REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders : Autoimmune Disorders
This article is part of the Research TopicCommunity Series in immune system disorders: From molecular mechanisms to clinical implications, Volume IIView all 5 articles
The Potential Link Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Male Erectile Dysfunction: Mechanistic Insights and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives
Provisionally accepted
- Jilin University, Changchun, China
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This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the link between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and male erectile dysfunction (ED), with a distinct emphasis on underlying mechanisms and novel perspectives. We critically evaluate the evidence and then systematically elucidate the "gut-penis axis" detailing how gut-derived signals orchestrate a systemic inflammatory response that culminates in penile vascular dysfunction. A novel aspect of our work is the integration of psychological factors into a cohesive psychoneuroimmunological framework, linking stress, the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and direct pro-inflammatory neural circuits to ED pathogenesis. Beyond mechanistic insight, we examine the clinical implications of this connection, discussing the potential of anti-inflammatory therapies and the necessity of integrated management strategies that address both intestinal and sexual health. Our work aims to bridge knowledge gaps and stimulate targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for men living with IBD.
Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Erectile Dysfunction, Inflammatory factors, therapy
Received: 09 Sep 2025; Accepted: 03 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Cao, Liang, Lv, Ma, Yang, Yuan and Wei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Bo Yuan
Wei Wei
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