DR MAXWELL ADEYEMI

The long-term effects and complications of the covid19 virus are gradually being identified but not fully understood or documented. The virus seems to attack many body organs and produces negative side effects which may include blood clots, kidney failures, lung damage, neurological issues, heart complications, mental and psychological stress. New research now says the virus has an effect on men's sexual and reproductive health.

Studies show that covid19 increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by six-fold. Younger men in their forties and fifties are experiencing sexual dysfunction post-covid infections. The way in which the virus causes this problem has been studied and it is found to occur in a number of ways.

Damage to blood vessels

The coronavirus is already known to damage blood vessels in other organs such as the heart and lungs, and the vessels that supply blood to the penis are no exception. Virus particles have been isolated by researchers in penile tissue samples taken from covid19 patients who became impotent following their infection with the virus. Further study also revealed evidence of blood vessel damages in the penises of covid19 patients compared to other patients with erectile dysfunction who had no covid19 infections. The blood vessels of the covid19 patients were found to malfunction and were not able to provide enough blood to enter the penis in sufficient amounts to cause erection.

The mechanism of the male erection is heavily dependent on good blood vessels and efficient blood flow. Covid19 infection is characterised by severe inflammatory and hyper-inflammatory cascades throughout the body, especially in the lungs, heart and surrounding blood vessels. With severe inflammation, blood vessels can be damaged and compromised. The blood supply to the penis can become blocked or narrowed as a result of a new or worsened vascular condition caused by the virus.

The coronavirus also causes endothelial damage (damage to the inner lining of the blood vessels) of those infected consistent with the inflammatory damage seen in the lung, kidney and heart which can predispose to clots in the vessels. With the compromised vascular supply, and reduced blood flow, the volume of blood flow necessary for erection is already affected, and this results in poor erection or erectile dysfunction.

Damage to testicles

There are also concerns that covid19 infection triggers a potential testicular damage. At present it is unclear if this is temporary or permanent, but it portends a serious risk for testicular function and can affect fertility. Testosterone levels, which are crucial for erection, are adversely affected by covid19 owing to damaged testicular cells, and this depleted testosterone level can cause erectile issues, reduced libido and infertility in males.

The covid19 virus also enters cells in the human body with the help of a protein called angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), which is prevalent in the testes. The virus uses the ACE-2 to infect the