IBD and Erectile Dysfunction – ED Treatment Information Center
Recent studies have found a strong correlation between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) – including ulcerative colitis and Chron’s Disease – and erectile dysfunction.
In a 2019 study, Eugenia Shmidt, MD, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues surveyed 69 men drawn from the Ocean State Crohn’s and Colitis Area Registry. Using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) instrument, 94% were found to have erectile dysfunction.
A 2021 review of research literature using MEDLINE (PubMed), Google Scholar, and ResearchGate databases concluded that:
“SD [Sexual Dysfunction] is a common and little-known problem in patients with IBD. Control of IBD activity does not appear to be sufficient to improve patients’ QoL [Quality of Life].”
“SD in IBD is multifactorial, involving biological and psychosocial factors, and disease-specific factors, such as the duration and activity of the disease, drug use, and surgery. An early investigation of SD in IBD patients through open questions and validated scales will allow a multidisciplinary approach, with the aim of improving the QoL of our patients. Further prospective studies evaluating SD in patients with IBD, as well as studies investigating interventions to improve SD in this population are needed.”
