Erectile Dysfunction

The study results, published in the June 1, 2007 issue of the peer-reviewed journal CANCER , represent data from the first two years of the study.

Those years, Litwin said, are when most of the negative impacts surface and resolve.

Seed implantation, also known as brachytherapy, has been touted in marketing campaigns as the best of the three options with the shortest recovery time and the fewest sexual dysfunction side effects, Litwin said.

"These campaigns say 'Get your seed implants on Monday, play golf on Tuesday' and that's just not true," said Litwin, a professor of urology and health services.

"Men need to have the most accurate information when making vital decisions about what type to treatment they'll get..

They need facts, not hype." The study found that brachytherapy patients often experience obstructive and irritating urinary symptoms such as frequency of urination and feeling an urgent need to urinate.

They also reported bowel dysfunction such as frequency and urgency, diarrhea and pain with stool.

External beam radiation patients suffered from urinary irritation and bowel dysfunction similar to brachytherapy patients.

Surgery patients more often reported incontinence symptoms such as urine leakage when coughing or sneezing as well loss of sexual dysfunction, although this was mitigated when the surgeon was able to spare the patient's erecti...

- Vascular disease can lead to a narrowing of vessels carrying blood to the penis and other areas.

- Veno-occlusive disease can cause problems keeping the blood within the penis.

- MS, spinal cord injury and Parkinson's disease are all conditions where the nervous system can affect transmission of signals from the brain to the blood vessels in the penis.

- Damage from surgery to the pelvic area such as in prostrate gland surgery.

- Psychological problems such as anxiety and guilt, relationship issues, stress, depression, boredom and sexual orientation.

Medicines: the side effect of some treatments for high blood pressure as well as for heart disease, depression, peptic ulcers and cancer, can cause ED.

Medicines can also affect sexual drive and desire (libido) or even cause problems with ejaculation and orgasm.

So if you have a problem and are on medication, check out whether there are any ED side effects.

Lifestyle: alcohol and drugs commonly affect the ability to get and maintain an erection and in the long term, interfere with the production of the male hormone testosterone.

Nicotine damages the circulation in the body thereby increasing the risk of erection problems.

In addition, smoking constricts the blood vessels and is a major cause of damage to the arteries leading t...