Solving for erections: How ED is fuelling the rise of male wellness startups

“Come via Agra. You’ll see man’s greatest erection for a woman!”

Years ago, when Viagra began resurrecting long-dormant organs in bedrooms around the world, it was not unusual to see young men in India sporting witty T-shirts with the above message. Ironically, while they take great pride in the Taj Mahal, a monument of world renown, many Indians today are struggling with what is proving to be a monumental problem: weak erections. 

Messages posted in a chatroom on the app Discord — dedicated to discussions on erectile dysfunction (ED) — reveal how widespread the problem is and how much anxiety it is causing. Here are three from hundreds posted on the board, under the tag #sex-matters: 

User 1: “Hey folks, I’m 29. I’m experiencing psychological erectile dysfunction. I get morning wood. I get turned on while stimulating myself. I get aroused during foreplay. But as soon as I try to put on a condom, I wilt. How do I overcome this? Any suggestions? I have been to every doctor possible.”