Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and erectile dysfunction: a cross-sectional study from NHANES

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Men's Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Individual antioxidants may not fully represent dietary antioxidant intake.
• The Complex Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) assesses combined dietary antioxidant effects.
• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a significant health concern with potential dietary links.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between CDAI and the incidence of ED.
• To provide insights for dietary guidelines and interventions for ED prevention.
• To evaluate the comprehensive impact of dietary antioxidants on ED risk.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using NHANES data (2001-2004).
• Weighted multivariate logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were employed.
• Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore correlations across different demographics.

Main Results:

• CDAI was negatively correlated with ED risk (OR=0.95, P=0.005) in fully adjusted models.
• Higher CDAI quartiles (Q3, Q4) showed a significant negative association with ED risk.
• PSM confirmed the association between CDAI and reduced ED risk, adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• An association exists between CDAI and a reduced risk of ED in the study cohort.
• Dietary antioxidant patterns, as measured by CDAI, may play a role in ED prevention.
• Further research is warranted to validate and refine these findings for clinical application.