Do Statins Cause ED? What the Evidence and Labels Say

Do statins cause ED? The short answer

The practical answer is to investigate the timing without assuming the statin caused it. The 2018 pooled analysis found no increase in new ED among men with cardiovascular disease or risk factors; newer studies raise questions but do not tell you whether your prescription caused your symptoms. ED is not listed in the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label or CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label.

The open question is atorvastatin and simvastatin. A 2025 US survey analysis, a 2024 adverse-event-report study and a 2026 genetic study all report a link, mainly for these lipophilic statins (see the table below). These designs cannot prove that a statin caused one person’s ED, and neither the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label nor the CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label lists ED.

The condition may matter more than the pill. NIDDK lists heart and blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis among causes of ED, and its list of medicines that can cause ED does not include statins. Men who take statins often have the vascular risks that also affect erections. See causes of ED and ED and blood pressure.

What the evidence says: statins and erectile function

Results point in different directions because the studies ask different questions. Trials measure erectile scores over months or years; surveys, adverse-event reports and genetic studies look for associations. IIEF is the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire; higher scores mean better function.

Sources: PubMed records 29146233, 29275880, 24684744, 24142756, 41261700, 42389231; sildenafil prescribing context: Viagra (sildenafil) label. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.

Drug-label context for the studies: LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label; CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.

How to read it: new-onset ED, changes in an erection questionnaire and genetic associations are different outcomes. The reassuring pooled result does not exclude an individual reaction; a survey association does not establish that the medicine caused ED. Our interpretation: bring the timeline to a clinician rather than treating any single row as a verdict.

Can atorvastatin (Lipitor) cause ED? And rosuvastatin (Crestor)?

Atorvastatin is where the research signals cluster. In a 6-month comparison, erectile scores fell with atorvastatin but not with rosuvastatin (Nurkalem et al.), and the 2026 genetic study linked atorvastatin and simvastatin, not rosuvastatin, to ED. Yet the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label does not list ED or impotence among its adverse reactions or post-approval reports.

Rosuvastatin has the strongest neutral trial. In HOPE-3, more than 2,000 men randomized to rosuvastatin or placebo had no statistically significant difference in erectile-function change after a mean 5.8 years (Joseph et al.). The CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label does not list ED.

These studies do not establish which statin is best for your erections. Ask your prescriber to review your symptom timeline alongside the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label or CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label; do not stop, switch or change the dose on your own.

Label check: what the FDA labels say about ED and statins

We searched the full current DailyMed text of each label for “erectile”, “impotence” and statin names. Absence from a label means it is not listed, not that it can never happen.

Sources: LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label; CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label; Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.

High cholesterol and ED: the blood-vessel link

Erections depend on healthy blood flow. NIDDK says conditions that affect blood vessels, nerves or hormones can lead to ED, naming atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and stroke; diabetes is also listed. The Kostis meta-analysis notes ED is common in men with diabetes and atherosclerotic disease, the same men often prescribed statins.

Bring your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar history to the visit. The Viagra (sildenafil) label requires consideration of cardiovascular status before treatment. Read Viagra and your heart, ED and diabetes and lisinopril and ED to prepare questions about your health and medication history.

Can you take Viagra or Cialis with statins?

Neither label lists statins as an interaction to avoid. The Viagra (sildenafil) label has no statin entry, and the Cialis (tadalafil) label reports tadalafil had no significant effect on lovastatin exposure.

A missing statin interaction is not blanket clearance. The Viagra (sildenafil) label and Cialis (tadalafil) label contraindicate use with organic nitrates and riociguat and warn about blood-pressure effects with alpha-blockers and antihypertensives. Both labels include prescribing precautions for CYP3A4 inhibitors; your prescriber needs the complete list, not just the statin name.

Give the prescriber your full medicine list, including the statin. See Viagra, Cialis and blood pressure.

What each path includes

Keep your cholesterol care and your ED care both on track. Pick the row that matches your main question, then bring it to the right clinician.

Sources: NIDDK diagnosis; LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label; CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label; Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label; FDA compounding Q&A; Mendoxa care information. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.

What to bring to the visit

1. Write down when ED started and when your statin was started or changed.
2. List every prescription, over-the-counter medicine and supplement, plus ED treatments you have tried.
3. Ask: “Could my health condition or another medicine explain this? Can ED treatment fit my current medicines?”

This checklist prepares the medicine and health-history review described by NIDDK. Compare ED medication options before the visit.

Safety checks before ED medication

• Sildenafil and tadalafil are contraindicated with organic nitrates or riociguat (Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label).
• An erection lasting more than 4 hours needs immediate medical care (Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label).
• Stop and seek care for sudden vision loss or sudden decrease or loss of hearing (Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label).
• Common adverse effects include headache and flushing with sildenafil, and headache, indigestion and back pain with tadalafil (Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label).
• The APOKYN (apomorphine) label contraindicates use with 5HT3 antagonists such as ondansetron and warns about nausea and fainting.

Give the prescriber your full medicine list, including your statin. See ED medication and nitrates for more detail.

Do not add another ED medicine yourself: the Viagra (sildenafil) label does not recommend combinations with other ED therapies; the Cialis (tadalafil) label says such combinations have not been studied and advises against taking other PDE5 inhibitors.

If ED is the problem you want treated now

You do not have to settle the statin question before asking for help with ED. Start the online assessment with your current medicine list and symptom timeline. Independent licensed providers assess suitability. Prescription required.

The tablet combines sildenafil, tadalafil and apomorphine; it is not FDA-approved. Ingredient references are the Viagra (sildenafil) label, Cialis (tadalafil) label and APOKYN (apomorphine) label; APOKYN is an injectable Parkinson’s treatment, and its label is not approval of this ED combination.

Use the visit to explain what you want help with and what you have already tried. Read about the combination ED tablet before choosing whether to proceed.

Mendoxa ED plans and prices

The Mendoxa ED tablet is a compounded rapid-dissolve tablet with sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis) and apomorphine (APOKYN label). It dissolves under the tongue. A licensed clinician decides if it fits you and selects the strength. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved.

The 3-month total covers three months at the monthly tablet quantity shown.

If prescribed · Cancel anytime · Available in 49 states (not California). Prices from the Mendoxa intake at try.mendoxa.co/f/ed on Oct 24, 2026. The intake always shows the current price.

Another metabolic link: gout, uric acid and ED. Which doctor to see about it: what doctor treats ED.

Other daily medicines men ask about: tamsulosin (Flomax) and antidepressants. Vision warnings on ED pills: ED pills and eyes.

Related reading: blood thinners and ED.

FAQ

Can atorvastatin (Lipitor) cause ED?

It is possible but not established. A small 6-month study and a 2026 genetic study linked atorvastatin to ED, while the pooled analysis found no higher risk with statins and the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label does not list ED.

Does rosuvastatin (Crestor) cause erectile dysfunction?

A large randomized substudy was reassuring, but it cannot rule out every individual reaction. In the HOPE-3 trial, rosuvastatin did not change erectile function versus placebo over a mean 5.8 years, and the CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label does not list ED.

Can high cholesterol cause ED?

It can contribute through artery disease. NIDDK lists blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis among causes of ED, so new erection problems are worth raising with a clinician.

Can you take Viagra with statins?

The Viagra (sildenafil) label lists no statin interaction, and the Cialis (tadalafil) label reports no significant effect on lovastatin exposure. Both are contraindicated with nitrates or riociguat, so a prescriber must review all your medicines.

Should I stop my statin if I have ED?

Do not stop or change it on your own. Contact the prescriber with your symptom timeline and ask for a medicine review; the LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label and CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label do not list ED. A clinician can assess the suspected connection while reviewing other possible causes.

Can statins improve erections?

Some trials found improvement: the 2014 Kostis meta-analysis reported a 3.4-point gain on an erectile-function questionnaire. The HOPE-3 substudy found no significant benefit with rosuvastatin. The CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label does not indicate it for ED; do not take a statin specifically to treat erection problems.

References

1. DailyMed: VIAGRA (sildenafil citrate) tablet, film coated, label revised 12/2017. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
2. DailyMed: CIALIS (tadalafil) tablet, film coated, label revised 3/2026. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
3. DailyMed: APOKYN (apomorphine hydrochloride) injection, label revised 6/2022. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
4. FDA (Drugs@FDA): VIAGRA (sildenafil) prescribing information, NDA 020895. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
5. FDA (Drugs@FDA): CIALIS (tadalafil) prescribing information, NDA 021368. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
6. FDA: Compounding and the FDA, questions and answers. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
7. DailyMed: LIPITOR (atorvastatin) label. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
8. DailyMed: CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) label. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
9. Elgendy AY, et al. Statin Use in Men and New Onset of Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Med. 2018;131(4):387-394. PMID 29146233. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
10. Joseph P, et al. Long-term Effects of Statins, Blood Pressure-Lowering, and Both on Erectile Function (HOPE-3 substudy). Can J Cardiol. 2018;34(1):38-44. PMID 29275880. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
11. Kostis JB, Dobrzynski JM. The effect of statins on erectile dysfunction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. J Sex Med. 2014;11(7):1626-35. PMID 24684744. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
12. Nurkalem Z, et al. The effect of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin on erectile dysfunction in hypercholesterolaemic patients. Kardiol Pol. 2014;72(3):275-9. PMID 24142756. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
13. Chen S, Zhang J. Association between statin use and erectile dysfunction: NHANES. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025;104(44):e44423. PMID 41261700. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
14. Wu Wensong, et al. Causal association between statin use and erectile dysfunction: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study. Sex Med. 2026;14(4):qfag048. PMID 42389231. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
15. Herrmann HC, et al. Can atorvastatin improve the response to sildenafil in men with erectile dysfunction not initially responsive to sildenafil? J Sex Med. 2006;3(2):303-8. PMID 16490024. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
16. NIDDK: symptoms and causes of ED. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
17. NIDDK: diagnosis of ED. Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
18. Mendoxa ED care (product, format, max 1 dose per 24 hours). Accessed Oct 24, 2026.
19. Mendoxa ED intake: plan prices (term_options). Accessed Oct 24, 2026.

Related guides

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• ED and diabetes
• Causes of ED
• Lisinopril and ED
• Viagra, Cialis and blood pressure
• ED medications compared
• Sildenafil vs tadalafil
• Sildenafil + tadalafil in one tablet

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