Move over, Viagra and Cialis: Study reveals promising natural erectile dysfunction treatment
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common issue that affects approximately half of men aged between 40 and 70.
It's a condition that can significantly impact a man's quality of life, causing stress, relationship strain, and self-confidence issues.
While medications like Viagra and Cialis have long been the go-to solutions, new research suggests that a simple, natural element could offer a surprising alternative: oxygen.
A recent study conducted by urologists at Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital in Turkey has revealed that breathing pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day can be as effective as Viagra in treating erectile dysfunction.
The results were impressive, with men who underwent the treatment experiencing improvement in their erectile function.
Even more promising, the effects from one month of treatment lasted up to 18 months in some cases.
Erectile dysfunction is often a symptom of underlying health issues.
Nine out of ten men with ED have at least one underlying physical cause, such as heart disease, diabetes, or the side effects of certain medications, including those for high blood pressure and depression.
These conditions can cause the blood vessels supplying the penis to narrow, resulting in insufficient blood for an erection.
Currently, ED is usually treated with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor drugs, including sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), which work by increasing blood flow to the penis.
However, these medications aren't suitable for all men, particularly those taking nitrate drugs for angina or those with serious heart or liver problems.
Additionally, potential side effects of PDE5 inhibitors include indigestion, nasal congestion, backache, and muscle pain. Studies show that a third of men don't respond to these drugs.
In the Turkish study, men in the oxygen group were seated in hyperbaric chambers, similar to those used to treat divers with decompression sickness, and breathed in pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day.
The increased pressure in hyperbaric chambers helps lungs and tissues absorb more oxygen than normal. The results showed that the oxygen and the tadalafil groups showed the same improvement—around 50 per cent.
The oxygen treatment worked regardless of age or how long the men had been experiencing ED. The effects also lasted for about two months.
This is in contrast with drugs such as Viagra, which are being used on demand with effects lasting up to four hours (or 36 hours with tadalafil) and have side-effects that last longer.
While it's not entirely clear how hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps ED, one theory is that the extra oxygen encourages new blood vessels to grow, supplying the penis with more blood.
Another theory suggests that it might increase nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow into penile tissue.
Consultant Urologist at Bristol Urology Professor Raj Persad has described the study as 'a basis for future research'.
'In diabetes and other conditions, blood supply to delicate tissues may be impaired, reducing the oxygen supply. This can temporarily be improved by breathing hyperbaric oxygen,' he said.
Also, he warned it is 'not a permanent solution' and that 'too much can lead to oxygen poisoning'.
In addition to the oxygen therapy study, recent research from the Macau University of Science and Technology has found a link between insomnia and an increased risk of ED.
The study found that men with insomnia were 3.4 times more likely to have ED.
Stress also increased the risk by around 80 per cent. It is thought that insomnia causes testosterone to drop, as production peaks during sleep.
Furthermore, high levels of stress can also affect sleep, which again increases the risks of having ED.
In conclusion, while medications like Viagra and Cialis have their place in treating ED, it's encouraging to see research exploring natural and potentially less harmful alternatives.
As always, consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment is crucial.
What are your thoughts on this new research? Have you or someone you know tried oxygen therapy for ED? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
It's a condition that can significantly impact a man's quality of life, causing stress, relationship strain, and self-confidence issues.
While medications like Viagra and Cialis have long been the go-to solutions, new research suggests that a simple, natural element could offer a surprising alternative: oxygen.
A recent study conducted by urologists at Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital in Turkey has revealed that breathing pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day can be as effective as Viagra in treating erectile dysfunction.
The results were impressive, with men who underwent the treatment experiencing improvement in their erectile function.
Even more promising, the effects from one month of treatment lasted up to 18 months in some cases.
Experts say that oxygen can be ‘as effective as Viagra’ in dealing with erectile dysfunction. Image: Freepik
Erectile dysfunction is often a symptom of underlying health issues.
Nine out of ten men with ED have at least one underlying physical cause, such as heart disease, diabetes, or the side effects of certain medications, including those for high blood pressure and depression.
These conditions can cause the blood vessels supplying the penis to narrow, resulting in insufficient blood for an erection.
Currently, ED is usually treated with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor drugs, including sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), which work by increasing blood flow to the penis.
However, these medications aren't suitable for all men, particularly those taking nitrate drugs for angina or those with serious heart or liver problems.
Additionally, potential side effects of PDE5 inhibitors include indigestion, nasal congestion, backache, and muscle pain. Studies show that a third of men don't respond to these drugs.
In the Turkish study, men in the oxygen group were seated in hyperbaric chambers, similar to those used to treat divers with decompression sickness, and breathed in pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day.
The increased pressure in hyperbaric chambers helps lungs and tissues absorb more oxygen than normal. The results showed that the oxygen and the tadalafil groups showed the same improvement—around 50 per cent.
The oxygen treatment worked regardless of age or how long the men had been experiencing ED. The effects also lasted for about two months.
This is in contrast with drugs such as Viagra, which are being used on demand with effects lasting up to four hours (or 36 hours with tadalafil) and have side-effects that last longer.
While it's not entirely clear how hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps ED, one theory is that the extra oxygen encourages new blood vessels to grow, supplying the penis with more blood.
Another theory suggests that it might increase nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow into penile tissue.
Consultant Urologist at Bristol Urology Professor Raj Persad has described the study as 'a basis for future research'.
'In diabetes and other conditions, blood supply to delicate tissues may be impaired, reducing the oxygen supply. This can temporarily be improved by breathing hyperbaric oxygen,' he said.
Also, he warned it is 'not a permanent solution' and that 'too much can lead to oxygen poisoning'.
In addition to the oxygen therapy study, recent research from the Macau University of Science and Technology has found a link between insomnia and an increased risk of ED.
The study found that men with insomnia were 3.4 times more likely to have ED.
Stress also increased the risk by around 80 per cent. It is thought that insomnia causes testosterone to drop, as production peaks during sleep.
Furthermore, high levels of stress can also affect sleep, which again increases the risks of having ED.
In conclusion, while medications like Viagra and Cialis have their place in treating ED, it's encouraging to see research exploring natural and potentially less harmful alternatives.
As always, consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment is crucial.
What are your thoughts on this new research? Have you or someone you know tried oxygen therapy for ED? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
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