Basically unheard of 10 years ago, the metabolic syndrome is now very much on the minds of physicians and patients. Now there's news that men with erectile dysfunction (ED) may be at higher risk for developing this complex of conditions that affects an estimated 47 million Americans. Left untreated, metabolic syndrome can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) defines metabolic syndrome as the presence of any three of the following factors: abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, elevated blood glucose, and high blood pressure. Obesity and high cholesterol are also associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). 

Based on data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS), men with ED were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Fortunately, clinical studies have demonstrated that weight loss and exercise not only reversed metabolic syndrome, but appeared to improve ED, as well.

A growing number of studies appear to support the view that normalizing levels of testosterone in men with diagnosed low testosterone, or hypogonadism, may protect against ED. This news hopefully will encourage men to check their testosterone levels and address factors such as obesity and high cholesterol that place them at higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome.