneered the study. Erectile dysfunction is the term used when a man struggles to achieve and/or maintain an erection that is firm enough to engage in sexual intercourse. Men of any age can suffer with the condition, although it is more prevalent in men over the age of 40, with around 70% of men believed to be affected at the age of 70. ED can be caused by a wide number of factors, such as anxiety, stress, depression, poor diet, smoking, drug or alcohol abuse, certain medication such as antidepressants, or as a side effect of health problems like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Treatment options for men with ED may vary, but can include counselling, lifestyle improvements such as quitting smoking or losing weight, or medication such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. For the new study, reported in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, the team assessed 52,000 males from eight countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US. The men in the study varied in age, from 40 to 70, and were asked about their work life and their experiences of ED. Almost half the group - 49.7% – stated they had actually been diagnosed with ED, with the highest rate coming from Italy at 54.7%. It was discovered that around a quarter (25%) of men with ED also suffered from poor work productivity, in comparison to only 11% of men without ED. Moreover, those with ED were also more than twice as likely to stay home from work and to work even when sick. The researchers involved in the study also noted that the men suffering with ED had lower measures of health-related quality of life, although no explanation was offered as to what exactly that meant. “Stemming from eight countries, the global coverage of the data also suggests that this issue is pervasive across geographies,” said senior author Tarek Hassan, the regional medical director at Pfizer.