Is there a link between ED and HIV?

There is some evidence indicating erectile dysfunction (ED) may be associated with HIV infection.

A Spanish study reported that men receiving care in a HIV clinic had erectile dysfunction. They quoted past studies that show that the rate of erectile dysfunction is higher than HIV-negative men and concluded that,

“Erectile dysfunction is common in HIV-infected men. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in our study was 53.4%, similar to that obtained in other HIV-positive cohorts.”

However, the relationship between ED and other aspects of HIV infection has not been examined comprehensively and so the following are only theories.

One overarching theory that explains how HIV causes ED drills down to how HIV affects the general health of the person living with HIV, hence causing erectile dysfunction.