Can aspirin help erectile dysfunction? It is not a treatment for it. Two small trials, 214 men in all, found that a daily dose improved erection scores more than a placebo did, and the review that pooled them said more studies are needed. Aspirin is not one of the medicines used for erection problems, it does not work like Viagra, and taking it every day has risks of its own — so it is not something to start for this on your own.
What did the aspirin trials find?
A benefit, in two particular groups of men. In the larger trial, 184 men aged 18 to 76 with erection problems caused by their blood vessels, and a high reading on a platelet blood test, took 100 mg of aspirin or a placebo daily for 6 weeks; the aspirin group's erection scores improved significantly more (Bayraktar & Albayrak, 2018). In the smaller one, 32 men with bipolar disorder whose sexual problems were linked to lithium took 240 mg of aspirin a day or a placebo for 6 weeks; of the 30 who finished, 12 of 15 on aspirin and 3 of 15 on placebo improved by a clinically meaningful amount, and side effects were about as frequent in both groups (Saroukhani et al., 2013).
A 2020 review searched for every trial comparing aspirin with a placebo in men with this kind of erectile dysfunction. Of 58 it retrieved, only these two qualified; one showed a high risk of bias, and the doses differed. The reviewers found a significant improvement but wrote that "additional studies are needed" (Irfan et al., 2020).
Why would aspirin affect erections at all?
Aspirin is an antiplatelet medicine: it stops platelets, small blood cells, from sticking together and making a clot (healthdirect — Blood thinners). One physical cause of erectile dysfunction is reduced flow of blood to the penis from clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) (healthdirect — Erectile dysfunction). The larger trial tested aspirin in men with that kind of problem and a high platelet measure.
Does aspirin work like Viagra — or make it work better?
No. Viagra relaxes the blood vessels in the penis when you are sexually excited, and is taken about an hour before sex (Viagra CMI); in the trials aspirin was taken every day for weeks. Neither trial tested aspirin together with Viagra, and nothing in the Viagra label says aspirin makes it work better. Taking the two together is a separate question: sildenafil did not add to aspirin's effect on bleeding — see can aspirin be taken with Viagra? Men who take Viagra with other blood thinners, such as warfarin, have more to check.
How much aspirin should you take for erectile dysfunction?
None: there is no recommended dose for erection problems; 100 mg and 240 mg a day were trial doses. A low-dose product such as Cardio Aspirin is for people with known heart or blood-vessel disease, to help prevent a heart attack, unstable angina or stroke (healthdirect — Cardio Aspirin). Aspirin can be bought over the counter in Australia, but healthdirect's advice is to check with your doctor what dose to take (healthdirect — Blood thinners). Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory (NSAID); "more serious but less common side effects include stomach bleeding and kidney problems", and it should not be taken with a stomach or gut ulcer or bleeding, or with a kidney or liver condition (healthdirect — Anti-inflammatory medicines).
Can daily aspirin cause erection problems?
It is not known to. One large study followed 80,966 men aged 45 to 69 in California and found that regular use of anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) was linked with erectile dysfunction even after allowing for age, smoking, diabetes and heart disease; the abstract does not separate aspirin from the others, and a link in a study of this kind does not show that the tablets caused it (Gleason et al., 2011). The conditions behind daily aspirin matter more: erection problems are often the first sign of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol (healthdirect — Erectile dysfunction). If you take aspirin for your heart, don't stop it without talking to your doctor first (healthdirect — Blood thinners). More in can ibuprofen cause or help erectile dysfunction? and can blood thinners cause erectile dysfunction?
What does help erectile dysfunction?
A doctor first treats any condition causing it, and may suggest a healthy diet and regular exercise; stopping smoking, losing weight and exercising more can prevent some causes (healthdirect — Erectile dysfunction). The medicines used are sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil and avanafil, all on prescription, with injections, vacuum devices and counselling when tablets don't suit (healthdirect — ED medicines). The options are set out in our guide to managing erectile dysfunction.
The short answer
Aspirin is not an erectile dysfunction treatment. Two small trials found a benefit in particular groups of men and the review that pooled them asked for more studies; daily aspirin brings a risk of stomach bleeding. See your GP about the erection problem — it can be the first sign of a heart or blood-vessel condition. Taking aspirin with Viagra or Cialis, and every other combination, is covered in our guide to taking Viagra or Cialis with other medicines.
