It is known that spending too much time gaming can lead to weight gain and sleep problems.
However, research shows that it can cause problems in the bedroom.
Researchers in China studied more than 200,000 men as they performed “leisure activities” such as watching TV, going for a drive and playing computer games.
The team measured the participants’ sex hormones, as well as feelings of depression and anxiety.
They found that every 1.2 hours spent playing video games or doing other leisure activities on the computer per day led to a three times greater risk of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Spending more time on the computer was linked to a 3.5 times greater risk of men developing erectile dysfunction
The number of men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction has skyrocketed in recent years, amid what some have described as a “silent epidemic,” according to studies tracking filled scripts for the disorder.
And there “was no evidence to suggest that watching television or driving for fun” increased the risk of erectile dysfunction, suggesting the problem isn’t just sentimental.
The study found that computer use was linked to lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in participants’ blood, which stimulates sperm production.
The authors wrote: ‘The current study provided substantial evidence for a positive causal relationship between computer use and the risk of erectile dysfunction.’
‘However, a definitive causal link must be established through further research.’
The researchers did not specify what leisure activities the participants engaged in on the computer, although previous research has found that men who regularly watch pornography are more likely to develop ED because the unrealistic expectations of porn make them uninterested in regular sex.
Northeastern states such as Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have relatively high average ages for ED, which is more common in older men
The researchers looked at 223,805 men aged 40 to 69, most of whom (217,630) were control subjects.
They then measured testosterone and FSH levels, as well as other hormones such as prolactin and luteinizing hormone (LH), and levels of depression and anxiety.
Spending 1.2 hours of free time on the computer was linked to a 3.5-fold increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction.
However, taking a car ride or watching TV did not make participants more likely to develop ED.
The researchers found that the participants had lower levels of FSH, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain that affects the function of a woman’s ovaries or a man’s testicles.
In men, this travels through the bloodstream and binds to receptors in the testes.
Together with testosterone, FSH stimulates and maintains sperm production.
In addition to erectile dysfunction, low FSH levels have been linked to decreased libido, infertility and low energy.
The researchers noted that the study had several limitations, including only evaluating men between the ages of 40 and 69, even though ED is most common in people over 70.
Furthermore, it was not clear how severe the ED was.
‘Therefore, it could only be concluded that the longer the time spent using a computer, the more likely ED would occur, but the risk of developing a specific type of ED or how severe ED would be could not be determined. be determined,” the team said. wrote.
Erectile dysfunction is very common, currently affecting approximately 30 million men in the US – almost twice as many in the early 2000s.
The number of men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction has soared in recent years amid what some have described as a “silent epidemic,” according to studies tracking filled scripts for the disorder.
The rise has been linked to increases in obesity rates, poor mental health and overconsumption of pornography.
Erectile dysfunction is when you can’t get or keep an erection long enough to have sex.
The condition can also lead to a lack of interest in sex.
For many it is a short-term condition caused by factors such as daily stress, alcohol or fatigue, but some may suffer from it for a longer period of time due to physical or emotional problems, or a combination of both.
The research was published in the journal on Wednesday Andrology.