Harming Your Eyesight With Impotency Drugs

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2006/feb/4/harming_your_eyesight_with_viagra.htm

 

 

Harming Your Eyesight With Impotency Drugs

 

A study suggests that impotency drugs such as Viagra and Cialis may be

linked with an increased risk of optic nerve damage in men with a

history of heart attack or high blood pressure.

 

NAION

 

The findings are based on examinations of about 80 men. Half the men

had optic nerve damage, in the form of non-arteritic anterior

ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION is the most common cause of

optic nerve disease in those over 50 years old.

 

Ten Times More Likely

 

Questions about the patients' lifestyles revealed that those who'd had

a heart attack were 10 times more likely to have optic nerve damage if

they had taken Viagra or Cialis.

 

The drugs may reduce the blood flow to the anterior optic nerve. Those

with cardiovascular diseases are more susceptible to such problems.

 

Coincidence?

 

Viagra manufacturer Pfizer argued that a greater number of NAION cases

would have been reported if the association was more than

coincidental. Eli Lilly, which manufactures Cialis, however, admitted

that there had been a small number of cases of NAION among those

taking the drug.

 

News January 16, 2006

 

BBC News January 17, 2006

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

If you read my newsletter with any regularity, you're aware about the

blinding power of the popular drugs commonly used to treat sexual

dysfunction. Optic nerve damage appears to be included in that danger,

especially for those who suffer from heart disease or high blood pressure.

 

Of course, the mere presence of erectile dysfunction problems may be

one of the early indicators of a significant cardiovascular condition,

so people with heart disease and high blood pressure are exactly the

ones most likely to be taking these drugs in the first place.

 

If you suffer from sexual dysfunction and don't want to risk taking a

dangerous drug, here are four natural remedies you might find useful:

 

One: Sexual arousal occurs not just in the genitals, but also in

the whole body, especially 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, in men and women, is

acetlycholine (ACH). With too little ACH, sexual activity goes down.

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

take choline supplements (1,000-3,000 mg) and vitamin B5 (500-1,500 mg).

 

Two: Studies have proven that active men who engage in regular

physical activity lowered their risk of experiencing erectile

dysfunction. Exercise helps ward off impotence the same way it can

prevent heart attacks, by keeping blood vessels open. So check out my

most recent exercise guidelines to get started on a routine today.

 

Three: Optimize your diet based on your body's unique metabolic

type. We each have a unique metabolic type and each type demands

varying ratios of macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) to

function optimally.

 

My Total Health Program provides a deeper understanding of eating

the right foods for your specific metabolic type and includes a test

and the means to learn and understand your own metabolic type.

 

Four: Because sexual dysfunction can worsen due to stress and

anxiety, it is imperative to take control of your emotions by learning

the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), the proven energy psychology

tool I use daily in my practice. EFT is a psychological acupressure

technique that can help you to effectively address your stress-related

thoughts and leave you feeling calmer and more able to face your

challenges.

 

I also recommend reading the recent article that Dr. Douglas MacKay

wrote for the site, The Secret Solution to Male Virility.

 

Related Articles:

 

Beware: Taking Viagra Can Make You Blind!

 

Say No to Viagra

 

Impotence Drug May Promote Heart Attacks