Viagra (sildenafil) is a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, but what if there were a natural remedy available to anyone that, in addition to solving this problem, had other beneficial effects on health? Well, a study has found it, as it reveals that performing aerobic exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes and three times a week can be as effective as the popular Viagra and other similar drugs to improve erectile function.
Doctors have long known that erectile function is related to cardiovascular health, but there is not enough evidence on the effects of physical exercise on erectile dysfunction. The new research has been published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and is the best research that has been carried out so far on the influence of aerobic exercise on erectile function.
Aerobic activities such as walking and cycling improved erectile function in all men with erectile dysfunction, regardless of their general health, body weight, or medication use. The greatest benefit was seen in individuals who had more severe erectile dysfunction. According to the author of the study, Larry E. Miller, their results provide doctors and patients with evidence that demonstrates the convenience of recommending aerobic activity as part of the management of erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction linked to heart health
The researchers reviewed the scientific literature and selected 11 trials in which participants had been randomly assigned to receive an intervention or not. Of the 1,100 men who participated in the studies, 600 were assigned to “experimental” groups, which typically exercised for 30 to 60 minutes three to five times a week, while 500 were assigned to control groups with no plan. of exercise.
“Men with more severe erectile dysfunction experienced greater improvements with exercise, and these improvements were similar to those seen in men taking drugs such as Viagra.”
They found that the worse the erectile dysfunction, the more exercise helped. On a standardized scale of 6 to 30, men with severe erectile dysfunction who exercised achieved a 5-point improvement in erectile function. Those with mild and moderate ED achieved improvements of 2 and 3 points, respectively. By comparison, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors – such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis) – can produce improvements of 4 to 8 points, the study authors say, while testosterone replacement therapy can lead to an improvement of 2 points.
“We were particularly impressed by the finding that men with more severe erectile dysfunction experienced greater improvements with exercise, and these improvements were similar to those seen in men taking drugs such as Viagra,” Miller said in statements reported by WebMD.
Erectile dysfunction can often be associated with the same causes of cardiovascular disease, including inflammation, narrowing of the arteries (endothelial dysfunction), or hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). In fact, Dr. Amy Pearlman, a urologist specializing in men’s sexual health at the Prime Institute in Miami, who was not involved in the study, explained that erectile dysfunction can often serve as an indicator or barometer of underlying cardiovascular health. .
In his opinion, the results make sense, because it is logical that any intervention aimed at improving cardiovascular health can also have a positive impact on erectile health. Another specialist who was also not involved in the study, Dr. Rahul Mehan, a urologist and founder of the East Valley Urology Center in Mesa, noted that some patients do not want to take medications to treat erectile dysfunction or do not tolerate the effects. side effects, which can include headache, heartburn, nausea, muscle pain or pain in the back, arms or legs, however, he adds “everyone can exercise.”
For this reason, there are already doctors, including Mehan, who recommend their patients with erectile dysfunction to exercise. Now they can tell these patients that this is a proven approach and is supported by high-quality data from randomized trials, says Miller, who adds that exercise is low risk and an ideal first-line treatment option for erectile difficulties, especially for patients who do not want or cannot take medications.
