Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease damage and narrow those blood vessels even more and are amongst the most common causes of erectile dysfunction.

Psychological causes are less common than we thought but more often the cause in younger men. Performance anxiety triggers the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline causes blood to flow TO the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs and brain, and AWAY from less vital structures like the fingers and toes. Our bodies do this to cope with the physical stress of a physical attack or physical challenge, but sexual anxiety also triggers this reflex.