Netflix and chill? No problem. Prefer a downtown bar crawl? No problem. No matter what the night holds, you can be sure you’ll be able to enjoy sex with your partner if the occasion arises. Believe it or not, even if everything is working fine there may still be a few issues lurking just beneath the surface that will lead to early signs of erectile dysfunction later.
 
You can be doing fine sexually, (Read The Signs You Are Good In Bed) without a care in the world and still have hidden issues that will cause erectile dysfunction later in life. Erectile dysfunction doesn’t just happen all of a sudden, either. In most cases where there is a physical cause for erectile dysfunction, as opposed to a mental cause, there are a few telling signs that can let you know there may be trouble on the horizon. Some experts say that erectile dysfunction can be seen as the ‘check engine’ light of the body. Erectile dysfunction may be a sign something else is wrong. This just goes to show you, no penis problem should go unchecked.
 
Here are the five most unsuspecting signs that can be a harbinger of future erectile dysfunction – and what you can do about it.
 

Early Warning Signs Of Erectile Dysfunction #1: Morning Wood is Scarce

If you have been waking up less and less often with a morning hard-on, it could be a sign you need to pay attention to. Early morning erections are not necessarily because of sexual arousal. More often, it is because the brain does not release as much noradrenaline, the hormone that restricts erection until sexual arousal, while you are asleep. Having a morning erection that you can set your clock to is a sign of good health. It shows that the blood vessels in the penis are working and healthy. Fewer mornings with an erection could mean that the blood vessels are not up to par. Something could be wrong that is making it hard for blood flow to make an erect penis. That same problem will cause erectile dysfunction later when you want to get hard. There is no specific number of morning erections to shoot for. Any deviation from normal that is significant enough for you to notice is enough to ask a doctor about.
 

Early Warning Signs #2: Decreased Libido

If you notice that your sex drive is lower and you just don’t think about sex as much as you used to, it could be a sign erectile dysfunction is approaching. If none of the stuff that usually turns you on is doing the trick, you may be low on testosterone. Without enough testosterone, you have no sex drive. It is the main hormone responsible for your desire to have sex. If your testosterone levels plummet suddenly for no apparent reason, it is a good enough reason to see a doctor. Especially if it persists longer than a few days. Aside from not thinking much about sex, there are some other signs that your testosterone is low. Moodiness and fatigue can be signs of a drop in testosterone too. Also, if you notice you aren’t able to build muscle like you used to or even begin to see a gut developing, you should go have your testosterone levels checked.
 

Early Warning Signs Of Erectile Dysfunction #3: Increase in Annual Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Level

Higher than average blood pressure or cholesterol levels can be a sign that your erection is facing troubling time. One higher reading doesn’t really mean anything. There should be no cause for alarm until you have received three or so. Your doctor will be keeping an eye on these levels and advise accordingly. High blood pressure and high cholesterol together can damage your blood vessels. They lose elasticity which makes it harder to expand as blood flows through. Without proper expansion, enough blood cannot flow into the penis for an erection.
 

 

Early Warning Signs #4: New Medicines

The medicinal criminals when it comes to erectile dysfunction are high blood pressure medications and antidepressants. Prozac and Paxil are SSRI antidepressants. Effexa and Cymbalta are SNRI antidepressants. Both types make it difficult for the brain to get the hormones and chemical signals it needs to feel turned on. When the brain isn’t getting the message, you can’t get an erection. Blood pressure medications work to keep your blood pressure low for good health. You may be healthy but have a nonexistent sex life. Low blood pressure means slow blood flow throughout the body, including the penis.
 

Early Warning Signs Of Erectile Dysfunction #5: Sore and Bleeding Gums

Strange as it sounds, gum disease can be a sign of future erectile dysfunction. It isn’t a direct cause, but it can cause an indirect chain of events that can be problematic for your package. Gingivitis or gum disease is an infection that can spread through the rest of your body. This includes a weakening of the blood vessels, which we know is a death sentence for an erection.
 
Take note of these five early signs that could mean erectile dysfunction is in your future. Getting in to see a doctor as soon as you notice the signs is the best form of defense.