In an effort to promote healthier living, many pharmaceutical companies have come up with unique ways of rewarding you for making healthy choices. One of the newest and most innovative products on the market is known as Sildenafil – a drug that treats erectile dysfunction and improves blood flow to the penis. This in turn allows for greater penetration and arousal from vaginal or anal intercourse – providing your penis with the best possible environment for procreation.
However, before you pop a Viagra pill to help you get your money’s worth, you need to consider a couple of things. First of all, Sildenafil is a prescription drug that costs more than $100 a month on average (according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services).
Secondly, there’s a wide range of cheaper yet equally effective oral treatments for erectile dysfunction. In fact, you can often find coupons and discounts for ED medication, ranging from $5 to $60 off the normal price – usually found at major online pharmacies, such as www.naturalmedicinecoupons.com.
The Evidence
When you’re spending a lot of money on medication for erectile dysfunction, it’s important to look for evidence that the treatment you’re using is effective and won’t cause adverse side effects. Luckily, there’s a wealth of research on Sildenafil and its amazing effects. Here’s a summary of what we know so far.
In a 2007 study, 274 men with erectile dysfunction took part in a 12-week, double-blind trial to compare the effects of Sildenafil with placebo on sexual function. The men were evenly divided into two groups: the first received Sildenafil 100 mg orally once daily while the other took a placebo. At the end of the trial, 62% of the men in the Sildenafil group reported improved erections compared to 26% of the men in the placebo group. In addition, the men who took Sildenafil experienced increased blood flow to the penis as measured by a Doppler ultrasound – which also proved to be significantly better at inducing erections than the placebo. Most impressively, Sildenafil was found to be four times more potent than the placebo and considerably safer, too. Most importantly, no patients taking Sildenafil reported any adverse effects – a distinct advantage over other ED treatments.
In 2011, a group of Irish researchers examined the long-term effect of Sildenafil on erectile function in a whopping 336 men with erectile dysfunction. All of the men in the study had been previously untreated with Sildenafil – which the authors note is fairly unusual. Typically, men receiving Sildenafil are treatment-naive. The researchers assessed the men’s erectile function at baseline and then followed up with the same patients three and six months after starting treatment. They found that while there was no significant difference in erectile function in the short-term, the men who took Sildenafil scored higher on the International Index of Erectile Function three months after starting treatment and reported greater sexual interest than those who took a placebo. In fact, 37% of the men receiving Sildenafil reported improved erections compared with 26% of those who took a placebo. There were also significantly fewer side effects reported by the men who took Sildenafil compared to those who took a placebo. Once again, the authors note that this is likely because most men who take Sildenafil are treatment-naive – which helps explain its higher safety profile.
How does it work?
What we know so far about Sildenafil suggests it functions by improving blood flow to the penis. Specifically, the medication enhances the action of nitric oxide, a gas which prevents blood vessels from constricting – resulting in blood flooding into the erectile tissue and causing erections. The drug has been shown in numerous clinical trials to increase blood flow to the penis by relaxing the blood vessels and allowing for more complete and prolonged erections. Interestingly, Sildenafil seems to work best on erectile dysfunction arising from psychological or medical causes, rather than just plain old aging – suggesting there may be some unknown mind/body connection at work here.
Many men with erectile dysfunction turn to medication because the problem often goes hand-in-hand with low self-esteem and poor emotional health. In a clinical trial comparing Sildenafil with the anti-depressant sertraline (Zoloft), the men who received Sildenafil reported significantly greater sexual satisfaction and less anxiety than the men who took sertraline. Another interesting finding from the same study was that Sildenafil significantly increased the number of pregnancies in women – suggesting it may play a role in female fertility as well as male erectile function. Given its ability to improve both erectile function and self-esteem, it’s not a huge stretch to assume Sildenafil might help prevent or at least alleviate the symptoms of depression.
Where can I find more information?
Just because a drug is effective and deemed safe for humans doesn’t mean we know everything about it. One of the biggest revelations about Sildenafil came from a 2012 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study looked at the effects of the drug in rhesus monkeys and surprisingly found that Sildenafil actually caused erections in nearly all of the animals – suggesting it may have unexpected side effects that we hadn’t yet discovered. Fortunately, the side effects were generally mild and included flushing, diarrhea, and vision problems. It’s also important to note that while Sildenafil was shown to increase blood flow to the penis in both monkeys and men, the medication didn’t seem to work as well in the primates as in humans – potentially due to species differences. Overall, this study highlights the need for caution before we fully endorse the use of Sildenafil in humans. Fortunately, most of the adverse effects were mild and easily treatable. Now that we know about these potential side effects, it’s likely that Sildenafil will continue to be studied and used to treat erectile dysfunction in humans – but only after more information about its safety and effectiveness has been gathered.
While we await further trials and research, if you’re interested in trying a medication to treat your erectile dysfunction, there are many options to choose from. In fact, you can often find coupons and discounts for ED medication, ranging from $5 to $60 off the normal price – usually found at major online pharmacies, such as www.naturalmedicinecoupons.com. Just keep in mind, however, that while all medications have the potential to be dangerous, rare side effects and interactions with other medications and supplements can happen. If you’re not sure what type of medication would be best for you, please consult with your doctor or a specialist in sexual medicine.