The frequent intake of medication impairs the erectile abilities of men, according to a new study. The study was conducted on 81,000 men aged 45 to 69 years. The volunteers were asked a series of questions regarding their health and sexual abilities. Half of the volunteers indicated that they took painkillers regularly, at least five times a week. 64% of them have difficulty getting an erection, and sometimes they don’t even succeed. Less than a third of the volunteers reported moderate to severe erectile dysfunction. Researchers found that regular use of drugs such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen increased the risk of erectile dysfunction by 38% compared to men who did not use NSAIDs . This type of medication blocks the hormones that control erections in men, said study leader Dr. Joseph Gleason. The arteries in the penis are smaller than the others in the body, which makes them more sensitive to blocking factors and subsequent narrowing much more. This prevents the achievement of an erection. Still, because the study didn’t test painkillers directly, the scientists cautioned that men shouldn’t stop using painkillers for fear that doing so will reduce their chances of getting a stable erection.