Obese men with erectile dysfunction may be able to improve their sexual function with exercise and weight loss, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Catherine Esposito, M.D., of Second University of Naples in Italy, and her colleagues studied 110 obese men between the ages of 35 to 55 years who had erectile dysfunction.

Half of the men were randomly assigned to receive detailed advice about how to lose 10 percent or more of their total body weight by cutting calories and increasing exercise. Men in the control group were given general information about healthy food choices and exercise.

After two years, the researchers found that weight and body mass index decreased significantly more in the advice group than in the control group. The average level of physical activity increased from 48 minutes to 195 minutes per week in the advice group, compared to 51 minutes to 84 minutes per week in the control group.

The average erectile function score improved in the advice group from 13.9 to 17, but remained stable in the control group from 13.5 to 13.6. The researchers found that reductions in body mass index and increases in physical activity were independently associated with changes in erectile function scores.

"Our data demonstrate that lifestyle changes, including a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise, improve erectile function in obese men and resulted in about one-third of men with erectile dysfunction regaining sexual function after treatment," concluded the researchers.

The researchers noted that the improvement in erectile function was associated with the amelioration of both endothelial function and markers of systemic vascular inflammation. Interventions focused on health behaviors that can be modified may represent a safe strategy to improve erectile function and reduce cardiovascular risk in obese patients, they noted.

Other sources: JAMA. 2004; 291:2978-2984