Men over the age of 18 who:

• have symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED)
• have been taking ED medication and want to know more about the underlying cause of their ED
• have tried ED medication and it didn’t work or they didn’t like it

The erectile dysfunction (ED) test kit checks for abnormal indicators of common potential underlying causes of ED.

Lipid levels including cholesterol

High lipid levels (especially cholesterol) in the blood can lead to a condition known as atherosclerosis, which causes narrowing of the blood vessels and increases your risk of cardiovascular problems, but could also cause problems with getting an erection.

Thyroid function

The main job of the thyroid gland is to produce the hormones T3 and T4 (thyroxine). These hormones need to be produced in the right amounts to keep you healthy, as they control a wide range of functions in your body, like your metabolism (the way your body turns what you eat and drink into energy), your body temperature and the use of fat and glucose stores.

If you have too much thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), or too little (hypothyroidism), it can make you unwell and should be treated to correct the levels.

This usually involves medication in the form of a tablet prescribed by your doctor. ED is usually associated with hyperthyroidism, but can happen in both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Our test kit measures the levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and T4 in your blood, but not T3. A diagnosis can be made based on these 2 hormones alone.

Total testosterone levels

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in males. Its function in men is to maintain sex drive, improve muscle strength and mass, keep a healthy bone density and a normal body hair pattern.

The most common symptoms of testosterone deficiency are erectile dysfunction and low sexual desire. Other symptoms you could have are loss of body hair, reduced beard growth, changes in mood, reduced concentration or motivation, and fatigue.

Prostate problems

The test measures levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen), a protein produced by the prostate gland (which sits underneath the bladder in men). PSA is mainly released in semen and helps to ease the path for sperm so they can fertilise an egg.

A small amount of PSA is present in the blood of men with healthy prostates.

High levels of PSA could be due to enlargement or disease of the prostate, including prostatitis (inflammation of the gland), benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement of the prostate) and prostate cancer. It can also be high if you have recently ejaculated, had any trauma or stimulation of the prostate, or vigorously exercised just before taking the blood test.

PSA levels are often used to screen for cancer, but because so many other non-cancerous conditions can give you a high PSA, an abnormal result will not tell you whether you have prostate cancer or not.

As part of the ED test kit, this test for PSA levels is usually only recommended for men who have symptoms like:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Recent change in the flow of urine
• Slow to start when urinating
• Dribbling after you have finished urinating
• Passing urine more often at night

If you get a high PSA result, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible. They may decide to either repeat the test, or refer you to a specialist to determine the cause of your abnormal blood result. If you get a normal result but have symptoms which might be caused by prostate disease, or are at high risk of prostate cancer (for example because a close family member has had it), you should speak to your GP anyway because of a small chance of the test not picking up early disease.

Prolactin

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland (which sits under the brain). It has no established function in men, but high levels can lead to ED.

The other symptoms of high prolactin can include loss of sexual desire (libido), a reduction in the amount of semen you produce or occasionally breast enlargement and lactation. You may also notice persistent headaches and changes in your vision such as tunnel vision.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, eye problems and can lead to symptoms like erectile dysfunction.

Other causes of erectile dysfunction

The test does not cover everything that could cause erectile dysfunction (ED).

Other causes include:

• Previous pelvic surgery or urinary tract surgery
• Spinal cord trauma or disease
• Problems with the anatomy of the penis
• Nerve disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
• Chronic kidney disease
• Hormonal conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome
• Mental health problems such as low mood and anxiety
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Obesity
• Medications you may be taking, including drugs like finasteride (Propecia) and antidepressants and beta-blockers

You can read more about causes of erectile dysfunction here.

Your test kit includes 3 lancets and 2 collection tubes. In order to get the full range of results, you’ll need to fill both tubes up to the top. To use your test kit, follow these instructions:

• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. You might find it more difficult to do the test if your hands are cold
• Dry your hands thoroughly
• Use one of the swabs included in the kit to clean the fingertip that you would like to use. We recommend that you use the middle or ring finger of your non-dominant hand (not the one you write with). Wait until the finger feels dry
• Twist and remove the purple sticks from 1 lancet, place it in the middle of your fingertip, and press the purple button at the end
• A small drop of blood should start to form on your fingertip. Do not worry if this does not work the first time as there are 3 lancets included with your kit
• Use a clean tissue to wipe the first drop of blood away, then angle your finger downwards and massage the sides of your fingertip to form another drop of blood
• Use your other hand to squeeze the fingertip to drop the blood sample into one of the collection tubes to begin with, then move over to the second one. You should fill both tubes to the upper line. If you cannot get enough blood to fill the tubes, use the additional lancets on another finger and repeat the steps above
• Use the plaster included in the kit to cover your fingertip
• Put the lid on to the collection tube and twist the lid several times to shut tightly
• Place your details on the sticky labels. This is an important step as our partner lab will not be able to do your test otherwise. Place the labelled collection tubes into the protective wallet, and the wallet into the prepaid envelope
• Send your samples to our UK based, accredited partner laboratory (postage is free)

Once your results are available (in 2 to 3 days after being received by the lab), our doctors will review them.

One of our doctors will contact you, via a secure and confidential message sent to your patient account, to let you know your results and give you advice and support on what to do next.

In some cases, the doctor may need to ask for more information. They may ask to contact you by phone, so make sure your telephone number is up to date on your online account.