A Hard Pill to Swallow About Impotence Drugs

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2003/jul/5/impotence_drugs.htm

 

 

A Hard Pill to Swallow About Impotence Drugs...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By William Douglass, MD

 

 

 

Nowadays, there's an awful lot of hype about sexual performance--especially

among the over-50 demographic. This is a relatively new phenomenon, though. It

used to be that people in this age bracket didn't worry about HOW they were in

bed--they were just grateful to BE in bed and having fun with someone they

loved.

 

 

 

But this begs the question: WHY is sexual performance all of a sudden such a big

issue among aging baby-boomers?

 

 

 

Of course, it's because of drugs. Specifically, that " little blue pill " that's

all the rage. And it's also because of consumer-oriented drug ads on

television--also a relatively new trend, since deregulation under the Clinton

administration blurred the formerly strict line between the drug industry and

the communications business.

 

 

 

What's the harm in all this, you ask? Why is popping Viagra and other potency

drugs to feel like a teenager again such a bad thing? For one thing, these drugs

can cause people enormous (and risky) physical stress as they try to keep up

with their libido-in-a-bottle. Now don't get me wrong--I'm not knocking after-50

sex. In fact, few things are more life affirming and invigorating than making

love later in life.

 

 

 

But let's act our ages while we do it, huh? A drug-induced,

swing-from-the-chandelier sex marathon really isn't " conduct becoming, " is it?

 

 

 

Secondly, these drugs carry risks of their own, especially if you've got trouble

with your ticker. Although the manufacturers are quick to insist that there's no

conclusive PROOF that Viagra and other impotence drugs increase your risk of

heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia, chest pains, and other heart-related

conditions, evidence from the field strongly suggests otherwise. And now,

there's even more substantiation of this disturbing correlation.

 

 

 

According to a Reuter's online article, a panel that advises the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration was recently convened to discuss how a new impotence drug (a

Viagra competitor named Levitra made by Bayer/Glaxo) affects a key

heart-function indicator called the QT interval--a measurement of the heart's

electrical activity. An erratic or prolonged QT can lead to abnormal heartbeat

patterns, which can be fatal.

 

 

 

If these drugs are perfectly safe, as the makers suggest, why the need for the

special advisory panel? In my opinion, any drug that can stimulate blood flow

enough to overcome impotence may well pose a significant heart threat. And it's

a risk you need not take to get great sex, either. Many natural substances, like

yohimbine and especially maca root, can help pep up your love life. Besides, I

think Viagra is mostly a placebo--someone should do a study to see how many men

are still taking Viagra after a year. There might be some surprises.

 

 

 

This article was contributed by William Campbell Douglass, MD. You can get all

of Dr. Douglass' honest, no-holds-barred health information delivered to you

directly with his free Daily Dose e-Update. Follow this link to sign-up.

 

 

 

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

It may be that impotence drugs will in fact work to improve impotence, however,

are they treating the underlying problem and will they have any side effects?

 

If you have been reading this newsletter for a while you can confidently answer

both of these questions--no, they are not treating the problem, and yes, they

will have side effects.

 

In addition to Viagra causing blue-green color blindness, headaches and flushing

it has now been indicated as a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

 

Fortunately, there are natural alternatives that frequently solve the problem

without a need for drugs.

 

In November 1998 I posted the following information that includes background

information about impotence and Viagra as well as natural alternatives to the

drug:

 

On March 27, 1998 the FDA approved Viagra. I have warned readers of this

newsletter on three previous occasions of the dangers of this drug, and I would

like to offer some practical alternatives.

 

Viagra was initially investigated as a potential anti-angina medication based on

its ability to release nitric oxide and increase blood flow to the heart. Viagra

failed as a heart medication, but London researchers became excited when many of

the men in their clinical trials reported the frequent occurrence of

unaccustomed erections and improved sexual performance.

 

Five years after this serendipitous finding, Viagra was granted approval as a

treatment for men suffering from difficulty in achieving erection. In the two

months following its release, over 1 million prescriptions were issued, making

it one of the most successful drugs ever introduced. Viagra may even provide

similar benefits, enhancing sexual sensation and orgasmic enjoyment, for women

and the drug is now in clinical trials for that purpose.

 

Vascular smooth muscle cells surround arteries and arterioles, contracting and

relaxing the arteries to regulate blood pressure. The given state of smooth

muscle cells and their effect on blood pressure understandably have a profound

effect on the male sexual organ.

 

Normally, in the presence of sexual stimulation blood flow is directed into

pockets known as the corpus cavernosum, contained within the shaft of the penis.

The resulting inflow of blood leads to the enlargement and stiffening of the

penis. This engorgement is triggered by a short-lived neurotransmitter. Nitric

oxide, synthesized from the oxidation of the amino acid arginine, activates an

enzyme that manufactures cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which is a

biochemical signaling enzyme. Under normal circumstances, cGMP directs the

smooth muscle cells to relax, leading to the dilation of the penile arteries.

 

However, immediately following release of nitric oxide and production of cGMP

another enzyme, cGMP phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5), is activated. PDE-5's

main activity is to destroy cGMP almost as fast as it is formed. The result of

this breakdown of cGMP by PDE-5 is a rapid decrease in smooth muscle relaxation

and a loss of blood flow to the penis. Subsequently, the penis returns to a

flaccid state.

 

Unfortunately, as we age cellular concentrations of cGMP decrease. Viagra works

to achieve and maintain erections by enhancing the effect of nitric oxide and

maintaining higher levels of cGMP.

 

The way Viagra does this is to selectively inhibit the cGMP-destroying actions

of PDE-5. By blocking the actions of this enzyme system, cGMP is no longer

broken down. This leads to elevated cGMP levels in the corpus cavernosum. This,

in turn, prevents relaxation of the smooth muscle in the corpus cavernosum,

increases blood flow to the genitals, and leads to stronger erections and

intensified sensations.

 

Natural Alternatives to Viagra

 

Aside from the risk of dying and increasing the risk of retinal dysfunction, the

biggest drawback to Viagra is the high cost, which can range upwards of $10 per

pill. Fortunately, there is a safer, less expensive and more natural way to

achieve many of the actions to Viagra. The key is L-arginine, the direct

precursor to nitric oxide.

 

In the 1990s, scientists discovered that L-arginine, a non-essential amino acid

commonly found in the diet, is an oxidative precursor of nitric oxide. Under

conditions in which nitric oxide is produced for a specified physiologic

purpose, the concentration of L-arginine from which nitric oxide is formed can

be a limiting factor.

 

Researchers at New York University School of Medicine gave L-arginine to a group

of 15 men and found that six received benefit. Doses were around 1,000 to 3,000

mg per day.

 

Sexual arousal occurs not just in the genitals but also in the whole body and

especially in the brain. For men, it actually begins when the brain sends

impulses down the spinal cord and out to the nerves that serve the penis. These

impulses trigger the production of nitric oxide.

 

The neurotransmitter that causes the sexual message is acetlycholine (ACH). ACH

also seems to control sexual behavior through its activity in the brain. For

women, ACH is also a very important part of sexual function. With too little

ACH, sexual activity goes down. ACH is involved in the buildup toward orgasm and

the urethral and vaginal contractions that occur during orgasm.

 

One way to safely and effectively enhance ACH levels in the body is to take

supplements of choline (1,000 to 3,000 mg) and vitamin B5 (500 to 1,500 mg) so

that the body will produce more ACH.

 

Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, actually seems to enhance endurance

by two routes. The first is by increasing ACH, and the second is its role in the

energy-producing Krebs cycle. The choline and vitamin B5 are ideally taken about

20 to 30 minutes before sex in order to get the full effect.

 

Yohimbine is from a native tree in West Africa. For centuries a tea distilled

from the inner bark of this tree has been used to amplify male virility and

sexual prowess.

 

Yohimbine’s primary path of action duplicates a key biochemical role in male

erection. It acts upon a specific network of nerve cells called the

alpha-2-adrengeric system and shuts down this system, which increases the flow

of blood through arteries into the penis while at the same time decreasing the

blood flow from the penis through veins. It also results in higher levels of

ACH. Several controlled trials have been done with yohimbine, and the response

rate is about 40 percent.

 

Related Articles:

 

New Anti-Impotence Drugs Released

 

Impotence Drug May Promote Heart Attacks

 

Study Urges Use of Drugs to Treat Antidepressant-Related Impotence

 

Say No to Viagra

 

 

 

@

 

Alternative Medicine/Health-Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc.

 

To , e-mail to:

alternative_medicine_forum-

 

Or, go to our group site at:

alternative_medicine_forum

 

 

 

SBC DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!