Erectile Dysfunction
Last reviewed October 2026 · Based on 3 studies
Bottom line
Regular aerobic exercise improves erectile function, most in men with severe ED, but the average gain is modest and medicines remain the standard treatment.
What it helps with
- Improves erectile function — Benefit, evidence grade B (Moderate). Meta-analysis of 11 randomised trials in a consistent direction; downgraded once for risk of bias (no blinding) and diverse populations with added diet advice.
What it is
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is difficulty getting and keeping an erection firm enough for satisfactory sex. It is common: 18% to 52% of men in the general population and 43% to 76% of men with other medical conditions [1]. Many lifestyle-related conditions raise the risk [1].
What the research says
A 2023 meta-analysis of 11 randomised trials found aerobic exercise raised erectile function scores by 2.8 points on a 6 to 30 scale versus no exercise, with larger gains in men with worse starting scores (4.9 points for severe ED, 3.3 moderate, 2.3 mild) [2]. An expert commentary counts 1,147 men across the trials and notes that the average gain fell below thresholds suggested for clinical significance [1]. An earlier review of 7 trials (478 men) of aerobic, pelvic floor or combined programmes also found better scores with exercise [3]. The commentary suggests exercise may be more useful for preventing ED, on preliminary evidence [1].
Doses used in studies
Most programmes were 30 to 60 minute aerobic sessions, 3 to 5 times a week, for a median of 6 months, often with diet and weight-loss advice [1].
Safety and interactions
The review authors call regular aerobic exercise a low-risk non-drug therapy [2]. The abstracts we read give no data on side effects, medicine interactions or pregnancy, and we did not find any. PDE5 inhibitor drugs remain the gold-standard treatment [1]. ED is common in men with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease, so a doctor should look for underlying causes [1].
Caveats and open questions
Participants could not be blinded to exercise, the trials included diverse groups of men, and diet advice was often given alongside exercise [1][2]. Heterogeneity between trials was moderate [2]. Exercise has not been compared head to head with ED medicines in these trials [1].
References
- Aerobic Exercise: Randomized Controlled Trial Data Suggest Qualified Benefits for Erectile Dysfunction.. J Clin Psychiatry, 2024.
- Effect of aerobic exercise on erectile function: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. J Sex Med, 2023.
- Physical activity and exercise for erectile dysfunction: systematic review and meta-analysis.. Br J Sports Med, 2017.