ED an Indicator of Men's Health (HealthDay)

SUNDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Erectile dysfunction couldbe an indicator of testosterone deficiency and the metabolic syndrome, aset of factors that may indicate an increased risk of heart and vasculardisease and type 2 diabetes, a new international study shows.

"Erectile dysfunction is a portal into men's health," the study'ssenior author, Dr. Aksam Yassin, of the Clinic for Urology and Andrologyof the Segeberger Clinics in Norderstedt, Germany, wrote in a preparedstatement.

"It is becoming clear that obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure,cholesterol problems and erectile difficulties are intertwined, and acommon denominator is testosterone deficiency."

The research, conducted by scientists from The Netherlands, Germanyand the United Arab Emirates, was expected to be presented over theweekend at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco.

Yassin recommended that men with erectile dysfunction be evaluated fortestosterone deficiency and any underlying signs of the metabolicsyndrome.

Metabolic syndrome has any three of the followingcharacteristics:

• Increased abdominal fat.
• Low HDL ("good") cholesterol.
• High triglycerides (fats in the blood).
• High blood pressure.
• High blood sugar.

The findings are based on screenings for testosterone deficiency, alsoknown as hypogonadism, and metabolic syndrome done on 771 patients seekingtreatment for erectile dysfunction.

Among the results:

• 18.3 percent of those studied had previously undetected testosteronedeficiency, slighter higher than the 12 percent average for men older than45.
• 35 percent had type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
• 31 percent had high blood pressure.
• 21 percent had dyslipidemia -- abnormal cholesterol ortriglycerides.
• 14 percent had varying degrees of coronary heart disease.

In each group, a small handful of those diagnosed did not know theyhad the condition before the screening, Yassin said.

More information

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