Association between Advanced Glycation End-Products, Carotenoids, and Severe Erectile Dysfunction

To investigate the association between skin advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) levels, blood antioxidative vitamin and carotenoid concentrations, and severe erectile dysfunction (ED) in community-dwelling men.

This cross-sectional study used the 5-Item International Index of Erectile Function to identify 335 community-dwelling men with ED. The accumulation of skin AGEs was assessed noninvasively by measuring skin autofluorescence. Background-adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses using the inverse probability of treatment weighting method were performed to evaluate the effects of AGEs, vitamins, and carotenoids on severe ED. Moreover, multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between skin AGEs levels and serum carotenoid concentrations.

The median age of study participants was 57 years. Of the 335 men, 289 (86.3%) and 46 (13.7%) were classified into the mild/moderate and severe ED groups, respectively. Multivariable analyses revealed that skin AGEs levels, blood vitamins C and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene, total lycopene, and cis-lycopenes concentrations were significantly associated with severe ED, whereas all-trans lycopene concentrations were not. In the multiple linear regression analyses, serum zeaxanthin concentrations were negatively and significantly correlated with skin AGEs levels.

Higher skin AGEs levels and lower blood antioxidative vitamin and carotenoid concentrations were significantly associated with severe ED. Serum zeaxanthin levels were negatively and significantly correlated with skin AGEs levels, suggesting the possible effects of zeaxanthin on ED by decreasing tissue AGEs levels.