ph4nt0mf1ng3rs

I was researching Erectile dysfunction....at first I was looking at nutrition and stuff. And then it hit me. I RIDE A BIKE!

what do you guys know about cyclists and possibilities of ED? Anyone had issues with it? Reversible if you do have ED?

Discuss please!

chasm54

I believe there are cases where damage to the nerves and blood vessels supplying the penis have caused ED in cyclists. Typically these result from poor fit, especially unsuitable saddles, so that too much of the rider's weight is borne by soft tissue instead of their sit-bones. Such individuals often experience penile numbness after long rides, a sure sign that something is wrong and needs addressing. You'll know if this applies to you.

If you're worried about this I'd suggest you consult a urologist. He/she will soon tell you if there's a physical problem.

ThermionicScott 

Millions of males ride bicycles. There is a high correlation between being male and developing erectile dysfunction.

Therefore, you're doomed.

redtires

I've been riding for over 25 years...including many years of ultra-marathon....believe me, I've NEVER had a problem. Make sure you've got a good, very well fitting saddle and a PROPER bike fit, as chasm54 pointed out.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yup. If one notices penile numbness while or after riding, one has a good chance of developing ED unless one takes corrective action. It doesn't take a very long ride if one has the wrong saddle or just a tiny bit the wrong tilt. Some people complain of it after 15 minutes on a trainer. Trainer or rollers can be bad as many people don't get out of the saddle periodically like they do on the road. And it's additive. Every time that happens, it moves one a little down the road toward ED.

But yes, epidemiological and research supports the finding the biking can cause ED. Fortunately, it doesn't have to cause ED, and many people have no problem no matter what their saddle or position. But everyone needs to be made aware of the possibility. BTW this is not only a male problem. It may or may not be a little more subtle with females, but it's definitely also a problem with them.

OTOH, biking improves circulation generally and ED is a circulation problem. So in the long run, a long as you don't get numb, you have a much better chance of not developing ED than the average man.

LAE

I had the numbness thing a while back before I change my seat and got used to shifting around. Mrs loved it when i was semi-numb....did I? Not so much. Last thing I want to do after a long ride is put in that kinda shift!

Tbh it scared the s**t outta me the first time it happened.

C_Heath

how old are you? I been riding 8 years and my stuff does not goto sleep anymore but at almost 40, Ill will admit that things are not like they use to be if you catch what Im throwin.

hehe.

Myosmith

Properly fitted bike with a saddle that works well for the individual, combined with proper riding position, should eliminate any significant risk. Riding a poorly fitted bike, with an ill fitting saddle, squirming around trying to find comfort as your parts go numb is probably asking for problems. As mentioned above, there are many thousands of males who have ridden for decades without any problem. Personally, if anything, the increased fitness has been an asset.

rumrunn6

increased muscle mass increasses testosterone production. just thought I'd share that.

ph4nt0mf1ng3rs

ahh ok. Well at present, im 21.75 years old. Haha. Haven't been fitted....like most urban young people I didn't really get fitted. However, I have never noticed any pain or numbness significantly. The only kind of pain I remember, was sometimes close to the joint of my leg and my pelvis....or something. But I did start eating right and I noticed things changing...sorry its awkward to talk about it explicitly.

In any case, yeah i dont believe anything is seriously wrong as of yet. Thanks for help.

christ0ph

Try supplementing with acetyl-l-carnitine, nitrogen donors (the amino acids arginine and citrulline) and also histidine (histidine clearly has some kind of involvement with orgasm)

You *will* notice a difference!

Spoonrobot 

It can be caused by a number of things, but most often it's due to sitting on the soft tissues and not on the sit bones.

Sit on a hard flat surface that allows your knees bent at 90 degree, arch your back and lean forward a little. You should be pretty well sitting on your sit bones. Take note of where the pressure is and what it feels like. Note that it is only on the bones and butt, not on the soft tissues between your legs and butt cheeks.

You can measure your sit bones at home by placing one wet paper towel under several dry paper towels and sitting on it, then measure the center to center distance. Or you can sit on a bag of flour, and measure the same. Or styrofoam.

Once you know your sit bone width, try a saddle that is suitable for that width preferably 10+mm wider than your bone width. Practice sitting on it properly (perched on your sit bones, it's not a chair, it's a saddle). Some people need flat saddles, some need rounded saddles, but everyone needs to get a saddle wide enough to support their sit bones.

Also, check your saddle height and fore-aft position. Too high a saddle can cause you to rock side-to-side on your soft tissues, causing problems.

Here are some links to read:

https://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html (Scroll down to Impotency/Prostate Issues)

https://www.specialized.com/specs/spe...eometrysaddles

Once you get properly saddled onto your sit bones the problem will generally resolve itself within a few days to a few weeks.

vic303

Or you could get a recumbent...

jeff@work

One thing i'd like to note is you don't necessarily have to experience numbness to wind up with ED.

I had it happen to me after purchasing a new bike with a seat that i didn't really like... while the seat was a little uncomfortable it didn't cause pain or numbness but it did cause me to experience ED!

That scared the crap out of me and I stopped riding for a few weeks, thankfully everything went back to normal. I purchased a new saddle before getting back on the bike and everything has been fine since then.

vesteroid

I'll throw in one more thing to consider. When I started training, I was way out of shape. I was training very hard (perceived exertion) and dieting seriously, and that surely put a damper on things.

When I did a bit of research on the subject, I saw I wasn't alone. I took longer rest, and increased my carb consumption and after 2 weeks I was back to normal.

Don't think it's relative to what shape you are currently in, but if you recently significantly increased your training load and perhaps are not refueling properly, you may want to consider the possibility

david58

Geeze! At 21 years old it took self control to keep it DOWN!

Reynolds 

I can only speak for me, a couple of times I had numbness, once it lasted for 2-3 hrs, which scared me - but it didn't leave any damage. But with some corrections to saddle position I can ride for hours now without numbness. If ocasionally I start to feel some hint of numbness, just stand on the pedals for 20-30 secs and it's gone.

dozen_bullets

It can be caused by a number of things, but most often it's due to sitting on the soft tissues and not on the sit bones.

Sit on a hard flat surface that allows your knees bent at 90 degree, arch your back and lean forward a little. You should be pretty well sitting on your sit bones. Take note of where the pressure is and what it feels like. Note that it is only on the bones and butt, not on the soft tissues between your legs and butt cheeks.

You can measure your sit bones at home by placing one wet paper towel under several dry paper towels and sitting on it, then measure the center to center distance. Or you can sit on a bag of flour, and measure the same. Or styrofoam.

Once you know your sit bone width, try a saddle that is suitable for that width preferably 10+mm wider than your bone width. Practice sitting on it properly (perched on your sit bones, it's not a chair, it's a saddle). Some people need flat saddles, some need rounded saddles, but everyone needs to get a saddle wide enough to support their sit bones.

Also, check your saddle height and fore-aft position. Too high a saddle can cause you to rock side-to-side on your soft tissues, causing problems.

Here are some links to read:

https://eddrugs2017.com/ - Erectile dysfunction treatment: Viagra or natural pills?
https://www.specialized.com/specs/spe...eometrysaddles

Once you get properly saddled onto your sit bones the problem will generally resolve itself within a few days to a few weeks.

zacster

I've had numbness from time to time, but it wasn't until I was older, like over 60, that I had any real problem. When I was younger my girlfriend at the time just knew it wasn't going to work after one of my ultra long rides. And frankly, I wasn't usually in the mood after being in the saddle for 6+ hours. The next day though... SPROIINGG. It is only at the age where a lot of men have issues when I had mine. And yes, the little blue pills work. You feel like a teenager with a constant hard on. But even now, after a 6+ hour ride, just never mind. I don't even want the pill.