Being open about erection problems could save your life

American docs are suggesting that men as young as 25 should be asked about erectile dysfunction. Why? Because the quality of erections is a good guide to the quality of your heart. ED can be an early sign of heart or blood vessel problems, according to experts writing in this month's Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Dr. Kevin Billups of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis told Reuters Health: 'I really feel that ED is a barometer of a man's overall cardiovascular health. When you have difficulty keeping a firm erection, that's when you really need to go in.' He urges men to tell their doctors as soon as they develop ED problems so doctors can order tests to make sure their heart and blood vessels are healthy.

The problem is that just because erectile dysfunction can now be treated does not mean that the underlying conditions that it can be a symptom of like heart disease have also gone away. They haven't and they won't unless they are treated themselves. In fact, self-prescribing of ED treatments will make these underlying conditions worse and possibly fatal.

The message is clear. Everyone has trouble getting an erection from time to time due to nerves or booze but if you're having more frequent problems, don't pop a pill to help yourself without talking to your doctor first. ED could be the best thing that ever happened to you — an early warning of a potential killer: heart disease.