It happens when you can’t get or keep an erection during sex with studies and research finding the likes of stress or past trauma and physical problems contributing towards the medical condition.
Intertwined with that is ‘summer penis’ – a simple biological reaction to the heat as blood vessels expand instinctively to help cool us down.
What is ‘summer penis’?
Medical experts have explained how as temperatures across many countries soar in the coming weeks, time spent in the bedroom may be less intimate than usual.
Doctor Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, told The Daily Mail that warm weather can pose ‘many health conditions’ and ‘exacerbate symptoms’ like erectile dysfunction (ED).
While ‘summer penis’ is not an official term, there are symptoms you can look out for.
GP Dr Chun Tang, from private healthcare clinic Pall Mall Medical explained that the penis can look larger, especially when flaccid.
And the presence of a ‘summer penis’ can also worsen ED symptoms for those who suffer.
Causes of ‘summer penis’
Some men are more likely to experience ED on hot days due to dehydration as your body uses ‘more water for homeostatic processes like sweating on hot days’, ED Clinics explains.
Increased blood pressure can also come about as a result of dehydration, which can make erections more difficult.
Basically, blood needs to be flowing within the body to the penis for an erection to happen, while narrowed blood vessels, also a symptom of dehydration, means the body is less likely to push this blood through.
Dr Grant spoke further to the Daily Mail about how ED symptoms can worsen throughout the summer months, including that of how fatigue and tiredness can also cause issues.
“The warmer weather forces our bodies to work harder to maintain a safe internal temperature, which can often trigger fatigue,” the medical expert went on.
“Poor sleep can have a direct impact on hormone production, limiting the amount of testosterone produced, which, in turn, worsens ED symptoms and makes achieving an erection more difficult.”