Watching porn leaves men unable to perform in the bedroom, new research suggests

One of Britain’s leading experts in sexual problems calls for an investigation into Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction which is increasingly affecting young men

Watching pornography is causing men to be unable to perform in the bedroom, new research suggests.

One of the UK’s leading surgeons specializing in male infertility has insisted that Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction (PIED) is “real” and particularly affecting young men.

Dr Oliver Kayes warns that those exposed to excessive graphic sexual content online from a young age are being desensitised. It comes as the UK's first peer-reviewed pilot study on treating porn and sex addiction has looked at those who excessively masturbate watching online content. Half said it affected their ability to maintain a relationship, 60% reported increased conflict and 47% experienced sexual difficulties with their partner.

Dr Kayes, who was not involved in the study, is a consultant urologist and senior lecturer at Leeds University specialising in male infertility, prostate disease and male sexual dysfunction. He told the Mirror: “It’s real. Recent studies suggest that excessive pornography consumption might contribute to erectile dysfunction in some men, particularly younger individuals. Published research has highlighted a potential link between high-frequency pornography use and difficulties in achieving arousal with a partner, possibly due to desensitization or unrealistic expectations. While the data remain inconclusive, reports of porn-induced erectile dysfunction (PIED) are increasing, particularly among men under 40.

“As a urologist specializing in men’s health and andrology, I believe it’s crucial to investigate whether this is a growing trend and to understand the potential psychological and physiological factors involved.”

The new study recruited 68 participants who self-identified as struggling with Compulsive Sexual Behavioural Disorder (CSBD) commonly referred to as porn and sex addiction. Some 56% of participants said they felt depressed “most or all of the time” due to their addiction.

It comes after the 2023 International Sex Survey involving over 80,000 participants from 42 countries found that 4.7% of Brits, and 4.8% of the global population, are at high risk of developing CSBD.

Study lead Dr Paula Hall, a psychotherapist with 20 years’ experience, said: “Porn and sex addiction have frequently faced criticism for the limited research on treatment effectiveness and an over-focus on behaviour modification rather than emotional wellbeing. This study examined the impact of Pivotal Recovery, an online, self-guided treatment programme, designed to address these concerns by reducing common barriers to seeking help, such as stigma, shame, accessibility and cost.”

The new study examined the effectiveness of Pivotal Recovery which is an online health treatment programme designed to assist individuals with CSBD. It consists of 60 self-guided podcasts designed to help individuals overcome porn addiction, sex addiction, and compulsive sexual behaviours.

A separate study by The Independent Pharmacy analysed over 900 posts on the social media website Reddit. Some 46% of the posts from people aged under 30 specifically discussed how pornography was affecting their genital function.

Dr Donald Grant, a GP and clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, said: “Looking at Reddit discussions, it’s clear that young men are increasingly concerned about porn-induced erectile dysfunction. Nearly half of the posts in the r/ErectileDysfunction subreddit mention pornography, with over 55% of them coming from men aged 18 to 25. This shows how many are turning to online forums for support, highlighting a serious gap in professional advice.

“We also conducted a survey of UK males to better understand their attitudes toward PIED, and the results were telling. A huge 88% of 18 to 24-year-olds see PIED as a serious health issue with 63% blaming excessive porn consumption as a major cause.”

NHS prescriptions for erection-boosting medications have risen to a record level in England. Official data shows 4.57 million prescriptions for Viagra and other types of impotency drugs sold under the brand names Cialis and Levitra were prescribed in 2023. This is an increase of 130,000 prescriptions compared to the previous year from 4.44 million.