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Updated: Jun 21, 2025
Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: February 15, 2019
Advances in the study of the relationship between gut microbiota and erectile dysfunction
Quanxin Su1, Qizhen Tang1, Chuanyu Ma1
1Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China.
Introduction:
In recent years, in-depth research has revealed that gut microbiota has an inseparable relationship with erectile dysfunction (ED) in men.
Objectives:
(1) To review the correlation between gut microbiota and ED from the perspective of its impact on men's mental health, metabolism, immunity, and endocrine regulation and (2) to provide reference to further explore the pathogenesis of ED and the improvement of clinical treatment plans.
Methods:
PubMed was used for the literature search to identify publications related to ED and gut microbiota.
Results:
Gut microbiota may induce depression and anxiety through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, leading to the occurrence of psychological ED. It may also cause vascular endothelial dysfunction and androgen metabolism disorder by interfering with lipid metabolism, immunity, and endocrine regulation, leading to the occurrence of organic ED.
Conclusion:
Gut microbiota and its metabolites play an important role in the occurrence and development of ED. As a new influencing factor of ED, gut microbiota disorder is expected to become a target for treatment.
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