Erectile dysfunction (ED), some say is a "normal" and "common" disease and it is often said to be an outcome of other diseases like obesity, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure and also stress and anxiety.

Whatever may be the reason, but a recent study has found that men with ED are "likely" to be less productive at work.

Moreover, they also maintain a lower health-related quality of life.

Published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, the study showed that erectile dysfunction in men significantly impacts work productivity.

"Moreover, erectile dysfunction adversely affects the quality of life," the study further added.

Data of over 52,000 men aged between 40 to 70 years from Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US were analysed by the researchers.

The analysis revealed that erectile dysfunction was prevalent among 49.7 per cent of the total men with Italy topping the chart with 54.7 per cent.

The study results further showed that men suffering from erectile dysfunction reported higher rates of staying home from work (7.1 per cent) than men without ED (3.2 per cent).

Activity impairment among men suffering from erectile dysfunction was found to be 28.6 per cent, which was found to be 14.5 per cent among men without suffering from ED.

Moreover, work productivity impairment among men with erectile dysfunction was found to be 24.8 per cent, which was 11.2 per cent among men without suffering from ED.

"This study shows that ED remains a prevalent concern, one that impacts work productivity and absenteeism," said co-author Wing Yu Tang, a researcher from Pfizer Inc, New York.

ED is defined as the persistent inability to achieve and/or maintain penile erection sufficient for performing sexual intercourse.

"They also had lower measures of health-related quality of life," Tang added.

Early detection, timely precautions, and proper medical consultations can help mitigate ED and improve the quality of work and personal life.