The Impact of Illicit Use of Amphetamine on Male Sexual Functions

Data concerning the impact of amphetamine on male sexual functions are limited, although amphetamine has been used as an aphrodisiac.

This cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of illicit use of amphetamine on male sexual functions.

Male illicit drug users in a Drug Abstention and Treatment Center were recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire, and data were compared with age-matched controls.

The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and global assessment questions were used to assess sexual functions.

Of 1,159 amphetamine mono-illicit drug users, the mean age was 31.9 ± 7.5 (18-57) years, and mean duration of drug use was 30.7 ± 52.2 (median 9, range 0.1-252) months. Half of them reported that drug use had no impact on their sexual functions. The other half reported drug impacts as reduced erectile rigidity and sexual life satisfaction, enhanced orgasmic intensity, and prolonged ejaculation latency time more often than the opposite effects, while they reported enhanced or reduced effect equally on sexual desire. Dosing frequency of amphetamine was associated with its impact on sexual functions, but duration of its use had little association with that. Compared with 211 age-matched controls, the amphetamine mono-illicit drug users had lower IIEF scores in the domains of erectile function, orgasmic function, and overall satisfaction, but there are no significant differences in intercourse satisfaction and sexual desire scores. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was significantly higher in the drug users than in the controls (29.3% vs. 11.9%). The odds ratio of ED for amphetamine use was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.2-3.6) after adjustment for other risk factors.

The impact of illicit use of amphetamine on male sexual functions varied among users, and their ED prevalence was higher than the controls.