10 supplements for treating erectile dysfunction: do they work and are they safe?
A new study shows that most natural over-the-counter sexual enhancement supplements for men are ineffective and can have many side effects
While most think of Viagra when they think of erectile dysfunction, there are many natural herbs that are used to treat the problem too. In Chinese medicine, Ginkgo biloba is widely prescribed. But a new study has found that the herb, along with many other “natural” ingredients found in over-the-counter supplements sold to improve male sexual health, lack strong scientific evidence of benefits. Some could even be harmful.
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“While certain natural supplements we reviewed show promise for improving mild sexual dysfunction, they lack robust human evidence,” says Dr Ryan Terlecki, associate professor of urology and senior author of the study, published online in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
“In addition, because of concerns that some products are impure or weak, we do not routinely recommend these products to our patients.”
An estimated 40 to 70 per cent of men experience some form of sexual dysfunction during their lives.
Terlecki and his colleagues at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in North Carolina looked at scientific evidence for the most common and top-selling “natural” supplements were effective and safe. For some products, such as Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium), no scientific evidence was found to support claims that it has any effect on erectile function, libido and sexual performance.
Some products that are advertised as being “natural”, contain traces of phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors (PDE5Is), the same class of medication as prescription drugs such as Viagra. One study revealed that 81 per cent of tested samples of over-the-counter products purchased in the US and Asia contained PDE5Is.
“Men who use these medications without a physician’s supervision run the risk of taking them inappropriately,” says Terlecki. “Patients with advanced heart disease, for example, or who take nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, should not use PDE5Is as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Likewise, men with severe liver impairment or end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis should avoid these products.”
Here is a summary of some of the authors’results:
