Losing extra pounds can improve blood vessel function and help with erectile dysfunction, according to a new Australian study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Losing 5-10% of body weight within two months improved the sex life of participants who suffered from obesity and erectile problems, the scientists explained. The relationship between obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and erectile dysfunction is more than clear. Testosterone deficiency is often found against this background. Being overweight, especially excess fat in the abdominal area, can be the cause of the body’s reduced ability to supply blood to the penis and this can lead to reduced testosterone production. Therefore, the presence of adequate levels of the male sex hormone is necessary to obtain an erection and a good sex life. Blood vessel problems are responsible for a large proportion of erectile dysfunction in obese men over the age of 40. NEWS_MORE_BOX Although the cause is not yet clear, obesity is thought to lead to damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. When it is not functioning properly, the penis does not receive enough blood to produce or maintain an erection. The new study shows that endothelial function improves after participants lose weight. Poor eating habits, consumption of fatty foods and lack of exercise leading to weight gain also contribute to narrowing and hardening of the arteries. The condition is known as atherosclerosis, where cholesterol and other substances build up in the artery wall. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart attacks. If this happens in the larger arteries near the heart, the small blood vessels leading to the penis can be affected just as easily. In fact, atherosclerosis can “hit” small blood vessels first, which may explain why erectile dysfunction is increasingly seen as an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease, the researchers explain.