Viagra Won’t Work For You Low Testosterone Men Warned
More than half the Viagra prescribed to men is not working, says an expert in sexual medicine.
Dr Geoffrey Hackett, a consultant urologist, says men with erectile dysfunction could be “wasting hundreds of pounds on tablets” when their real issue is low testosterone.
He was speaking at the launch of new guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders.
The guidelines are published in the journals Maturitas and Human Fertility.
Dr Hackett, sexual health specialist at Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham and former chairman of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, says the most common sexual problem men see their GP about is erectile dysfunction.
It affects 40% of men over 40 years old, and more than one in five men with erectile dysfunction have a testosterone deficiency.
Testosterone levels in men peak in their mid-20s then slowly decline throughout life, but a fall can also be a sign of underlying health problems.
“Low testosterone is linked to increased risk of mortality from diabetes and cardiovascular events so diagnosing it is very important in preventing those diseases,” Dr Hackett said.
Viagra And Other Medications
Below are lists of medications that can interact with Viagra. These lists dont contain all the drugs that may interact with Viagra.
Before taking Viagra, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Viagra and other ED medications
You shouldnt take Viagra with any other medications for erectile dysfunction . This includes prescription medications, such as:
- alprostadil
It also includes natural or over-the-counter ED treatments, such as l-arginine and yohimbine.
Taking Viagra with other ED medications increases your risk of certain side effects, such as low blood pressure and priapism.*
If youre using Viagra, dont use any other medications for ED without talking with your doctor.
* Priapism is a long-lasting and sometimes painful erection that doesnt go away. Its a medical emergency because it can damage the tissues in your penis and lead to permanent ED.
Viagra and nitrates
You shouldnt take Viagra with nitrate drugs. This includes certain prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, used to treat angina . It also includes certain illicit drugs called poppers, such as amyl nitrate.
Examples of nitrate drugs that should not be taken with Viagra include:
- anabolic steroids
What If Viagra Stops Working After Successful Use
Even if youve had success getting or keeping erections while using Viagra, you may notice it doesnt work as well anymore. But before you ditch the Viagra prescription, its important to consider why it might not be as effective anymore.
Viagra can lose its efficacy over time, due to changes in your body or changes in your health. If that happens, Spar said, you can try switching to another medication in the same class .
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When Erection Pill Isn’t Enough: Gel Treatment For Men With Low Testosterone Columbia University Medical Center Study Shows
Men with Sexual Dysfunction Should Take Simple Blood Test To Determine Necessity of Combination Treatment
New York, NY
For men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone who do not respond to Viagra* alone, the supplemental use of AndroGel** improves erectile function and overall sexual satisfaction, according to a Columbia University Medical Center study.
Dr. Ridwan Shabsigh, associate professor of urology at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and director of the New York Center for Human Sexuality at Columbia University Medical Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital presented the multicenter study findings at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in Chicago.
Our data support the potential benefits of a combination therapy with testosterone gel for men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone who find sildenafil by itself ineffective, said Dr. Shabsigh. When assessing erectile dysfunction, doctors and patients should consider using a simple blood test to determine if low testosterone is a contributing factor. If the root cause is low testosterone, sildenafil alone won’t fix the problem.
It is estimated that four to five million American men have low testosterone. Furthermore, low testosterone, also called hypogonadism, affects about one in 10 men between the ages of 40 and 60. Low testosterone may lead to decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, reduced lean body mass, depressed mood and fatigue.
Choosing The Right Pill To Treat Ed
Ricardo Munarriz, MD
The most common sexual dysfunctions in men include lack of interest, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. The latter affects 52% of men between the ages of 40 and 70, including mild, moderate and complete forms of ED.
Organic or physical causes for sexual dysfunction in men include vascular, hormonal and neurologic factors. Concerning vascular causes, the risk factors for atherosclerosis ) and high cholesterol are ALSO risk factors for erectile dysfunction. Since a straddle injury or use of a narrow saddle can obstruct and impair arteries to the penis, bicycle riding is also considered a risk factor for erectile dysfunction.
Little attention has been paid to endocrine factors. Testosterone modulates desire, arousal and orgasmic function. Concerning the orgasmic response, testosterone modulates the integrity of genital sensory receptors. Concerning the arousal response, decreased testosterone blood levels can influence the efficacy of sildenafil . If the sildenafil response is not reliably improving erection, the physician should first check if the patient is taking the pill correctly. The physician should also check the patients testosterone level. One investigator in Italy gave testosterone to patients with low testosterone who did not respond to sildenafil . When daily testosterone was given, subsequent sildenafil use resulted in IIEF scores improving significantly.
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Everything You Need To Know About Testosterone
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone in your body. Its produced in your testes and plays a key role in everything from the development of your musculoskeletal system to secondary sex characteristics such as your voice and body hair.
Beyond its obvious effects on the physical side of being a man, testosterone is also responsible for many aspects of your cognitive function.
As a man, its normal to have a total testosterone level between 300 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter or 10 and 35 nanomoles per liter .
Testosterone levels usually decline with age. Most men reach their peak testosterone levels in their 30s, after which the amount of testosterone produced by their testicles gradually declines to a lower level.
If your testosterone levels are below this range or unusually low relatively to your age, you may be diagnosed with low testosterone, or low-T.
Low testosterone can affect men in all age groups. However, its most common in middle-aged and older men.
According to data published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology, approximately 40 percent of men over 45 and 50 percent of men in their 80s are hypogonadal, meaning their bodies dont produce enough testosterone to place them in the normal reference range.
In younger men, low testosterone isnt so common. According to the Urology Care Foundation, only around one percent of young men are affected by low testosterone, although reliable data isnt very easy to come by.
Low Testosterone And Erectile Dysfunction
Although testosterone certainly plays a role in your sexual function as a whole, the idea that its a common cause of erectile dysfunction doesnt appear to be true.
Hormones like testosterone are vital for healthy sexual desire. However, erectile dysfunction is primarily a vascular issue, not a hormonal one.
Erections develop due to a combination of factors, including sexual stimulation and the effects of blood flow into the tissue of your penis.
When youre sexually aroused, the nerves inside your brain and around your penis cause the muscles that control blood flow into your penis to relax, allowing blood to flow into the pairs of erectile tissue called the corpora cavernosa.
As blood flows into this tissue, a fibrous membrane called the tunica albuginea contracts and seals the blood inside your penis, resulting in an erection.
This process takes place in reverse after you reach orgasm and ejaculate, with blood flowing out from your penis and the erection disappearing.
While low testosterone levels may affect your level of sexual arousal — an issue that might be linked to ED if you feel little or no desire for sex — they dont appear to be responsible for any changes in blood flow to your penis.
Though researchers still dont fully understand the precise relationship between testosterone and erectile dysfunction, they generally agree on two things.
The first is that you dont need to have normal testosterone levels to get or keep an erection during sex.
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Testosterone Viagra Not A Winning Combination For Erectile Dysfunction
Using a testosterone gel in addition to Viagra doesn’t make the little blue pill work any better, according to a new study.
The report’s lead researcher said testosterone is typically prescribed to men who have both low testosterone levels and symptoms such as little interest in sex or low bone and muscle mass.
But, “there’s a tremendous amount of clinical judgment” that goes into that, said Dr. Matthew Spitzer, from the Boston University School of Medicine. “People are certainly being prescribed and using these medications at increasing amounts.”
According to Spitzer, studies have suggested that about one-quarter to one-third of men with erectile dysfunction, or ED, also have low testosterone. There’s a range in part because doctors and researchers don’t all agree on where the cutoff should be for low levels of the male sex hormone.
Spitzer and his colleagues found that a starting course of sildenafil citrate, marketed as Viagra, helped improve sexual functioning for men with both conditions. But adding testosterone on top of that didn’t provide any added sexual benefits.
The study included 140 men, aged 40 to 70. All were prescribed Viagra at 50 or 100 milligrams, which they took as needed before sex. After three to seven weeks, half of the men were randomly assigned to also use a daily testosterone gel, Testim, and the other half used a drug-free placebo gel.
The testosterone gel used in the study was provided by Auxilium Pharmaceuticals and the Viagra by Pfizer.
Anxiety Depression Stress Or Relationship Issues
Spar said another reason Viagra does not work for everyone has to do with anxiety and emotional health. This can make it difficult to get sexually excited from a neurotransmitter perspective.
The good news is that some of the things that can have the biggest positive impact on ED symptoms involve actions you can take without a prescription.
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How Low Testosterone Levels Affect Sex
When it comes to low testosterone, many of the symptoms can affect your sex life. For example, low libido can make you less interested in sex. Low energy levels can also make it difficult to take part in an active and rigorous sex life. However, there are some other symptoms that may indirectly affect sex.
Mood changes like depression, irritability, and anxiety can also take a toll on your sex life. They can make it difficult to be interested in sex or may lead to relationship problems that affect intimacy with your partner.
Mood changes and body changes like weight gain and loss of muscle mass can also lead to feeling self-conscious, which can make it hard to engage in the bedroom. Many men start to avoid sexual situations when they feel embarrassed about their body.
Theres also a chance that low testosterone levels can also affect erectile function. While research is still out on just how significant a role testosterone plays in erections, some evidence suggests that it may influence erections, either directly or indirectly.
Effect Of Viagra On Serum Testosterone Levels
We have all known the iconic blue pill and the red pill. However, this blue pill the whole world is talking about right now is definitely not from Matrix. Viagra is that blue pill that has done wonders for men with ED . It has the active pharmaceutical ingredient, called sildenafil that works by inhibiting PDE-5 an enzyme which is not only responsible for relaxing the penis tissues but also regulating the blood supply to penile tissue.
The use of Viagra, however, is not just confined to the blood flow enhancement. While some are aware of it, Viagra is a prescription drug that is effectively used to boost the levels of testosterone in men. It has been extensively researched drug that has revealed engrossing results. Therefore, its use has become more frequent and is now a commonly prescribed testosterone booster.
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Are There Any Research Studies To Support The Testosterone Boosting Effects Of Viagra
In 2010 a study was conducted on leydig cells of isolated rat, which showed that the active ingredient found in Viagra, i.e. sildenafil, has the tendency to boost the levels of testosterone by increasing the cAMP levels. cAMP serves as the second messenger between hormones and cells and with the increase in cAMP secretion, the testosterone levels boost almost instantaneously.
Study led by Matthew Spitzer further confirmed the findings of this phenomenon. As part of the study, Spitzer collected the data from 140 men with erectile issues and low testosterone levels i.e. lower than 330n/dl). These men were given optimum dose of sildenafil. Men on alpha blocker received 25mg of sildenafil, men who were using it for the first time received a dose of 50mg, and the group of men who had used it in the past got 100mg of sildenafil.
The scientist noted and observed the promising results on the subjects for a periodof 3-7 weeks. The results yielded:
- Elevation of total testosterone by 40%
- Elevation of free testosterone by 50%
- Significant elevation in the levels of DHT
With vast studies, it has been proven that Viagra affects the serum levels of testosterone positively and helps increase the levels to a great deal in men with poor levels of testosterone.
Struggling With Erectile Dysfunction Express Pharmacy Can Help
Dont be afraid to open up about ED. Finding the right treatment for your symptoms can open you up to ahealthy, happier and more satisfying sex life.
Find many of the most popular erectile dysfunction treatments like Sildenafil, Viagra and Spedra right here at Express Pharmacy. Ifyou have any questions, contact our pharmacists today by calling 0208 123 07 03 or by using our discreetonline Live Chat service.
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Generic Options For Erectile Dysfunction
In addition to sildenafil, the generic option for Viagra, other generic options used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction are now available at the pharmacy.
For most men interested in cost-savings, switching to the generic forms may be a good option if they use the brand Stendra . Generic options for this brand is not yet on the market. Ask your doctor about switching, if you want this option. See Stendra pricing and coupons here.
If you prefer not to switch to the generic, be sure to check with the manufacturer of the product you use to determine if they have discount programs that might help save you some money.
How Is Erectile Dysfunction Treated
The treatment of erectile dysfunction depends on the underlying cause. If an underlying physical cause is found , treatments will be needed to manage these. Other treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy , may be offered for any related mental health disorders including anxiety and depression. Irrespective of the contributing causes, psychosexual counselling may be recommended to help with the effects of impotence on sexual relationships.
Erectile dysfunction itself may be treated with both medical and non-medical treatments.
First-line treatment is typically with the use of phosphodiesterase inhibitors, such as sildenafil . In the UK, Viagra is now available without a prescription, and can be obtained over the counter from pharmacists, once suitability has been assessed. A vacuum device, or pump, can also be useful especially if medications are not suitable. Vacuum pumps work by encouraging blood flow to the penis, resulting in an erection.
If these fail to improve symptoms, second-line treatments include a topical cream which works by relaxing the blood vessels, improving blood supply to the penis, and so causing an erection. Alternatively, alprostadil may also be injected into the penis, to relax blood vessels
More permanent surgical prostheses may be considered, but only after conservative options have been attempted.
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Can Low Testosterone Cause Ed
Weve all heard that testosterone is the main hormone for men, right? So, could low testosterone cause erectile dysfunction ? The answer is a little more complex than you might think. However, theres some evidence that testosterone may play a role in sexual health and erections.
Low testosterone can affect your libido and erectile function, but testosterone injections may help you get back to normal.
Around of men in the U.S. suffer from ED. Your risk for ED increases with age, much like your risk for low testosterone. This has led many researchers to look into a possible link between testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction. The key to remember is that ED is a complex condition that can have multiple different causes and effects, so symptoms, severity, and treatment may be different for each person.
How Long Do The Effects Of Viagra Last
Viagra typically lasts between 2 and 5 hours before the effects start to wear off. Its important to make sure to take this medication correctly and take the tablet 30 to 60 minutes before you plan to engage in sexual activity. Its also important to keep in mind that you must be sexually aroused in order for the tablet to work properly.
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