Can Bicycle Riding Cause Erectile Dysfunction? – Introduction
Cycling is a way of movement and transportation that millions of people all over the world love to practice. It is a relatively non-impact physical movement that provides numerous health benefits like heart health and muscle strength. Yet in the recent past, some have started to wonder if riding a bike leads to erectile dysfunction. This has put a number of cyclists at odds, and the question is now a hotly contested topic among researchers and other medical professionals. In this post, we will try to weigh all the proofs and ask one of the toughest questions ever asked: Does riding a bicycle cause erectile dysfunction?
Can Bicycle Riding Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
For starters, it’s crucial to know what erectile dysfunction is and how it’s diagnosed. Erectile dysfunction occurs when a man cannot produce or sustain an erection sufficient to have sex. It can be physical or mental in origin, and it afflicts 30 million men in the US alone. ED is diagnosed when a man has persistent or recurring problems with erecting or maintaining an erection over a minimum of three months.
Bicycle Riding and Its Effect on the Vascular System:
Sitting too long, especially on short bicycle seats, can flatten the perineum, including the pudendal artery and nerves. The pudendal artery supplies the penis with blood, and a disruption to blood flow may lead to ED. Several studies have looked at how cycling improves the cardiovascular system, but with mixed findings.
In a 2006 article in the Journal of Urology, recreational cyclists had significantly lower bulbocavernosus artery flow than did non-cyclists, suggesting that chronic bicycle use could damage penile circulation. Yet another study in the same journal (2014) found no significant difference in penile hemodynamics between cyclists and non-cyclists, raising doubts about a causal connection between bicycle use and ED.
A second study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine reported that cyclists who described numbness in the perineum were more likely to experience ED than those who did not report numbness. The authors reasoned that over-use of the perineum during cycling can damage nerves and exacerbate ED.
These studies do not demonstrate causality, though they do provide evidence that riding bicycles may contribute to erectile dysfunction. Perhaps it is other factors, including pre-existing health issues, lifestyle and psychological issues, that cause ED in cyclists.
Not all studies have shown a significant connection between bicycling and ED, either. One study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research reported no significant differences in the incidence of ED among cyclists and non-cyclists. They reasoned that the relationship between cycling and ED was likely multifaceted and heterogeneous.
Despite these discordant findings, some doctors advise being aware of ways to minimize your chances of contracting ED while riding. This can mean using a wider, more padded seat, padded shorts, and frequent breaks to reduce stress on the perineum.
Risk Factors and Moderating Factors:
1. Risk Factors
The chief risk factor linking cycling to ED is the stress on the perineum, a scrotal skin fold between the scrotum and the anus that harbours the pudendal artery and nerves. Theoretically, it slows the blood vessels and can damage the nerves, which results in ED.
2. Moderating Factors:
Several variables have been found to be potential moderators of the link between cycling and ED.
a. Saddle shape: “In a 2006 paper in the International Journal of Impotence Research, the pressure on the pudendal artery was greatly relieved when riding a cut-out saddle or noseless saddle. This suggests decisively that saddle design plays a major role in reducing the incidence of ED. The noseless cutout alleviates pressure in the perineum, absorbing pressure into the sit bones.
b. Saddle Nose Width: Equal to the shape of the saddle nose is the width of it. A wider saddle nose relieves pressure on the pudendal artery and nerves, thus reducing the incidence of ED.
c. Handlebar Height: The handlebar height is related in some way to the riding position and pressure at the perineum. The taller, the more upright the rider’s position will be, thus reducing the pressure on the perineum and reducing the risk of ED.
d. Posture While Riding: In the wake of all this, a 2012 Journal of Sexual Medicine study had shown that genital numbness and ED was more common in riders who kept their head to the side while riding. This finding could mean that the higher the riding height, the lower the ED risk.
e. Bike time: The same study cited above, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2012, further stated that riders who cycled more than three hours a week were also more likely to report genital numbness and ED symptoms, suggesting a dose-dependent relationship between how much they biked and whether they developed ED.
Conclusion: Can Bicycle Riding Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
There isn’t clear evidence, based on available research, that riding a bicycle is linked to ED, but cyclists should be mindful of these risks and ensure that they take steps to keep the pressure off the perineum as little as possible. Using a cut-out or noseless saddle, being in the correct riding position, and taking breaks frequently on long rides will help mitigate ED and other health risks.
More research is needed to establish the link between cycling and ED, particularly large-scale long-term studies and randomised controlled trials. Understanding how things work in general and who’s at risk will allow for safe, effective recommendations and actions to be taken by cyclists to make biking safe and enjoyable for all.
