The number of men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction has soared in recent years amid what some have described as a ‘silent epidemic’.
Viagra – the ‘little blue pill’ – is normally associated with old people but the most recent figures suggest an estimated 30 million American men now live with erectile dysfunction – nearly twice as many in the early 2000s.
Around a quarter of under-40s are though to struggle to get it up in bed, which has been linked to a rise in obesity rates, poor mental health, and an overconsumption of pornography.
Dr Helen Bernie, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Medicine at Indiana University said: ‘What you see from that top 10 list, those are your more progressive states, right? New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Nevada.
‘Those are typically more progressive states where they have better reproductive rights so you would assume that maybe people talk about sex a little bit more, maybe it’s a little bit more ok to prescribe these medicines.’
