Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 8/20/14:

Microbiome and Probiotics: Link to Arthritis - Medscape, 8/18/14 - "The gut microbiome plays an integral role in the development and maintenance of the host immune system ... There is intriguing yet still inconclusive evidence to support the use of probiotics as a treatment for these diseases" - See probiotic products at Amazon.com.

Autoimmune Drugs May Treat a Form of Baldness - nbcnews.com, 8/17/14 - "The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat myelofibrosis. It’s called ruxolitinib, or Jakafi. The team tested Jakafi, taken as a pill, in several patients. In three of them, hair grew almost completely back within five months, and the autimmune response was stopped" - Note:  That's the medication that's way out of anyone's price range.  See ruxolitinib at GoodRX.com.

Low vitamin D levels linked to increased risks after noncardiac surgery - Science Daily, 8/15/14 - "The researchers analyzed the relationship between vitamin D level and surgical outcomes in approximately 3,500 patients who underwent operations other than heart surgery between 2005 and 2011 ... Higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality/morbidity ... For each 5 ng/mL increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, the combined risk of death, cardiovascular events, or serious infections decreased by seven percent" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Impact of Coffee on Liver Diseases - Medscape, 8/14/14 - "Coffee consumption was associated with improved serum gamma glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase values in a dose dependent manner in individuals at risk for liver disease. In chronic liver disease patients who consume coffee, a decreased risk of progression to cirrhosis, a lowered mortality rate in cirrhosis patients, and a lowered rate of HCC development were observed. In chronic hepatitis C patients, coffee was associated with improved virologic responses to antiviral therapy. Moreover, coffee consumption was inversely related to the severity of steatohepatitis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, in patients with chronic liver disease, daily coffee consumption should be encouraged"

The Effect of Testosterone Replacement on Prostate Cancer - Medscape, 8/14/14 - "This meta-analysis shows that regardless of the administration method, TRT is the short-term safety and does not promote prostate cancer development or progression but long-term data are warranted with justifiable end points"

FDA OKs New Kind of Sleep Drug Suvorexant (Belsomra) - Medscape, 8/13/14 - "Suvorexant, an orexin receptor antagonist, is the first drug of its kind to be approved for patients with insomnia. It alters the signaling of orexins, neurotransmitters responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle"

Abstracts from this week:

Alpha linolenic acid and oleic acid additively down-regulate malignant potential and positively cross-regulate AMPK/S6 axis in OE19 and OE33 esophageal cancer cells - Metabolism. 2014 Jul 25 - "Both oleic acid (OA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) have been proposed to down-regulate cell proliferation of prostate, breast, and bladder cancer cells ... conducted in vitro studies and evaluated whether OA and ALA alone or in combination may regulate malignant potential in OE19 and OE33 esophageal cancer cell lines ... Our novel mechanistic studies provide evidence for an important role for OA and ALA in esophageal cancer, and suggest that OA and/or ALA might be useful agents in the management or chemoprevention of esophageal cancer" - Note:  Oleic acid is an omega-9 for which olive oil is a good source.  Alpha-linolenic acid is the omega-3 from plant sources.  Here's the fat chart again:

Dietary total antioxidant capacity is associated with leukocyte telomere length in a children and adolescent population - Clin Nutr. 2014 Aug 4 - "A positive correlation between dietary total antioxidant capacity and telomere length (r = 0.157, p = 0.007) was found after adjustment for age and energy intake. However, higher white bread consumption was associated with shorter telomeres (β = -0.204, p = 0.002) in fully-adjusted models. Interestingly, those individuals who had simultaneously higher dietary total antioxidant capacity and lower white bread consumption significantly presented the longest telomeres. Moreover, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for very short telomeres was 0.30 for dietary total antioxidant capacity (p = 0.023) and 1.37 for white bread" - See Garden of Life, Radical Fruits Antioxidant Complex at Amazon.com.

The effects of curcumin on depressive-like behavior in mice after lipopolysaccharide administration - Behav Brain Res. 2014 Aug 14 - "we examined the effects of curcumin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depressive-like behavior and inflammation in male mice ... curcumin may be an effective therapeutic agent for LPS-induced depressive-like behavior, partially due to its anti-inflammatory aptitude" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.  Recent related study:

• Investigation of the Efficacy of Adjunctive Therapy with Bioavailability-Boosted Curcuminoids in Major Depressive Disorder - Phytother Res. 2014 Aug 4 - "One hundred and eleven subjects were assigned to standard antidepressive therapy plus curcuminoids-piperine combination (1000-10 mg/day; n = 61) or standard antidepressive therapy alone (n = 50) for a period of 6 weeks ... Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) ... There were significantly greater reductions in total HADS score and subscales of anxiety and depression in the curcuminoids versus control group (p < 0.001). Likewise, reductions in BDI-II total score and scores of somatic and cognitive subscales were found to be greater in the curcuminoids compared with control group" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com and piperine extract at Amazon.com.

Plasma Magnesium and Risk of Ischemic Stroke Among Women - Stroke. 2014 Aug 12 - "Conditional on matching factors, women in the lowest magnesium quintile had a relative risk of 1.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.86-2.10; P trend=0.13) for total ischemic stroke compared with women in the highest quintile. Additional adjustment for risk factors and confounders did not substantially alter the risk estimates for total ischemic stroke. Women with magnesium levels <0.82 mmol/L had significantly greater risk of total ischemic stroke (multivariable relative risk, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-2.27; P=0.01) and thrombotic stroke (multivariable relative risk, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.65; P=0.03) compared with women with magnesium levels ≥0.82 mmol/L" - See Jarrow Formulas, MagMind at Amazon.com.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Infertility: Insights From in vitro Fertilization Cycles - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Aug 14 - "Subgroup analyses showed that the group of women with the highest serum levels (>30 ng/mL) had the highest chances of pregnancy ... Vitamin D is an emerging factor influencing female fertility and IVF outcome" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Vitamin D Insufficiency and Abnormal Hemoglobin A1c in Black and White Older Persons - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Aug 11 - "2,193 persons of age 70-79 years at Year 1 ... vitamin D insufficiency was associated with an increased likelihood of having abnormal A1c (odds ratio = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.03-2.37)" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Active Vitamin D (1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D) Is Associated With Chronic Pain in Older Australian Men: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Aug 7 - "Low 1,25D levels (<62.0 pmol/L) remained independently associated with chronic pain (odds ratio: 1.53" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

MARATHON CL030025 Jumbo Atomic Self-setting Self-adjusting Wall Clock w/ Stand - 16.5 x 10.65 display.

Amazon undercuts Square and PayPal with its own mobile card reader - engadget.com, 8/13/14 - "The retailer is savagely undercutting both Square and PayPal Here, offering a flat charge of 1.75 percent per payment until the start of 2016, a full percent lower than the 2.75 and 2.7 percent asked by the other two. On January 2nd, however, the fee rises to 2.5 percent, a smaller yet still significant cut compared to Amazon's rivals in the space"

Health Focus (Impotence):

Popular Supplements:

• L-citrulline / l-phenylalanine / pygeum / prolactin inhibitors / nettle / tribulus / ALC / niacin / horny goat weed / l-arginine / DHEA / ashwagandha / ginkgo / phosphatidylserine / muira puama / ginseng / chrysin / aromatization inhibitors / I3C / cordyceps / red yeast rice / red clover / HMB / monounsaturated fatty acids / zinc / saw palmetto / suma / maca / zallouh

Popular Medications:

• Viagra (sildenafil) / Uprima® (apomorphine) / Levitra (vardenafil) / Cialis (tadalafil) / Alprox-TD (alprostadil) / Trimix (alprostadil plus papaverine plus phentolamine) / Zydena (udenafil) / testosterone / Melanotan / Bremelanotide

Alternative Therapies:

• Efficacy of a novel water-soluble curcumin derivative versus sildenafil citrate in mediating erectile function - Int J Impot Res. 2014 Aug 7 - "The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a novel curcumin derivative (NCD) versus sildenafil citrate in erectile signaling. The study was conducted on 10 control male rats and 50 diabetic male rats divided into the following groups: diabetic, curcumin, NCD, sildenafil and NCD combined with sildenafil ... NCD or its combination with sildenafil showed significant efficacy and more prolonged duration of action. In conclusion, NCD could enhance erectile function with more efficacy and more prolonged duration of action" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.
• Molecular signalling of a novel curcumin derivative versus Tadalafil in erectile dysfunction - Andrologia. 2014 Jul 25 - "novel curcumin derivative (NCD) ... curcumin (CURC) ... In conclusion, a tendency was observed that CURC and NCD have high efficacy and more prolonged duration of action in enhancing erectile function" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.
• Erectile dysfunction may be the first clinical sign of insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction in young men - Clin Res Cardiol. 2013 Sep;102(9):645-51 - "Patients with ED had significantly higher levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), high Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), compared with controls ... ED may be the first clinical sign of endothelial dysfunction and a clinical marker of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Subclinical endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance may be the underlying pathogenesis of ED in young patients without well-known etiology" - See metformin at The Antiaging Store.
• Association of ED with chronic periodontal disease - Int J Impot Res. 2013 Jul 4 - "To examine the relationship between chronic periodontal disease (CPD) and ED, the interview sheet including the CPD self-checklist (CPD score) and the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) was distributed to 300 adult men who received a comprehensive dental examination ... There was a statistically significant correlation between the CPD score and the presence of ED (P=0.0415). The results in the present study suggest that ED is related to the damage caused by endothelial dysfunction and the systematic inflammatory changes associated with CPD. The present study also suggests that dental health is important as a preventive medicine for ED"
• Korean Ginseng Berry Extract Effect on Sexual Function in ED - Medscape, 5/6/13 - "were administered 4 tablets of either standardized Korean ginseng berry (SKGB, 350 mg ginseng berry extract per tablet), or placebo, daily, for 8 weeks. Efficacy was assessed with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-15 and premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) at the end of the 4th and 8th week. We observed that the total and each of the individual domain scores of IIEF-15 increased from 40.95+/-7.05 to 46.19+/-12.69 significantly in the SKGB by the 8th week (P<0.05). The erectile function domain of IIEF changed slightly from 17.17+/-2.57 to 18.59+/-5.99 in the SKGB group by the 8th week (P<0.05). In addition, PEDT scores significantly improved from 9.14+/-4.57 to 7.97+/-4.4 and 7.53+/-4.26 in the SKGB group after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). Safety markers including hormone and lipid in the blood were assessed at the end of the 4th and 8th week and they remained unchanged. Oral administration of the SKGB extract improved all domains of sexual function" - See ginseng at Amazon.com.
• Saw Palmetto Extract Enhances Erectile Responses by Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase 5 Activity and Increase in Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression in Rat and Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum - Urology. 2013 Apr 23 - "The results suggest that SPE may have potential application value for the prevention or treatment of erectile dysfunction through an increase in iNOS mRNA expression and inhibition of PDE5 activity in corpus cavernosum smooth muscles" - See saw palmetto products at iHerb.
• Atorvastatin improves erectile dysfunction in patients initially irresponsive to Sildenafil by the activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase - Int J Impot Res. 2013 Jan 17 - "This study aimed at comparing the effects of atorvastatin and vitamin E on erectile dysfunction in patients initially irresponsive to sildenafil, with investigation into the underlying possible mechanisms. Sixty patients were randomly divided into three groups: the atorvastatin group received 80 mg daily, the vitamin E group received 400 IU daily and the control group received placebo capsules ... glutathione peroxidase (GPO) ... nitric oxide (NO) ... Both atorvastatin and vitamin E showed a statistically significant GPO increase (P<0.05) and a statistically significant IL-6 decrease (P<0.05). Only atorvastatin showed a statistically significant increase in NO (15.19%, P<0.05), eNOS (20.58%, P<0.01), IIEF-5 score (53.1%, P<0.001) and Rigiscan rigidity parameters (P<0.01), in addition to a statistically significant decrease in CRP (57.9%, P<0.01). However, SOD showed a statistically significant increase only after vitamin E intake (23.1%, P<0.05). Both atorvatstain and vitamin E had antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Although activating eNOS by atorvastatin was the real difference, and expected to be the main mechanism for NO increase and for improving erectile dysfunction" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at Amazon.com.
• Effects of Korean ginseng berry extract on sexual function in men with erectile dysfunction: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical study - Int J Impot Res. 2012 Dec 20 - "Ginseng is beneficial for many aspects of human physiology, including sexual function ... administered 4 tablets of either standardized Korean ginseng berry (SKGB, 350 mg ginseng berry extract per tablet), or placebo, daily, for 8 weeks. Efficacy was assessed with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-15 and premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) at the end of the 4th and 8th week. We observed that the total and each of the individual domain scores of IIEF-15 increased from 40.95+/-7.05 to 46.19+/-12.69 significantly in the SKGB by the 8th week (P<0.05)" - See ginseng at Amazon.com.
• Men with erection problems are three times more likely to have inflamed gums, study finds - Science Daily, 12/4/12 - "Turkish researchers compared 80 men aged 30 to 40 with erectile dysfunction with a control group of 82 men without erection problems ... the men with severe periodontal disease were 3.29 times more likely to suffer from erection problems than men with healthy gums"
• Treating gum disease may fix erection troubles, too, study finds - nbcnews.com, 12/3/12 - "The study involved 120 patients with severe or moderate erectile dysfunction and chronic periodontitis. Half received treatment for their gum disease, while half did not. They filled out questionnaires about their erectile function, and patients who received treatment for their gum disease reported that levels of erectile function improved after three months ... I feel that the causal element is probably vascular disease, poor general health status, lack of medical attention (gum disease), underlying diabetes/hypertension, or all of the above"
• The use of dehydroepiandrosterone in the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder: A report of gender differences - Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2012 Oct 17 - "Data regarding the efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) are scarce and inconsistent. We aimed to determine possible gender differences in the efficacy of DHEA as a treatment for HDSS. Postmenopausal women (n=27), and men (n=21) with HSDD, were randomized to receive either DHEA 100mg daily or placebo for 6 weeks in a controlled, double blind study ... In women only, significant interaction effects were observed for sexual arousal (p<0.05), satisfaction (p<0.05), and cognition (trend; p=0.06). For arousal, a significant improvement was observed for the DHEA treated group at 6 weeks (p=0.001). Significant correlations were observed between bioavailable T and sexual cognitions, arousal and orgasm, while DHEAS was correlated with satisfaction. In the men, significant correlations were observed between testosterone and arousal (r=.45), sexual drive (r=.50) and orgasm (r=.55). In women with HSDD, DHEA treatment had a significant beneficial effect on arousal, whereas no efficacy was demonstrated in men, indicating a possible gender difference. This improvement seems to be mediated via DHEA's metabolism to testosterone. Our positive results suggest that the neurosteroid DHEA may be effective as a treatment for women with HSDD if administered at a dose of at least 100mg per day" - See DHEA at Amazon.com.
• Propionyl-L-carnitine, L-arginine and niacin in sexual medicine: a nutraceutical approach for erectile dysfunction - Andrologia. 2011 Oct 4 - "In a group of 54 unselected men (35-75 years), consecutively presenting to our ED clinic and naive to other ED treatments, we carried out a single-blind, one-arm study to evaluate the effects of a 3-month supplementation with propionyl-L-carnitine, L-arginine and niacin on their sexual performance ... Analyses on GAQs revealed that treatment improved erections in 40% of cases, with a partial response occurring in up to 77% of enrolled subjects. These preliminary findings indicate that the favourable cardiovascular effects of nutraceuticals might also reflect on male sexual function with possible implication in the treatment and prevention of ED. This study documents a considerable patients' interest toward nutritional supplementation - as first-line or adjunctive treatment to PDE5 inhibitors - that goes beyond the measurable increment in penile rigidity" - See propionyl-l-carnitine products at Amazon.com, niacin at Amazon.com and L-arginine products at Amazon.com.
• Effect of α-lipoic acid on sperm quality, reproductive tract measures in thinner exposed rats - Andrologia. 2011 Sep 15 - "The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA, an universal antioxidant) on thinner-induced testicular toxicity regarding spermatological features, body and reproductive tract measures in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five treatment groups, eight rats in each. Control group was treated with placebo. Group O was given only olive oil. The group L received only α-lipoic acid. Thinner + Lipoic Acid group received thinner + α-lipoic acid and group T received only thinner. Thinner alone administration caused significant decreases in body and some reproductive organ weights, sperm count, motility and sperm membrane integrity, and significant increases in seminal vesicle weight and abnormal sperm rates compared with the values in the control group. However, concomitant administration of thinner with α-lipoic acid provided significant improvements in sperm parameters compared with values in alone group T.  In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that α-lipoic acid has a protective effect against thinner-induced reproductive dysfunction in male rats" - See alpha lipoic acid products at Amazon.com.  I assume that the thinner is something like this:
  • ScienceDirect - Toxicology Letters : Melatonin protects the central nervous system of rats against toluene-containing thinner intoxication by reducing reactive gliosis - Toxicology Letters, Volume 137, Issue 3, 3 February 2003, Pages 169-174 - "Thinner containing 60–70% toluene is a neurotoxic mixture which is widely used as an aromatic industrial solventThinner containing 60–70% toluene is a neurotoxic mixture which is widely used as an aromatic industrial solvent"
• Antioxidants of growing interest to address infertility, erectile dysfunction - Science Daily, 7/28/11 - "A growing body of evidence suggests that antioxidants may have significant value in addressing infertility issues in both women and men, including erectile dysfunction, and researchers say that large, specific clinical studies are merited to determine how much they could help ... Some commonly used antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, could help, Hagen said. But others, such as lipoic acid, are a little more cutting-edge and set up a biological chain reaction that has a more sustained impact on vasomotor function and health ... Polyphenols, the phytochemicals that often give vegetables their intense color and are also found in chocolate and tea, are also of considerable interest"
• Unhealthy lifestyle is associated with sexual dysfunction - Science Daily, 7/6/11 - "A new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine reveals that several unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as weight problems, physical inactivity, high alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and hard drugs are associated with sexual dysfunctions in men. Additionally, an unhealthy lifestyle is more common in persons who are sexually inactive ... Among those who had a sexual partner, risk of experiencing sexual dysfunction was greater in men who lead unhealthy lives by 71% in those with substantially increased waist circumference and more than 800% in men using hard drugs. Women who used hashish had almost 3 times increased risk of anorgasmia (difficulties or inability to reach climax during sexual activity with a partner) compared to non-users"
• Clinical Assessment of a Supplement of Pycnogenol® and l-arginine in Japanese Patients with Mild to Moderate Erectile Dysfunction - Phytother Res. 2011 May 27 - "Subjects were instructed to take a supplement (Pycnogenol® 60 mg/day, l-arginine 690 mg/day and aspartic acid 552 mg/day) or an identical placebo for 8 weeks, and the results were assessed using the five-item erectile domain (IIEF-5) of the International Index of Erectile Function. Additionally, blood biochemistry, urinalysis and salivary testosterone were measured. Eight weeks of supplement intake improved the total score of the IIEF-5. In particular, a marked improvement was observed in 'hardness of erection' and 'satisfaction with sexual intercourse'. A decrease in blood pressure, aspartate transaminase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), and a slight increase in salivary testosterone were observed in the supplement group. No adverse reactions were observed during the study period. In conclusion, Pycnogenol® in combination with l-arginine as a dietary supplement is effective and safe in Japanese patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction" - See Pycnogenol at Amazon.com, L-arginine products at Amazon.com and l-aspartic acid at Amazon.com.
• Erectile dysfunction association with physical activity level and physical fitness in men aged 40-75 years - Int J Impot Res. 2011 May 12 - "This study showed that younger men with higher physical activity and better physical fitness are less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Multivariable analysis through logistic regression showed that age (odds ratio (OD)=1.15; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.07-1.23), physical activity (OD=10.38; 95% CI=3.94-27.39) and physical fitness (OD=4.62; 95% CI=1.75-12.25) were independent variables associated with erectile dysfunction. This study reinforces the concept that healthy habits have a direct effect on erectile function"
• Natural aphrodisiacs: 'Spicing' up your love life possible, finds study of ginseng and saffron - Science Daily, 3/28/11 - "Ours is the most thorough scientific review to date. Nothing has been done on this level of detail before now ... They found that panax ginseng, saffron and yohimbine, a natural chemical from yohimbe trees in West Africa, improved human sexual function ... People report increased sexual desire after eating muira puama"
• Fenugreek extract shows male libido boost: Human RCT - Nutra USA, 2/16/11 - "A formulation containing a standardized extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum and minerals was associated with an improvement in libido for 81 percent of the men in the study, and a 63 percent improvement in the ‘quality of sexual performance’, compared with no such improvements in the placebo group"  - See Fenugeek products at iHerb.
• Physiological Aspects of Male Libido Enhanced by Standardized Trigonella foenum-graecum Extract and Mineral Formulation - Phytother Res. 2011 Feb 10 - "The aim of the clinical study was to evaluate the effect of Testofen, a standardized Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) extract and mineral formulation, on male libido (sexual drive, urge or desire) in a double blind randomized placebo controlled study. The study recruited 60 healthy males aged between 25 and 52, without erectile dysfunction and randomized to an oral dose (two tablets per day) of the active treatment (600 mg Testofen per day) or placebo for 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the DISF-SR (male) self-administered QOL total score and the four domain scores. The secondary outcome was specific quality of life parameters. Testofen had an overall positive effect on physiological aspects of libido. In particular, there was a significant increase in the subdomains of sexual arousal and orgasm. Testofen had a positive effect on QOL in self-reported satisfaction with muscle strength, energy and well-being but did not have an effect on mood or sleep. Serum prolactin and testosterone levels remained within the reference range. It was concluded that Testofen demonstrated a significant positive effect on physiological aspects of libido and may assist to maintain normal healthy testosterone levels" - See Fenugeek products at iHerb.
• Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction - Urology. 2011 Jan;77(1):119-22 - "L-arginine supplementation improves nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation and endothelial function; however, oral administration has been hampered by extensive presystemic metabolism. In contrast, L-citrulline escapes presystemic metabolism and is converted to L-arginine, thus setting the rationale for oral L-citrulline supplementation as a donor for the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway of penile erection ... A total of 24 patients, mean age 56.5 +/- 9.8 years, were entered and concluded the study without adverse events. The improvement in the erection hardness score from 3 (mild ED) to 4 (normal erectile function) occurred in 2 (8.3%) of the 24 men when taking placebo and 12 (50%) of the 24 men when taking L-citrulline (P < .01). The mean number of intercourses per month increased from 1.37 +/- 0.93 at baseline to 1.53 +/- 1.00 at the end of the placebo phase (P = .57) and 2.3 +/- 1.37 at the end of the treatment phase (P < .01). All patients reporting an erection hardness score improvement from 3 to 4 reported being very satisfied" - See L-citrulline at Amazon.com.
• Increasing BPA levels in urine associated with worsening male sexual function, study finds - Science Daily, 5/26/10 - "Increasing urine BPA level is associated with decreased sexual desire, more difficulty having an erection, lower ejaculation strength and lower level of overall satisfaction with sex life" - See stainless steel water bottles at Amazon.com.
• Lack of omega-3 fatty acid linked to male infertility, study suggests - Science Daily, 4/12/10 - "In our experiment, we used 'knockout' mice that lacked the gene responsible for an enzyme important in making docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the absence of DHA, male mice are basically infertile, producing few if any misshaped sperm that can't get where they need to go ... But, when DHA was introduced into the diet, fertility was completely restored. "It was very striking. When we fed the mice DHA, all these abnormalities were prevented,"" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• A new herbal combination, Etana, for enhancing erectile function: an efficacy and safety study in animals - Int J Impot Res. 2009 Jun 4 - "a new herbal combination called Etana that is composed of five herbal extracts including Panax quinquelotius (Ginseng), Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali), Epimedium grandiflorum (Horny goat weed), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) and flower pollen extracts. Most of the above-mentioned extracts have a long historical and traditional use for erectile dysfunction (ED) ... penile erection index (PEI) ... At a 7.5 mg kg(-1) single dose, the percentage of responding rats was 53+/-7 with a PEI of 337+/-72 compared with 17+/-6 with a PEI of 30+/-10 for control animals. This PEI was significantly (P<0.001) higher than each single component and than the sum of any two herbal components of Etana. When compared with sildenafil citrate, Etana induced more pronounced PEI than 0.36 mg kg(-1), but similar to 0.71 mg kg(-1) of sildenafil. Furthermore, full acute and sub-acute toxicity studies showed no toxic effects of Etana. In conclusion, this study describes a new and safe combination of herbal components that enhance erectile function in male rats"
• Talking And Treating Erectile Dysfunction - Science Daily, 2/4/09 - "Stop smoking ... Control cholesterol ... Cut back on fat"
• Ingredient in Chinese Herb Acts as a Natural Viagra - WebMD, 9/26/08 - "the main compound in horny goat weed, called icariin, acted the same way that Viagra does" - See horny goat weed products at iHerb.
• Antioxidant treatment with alpha-tocopherol improves erectile function in hypertensive rats - Hypertens Res. 2008 May;31(5):1007-13 - "Treatment with 24 mg alpha-tocopherol decreased TBARS levels and increased SOD activity in the serum and corpus cavernosum. Relaxation in response to acetylcholine chloride in the corpus cavernosum was improved with alpha-tocopherol treatment at each dose. These results suggest that alpha-tocopherol treatment increases the diminished relaxation in the corpus cavernosum of SHRs by improving neuronal or endothelial function related to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. This, in turn, indicates that antioxidant therapy may play a role in treatment for ED in hypertensive patients"
• Berries and pomegranate - the ultimate Valentine's combo? - Nutra USA, 2/14/08 - "The results of this study demonstrated, for the first time, that daily consumption of PJ for seven weeks caused increased spermatogenic cell density, epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility and decreased abnormal sperm rate related with decreased lipid peroxidation in male rats ... Forty-seven per cent of subjects reported erections improvements as a result of pomegranate juice, compared to only 32 per cent in the placebo group" - See pomegranate at Amazon.com.
• Regular Exercise Can Help Prevent Impotence - WebMD, 8/22/03 - "men over age 50 who kept physically active had a 30% lower risk of impotence than men who were inactive ... The fitter the man, the better the erection. Frequent, vigorous exercise, the equivalent of running at least three hours a week or playing singles tennis five hours per week, produced the most benefit -- with a 30% lower risk of impotence"

Other Information:

• Simvastatin Improves Sexual Health QoL in Older Men With ED - Medscape, 5/26/14 - "Our secondary analysis has shown a significant improvement in sexual health related quality of life, specifically in relation to perception of control and emotional health in men with untreated ED given 40 mg simvastatin [Zocor] for six months"
• As Statins Boost Erectile Function, Adherence May Rise Too - Medscape, 3/29/14 - "In men who took statins, erectile-function scores increased by 3.4 points, from 14.0 to 17.4 points—a 24.3% increase. The increase in erectile-function score was about one-third to one-half of that reported with phosphodiesterase inhibitors, such as sildenafil (Viagra, Pfizer), tadalafil (Cialis, Lilly), or vardenafil (Levitra, Bayer/GlaxoSmithKline), and larger than the effect of lifestyle modification or testosterone" - [Science Daily]
• Effect of Selective Alpha-blocker Tamsulosin on Erectile Function in Patients With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia - Urology. 2013 May 25 - "randomized single blinded study in one-to-one fashion conducted upon 60 patients, all of them married, between May 2010 and May 2011 ... Tamsulosin HCl capsules showed a significant statistical improvement in the erectile function, sexual desire, and intercourse satisfaction score with significant improvement in total IIEF in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms because of benign prostatic hyperplasia" - Note: Tamsulosin is Flomax.
• Erectile dysfunction may be the first clinical sign of insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction in young men - Clin Res Cardiol. 2013 May 17 - "192 patients and 33 normal controls were enrolled. ED was evaluated by using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire ... Patients with ED had significantly higher levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), high Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), compared with controls"
• Limited effect of testosterone treatment for erectile dysfunction caused by high-estrogen levels in rats - Int J Impot Res. 2013 May 2 - "testosterone treatment did not improve the ED caused by high-estrogen levels" - Note:  One of the problems with testosterone replacement is that it increases estrogen (percentage wise) as much as testosterone.
• Losartan Improves Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetic Patients - Medscape, 12/3/12 - "In this study, we found that diabetic patients suffering from ED were responsive to the losartan treatment. The IIEF-5 scores, the percentage of positive answers to the SEP-2, SEP-3 and GAQ after treatment are all significantly increased as compared with baseline and the end point of control groups. The analysis of our study also indicated that losartan worked better in mild and moderate ED than severe cases. It is consistent with our previous studies, which shows that losartan can downregulate the local expression of AT1 and Ang II, but it cannot elevate the reduced smooth muscle/collagen ratio in diabetic rats [7,8] We believe that the losartan may not completely reverse the severe damaged penile tissues due to diabetes" - Note:  It says that's the first study in diabetics but I've read several studies over the years supporting losartan and ED.  See my ARB page.  It would seem that it would extend to the entire ARB class of antihypertensives but I haven't seen studies on that.  See losartan (Cozaar) OffshoreRx1.com.
• Metabolic Syndrome: A Potential and Independent Risk Factor for Erectile Dysfunction in the Chinese Male Population - Urology. 2012 Oct 4 - "our results showed that subjects with MetS had a significantly greater risk of ED (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.04-1.72; P = .02), especially in middle-age (40-59 years) men (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.71-3.47; P <.001). Of the MetS components, abnormal fasting blood glucose was the most significantly independent factor of MetS for ED (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11-1.55; P = .002)"
• Losartan improves erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients: a clinical trial - Int J Impot Res. 2012 Aug 30 - "A total of 124 diabetic patients with ED were included in this study and treated with losartan or tadalafil or losartan plus tadalafil or watch for waiting as control for 12 weeks ... Losartan or tadalafil or losartan plus tadalafil significantly improved the mean IIEF-5 scores ... The combination of losartan and tadalafil is more effective than the single-use of losartan or tadalafil" - See losartan and tadalafil at OffshoreRx1.com.
• Sexual, Urological Disorders Linked to Waist Size - Medscape, 8/2/12 - "The researchers divided the men into 3 groups based on WCs of less than 90 cm (<36 inches; 153 men), 90 to 99 cm (36 - 39 inches; 137 men), and more than 100 cm (39+ inches; 119 men), to determine whether WC could be a simple metric to predict LUTS prevalence. Median age for all men was 57.6 years ... The overall prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms as measured by the IPSS did not differ significantly among the three WC groups ... "Sexual dysfunction significantly differed with WC. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increased from 32.1% to 74.5% as WC increased (P = 0.001). The prevalence of ejaculatory dysfunction also increased from 21.4% to 64.7% as WC increased (P = 0.002)," they continue. In addition, the prevalence of ejaculatory dysfunction went up from 21.4% to 64.7% for the same groupings"
• Association of metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis risk factors, sex hormones in ED in aboriginal Taiwanese - Int J Impot Res. 2012 Apr 12 - "International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire ... Using age-adjusted multivariate logistic regressive analysis, this study showed that aboriginal males with ED had a significantly higher prevalence of MS (OR=12.02, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 6.33-22.83, P<0.001). Among the MS components, abnormal fasting blood sugar was the most significantly independent factor for ED in aboriginal males (OR=8.94, 95% CI: 4.71-16.97, P<0.001). The presence of MS had a significant correlation with lower IIEF-5 scores, lower sexual desire scores, lower testosterone serum level (P<0.01) and abnormal interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP). The results of this study support the idea that MS, low serum testosterone and HsCRP may predict ED in aboriginal Taiwanese males" - See metformin at The Antiaging Store.
• Serum testosterone levels in diabetic men with and without erectile dysfunction - Andrologia. 2012 Apr 4 - "TT was lower in diabetic men with ED as compared to those with normal erectile function (EF), 392.4 +/- 314.9 versus 524.3 +/- 140.2 ng dl(-1) , respectively ... Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of TT in men without associated co-morbidities showed that EF was compromised at TT = 403.5 ng dl(-1) or less. Sensitivity of 63.3% and a specificity of 94.0% were detected. At this level, ED was found in 33/38 (86.8%) men with TT 403.5 ng dl(-1) , whereas ED was observed in 57/147 (38.8%) men with TT ≥ 403.5 ng dl(-1) (P < 0.0001). We propose a cut-off value of 403.5 ng dl(-1) of TT blood levels as an indicator for initiation of testosterone replacement therapy in diabetic men with ED. Further prospective controlled trials are recommended"
• Do Glaucoma, Erectile Dysfunction Have a Common Cause? - Medscape, 2/7/12 - "Men with erectile dysfunction (ED) have a nearly 3-fold greater risk for also having open-angle glaucoma (OAG) than men with normal erectile function ... The study suggests that OAG and ED appear to have a common mechanism of endothelial dysfunction related to nitric oxide"
• A jolt to the penis may cure impotence - MSNBC, 10/28/11
• The Relationships between Sex Hormones and Sexual Function in Middle-Aged and Older European Men - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Aug 17 - "The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and sexual function in a multicenter population-based study of aging in men ... Total and free T, but not E2 or DHT, was associated with overall sexual function in middle-aged and older men. E2 was the only hormone associated with sexual function-related distress such that higher levels were related to greater distress. Free T levels were associated with masturbation frequency and erectile dysfunction in the fully adjusted models, such that higher T was associated with less dysfunction and greater frequency. Moreover, there was a T threshold for the relationship between total T, sexual function, and erectile dysfunction. At T concentrations of 8 nmol/liter or less, T was associated with worse sexual functioning, whereas at T levels over 8 nmol/liter, the relationship came to a plateau. Conclusions: These findings suggest that different hormonal mechanisms may regulate sexual functioning (T) vs. the psychological aspects (E2) of male sexual behavior. Moreover, there was a T threshold for overall sexual function such that at levels greater than 8 nmol/liter the relationship between T and sexual function did not become stronger"
• Weight Loss Improves Erections in Obese Men With Diabetes - Medscape, 8/10/11 - "For the study, researchers recruited obese men who had body mass indexes (BMIs), a number calculated from weight and height, of greater than 30 and waist sizes over 40 inches ... The average age of men in the study was 60 ... men were randomly assigned to either a low-calorie diet, where two daily meals were replaced by weight loss shakes, or to a higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate eating plan ... In the healthy eating plan, which focused on three meals of lean protein, five daily servings of vegetables, and two daily servings of whole grain carbohydrates and fruit, was designed to shave about 600 daily calories off what the men would normally eat ... After eight weeks, the men on the low-calorie meal replacement diets were switched to the healthy eating plan, and all continued to be followed for a year ... After eight weeks on the diets, the men on the low-calorie plan had lost about twice as much weight as the men on the healthy eating plan, 20 pounds vs. 11 pounds ... But they had similar improvements in erectile function, sexual desire, and urinary symptoms ... Of the 17 men with severe erectile dysfunction, Wittert says that after eight weeks, seven had improvements in their symptoms, with some achieving normal function. After a year, 25% had normal erectile function"
• Sexual health of men with chronic heart failure significantly improves with CRT, study finds - Science Daily, 6/3/11
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Erectile Dysfunction - Science Daily, 3/2/11 - "After controlling for age, race, ethnicity, smoking status, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol and body mass index, the researchers found that ED was 1.4 times more likely -- a modest risk -- among regular NSAID users compared to men who did not take the drugs regularly. This association was consistent across all age groups"
• Does a replacement or revision of an inflatable penile prosthesis lead to decreased patient satisfaction? - Int J Impot Res. 2011 Feb 10 - "Approximately 58.3% were satisfied with their prosthesis, 75% would have the surgery performed again and 91.7% would still recommend prosthesis surgery. Device malfunction was the primary reason for replacement/removal at our institution. Despite the complications of prosthesis reoperation, the majority of patients were still satisfied with their prosthesis, would have the surgery performed again and would recommend prosthesis surgery to a friend"
• Drugs for hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia may result in loss of libido, erectile dysfunction in men - Science Daily, 1/11/11 - "5a-reductase inhibitors (5a-RIs), while improving urinary symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and possible hair loss prevention, produces significant adverse effects in some individuals including loss of libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), ejaculatory dysfunction and potential depression" - Note:  That goes back and forth.  One study claimed that finasteride improved sex after after six months of taking it.  Regarding gynaecomastia, if you're taking low dose letrozole to increase testosterone and to prevent aromatization it many also help prevent gynaecomastia.
  • Prostate Drug May Not Dim Sex - WebMD, 6/26/07 - "Six months after the men started taking their assigned drugs, the survey scores were about three points higher for the men taking Proscar. By the end of the study, that gap narrowed to about two points"
  • Prostate Drug Doesn't Limit Sexual Function In Most Men - Science Daily, 7/19/07 - "The study suggests that finasteride will cause little or no sexual dysfunction for most men who decide to take it"
  • Ask a Medical Question - Can letrozole cure gynecomastia - JustAnswer - "Letrozole may be effective in preventing and reversing the gynaecomastia provided it is used early enough in steroid induced gynaecomastia" - See letrozole at OffshoreRx1.com.  I believe the recommended dose is something like a quarter tablet every three days but don't quote me on it.  That's what I take.
• Patients' preference in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a critical review of the literature - Int J Impot Res. 2010 Dec 30 - "the majority of the patients preferred tadalafil versus either vardenafil or sildenafil" - See tadalafil at OffshoreRx1.com.
• Effects of sildenafil and vardenafil treatments on sleep quality and depression in hemodialysis patients with erectile dysfunction - Int J Impot Res. 2011 Jan 6 - "Sleep quality and depression were evaluated via post-sleep inventory (PSI) and Beck's depression inventory (BDI), respectively, at baseline and at the end of the treatment. Sildenafil and vardenafil both improved PSI and BDI scores significantly compared with pretreatment values. However, there was no difference between sildenafil and vardenafil with respect to these parameters"
• Obesity may harm your sexual health, study suggests - Science Daily, 6/15/10 - "obese women were 30% less likely to have had a sexual partner in the last 12 months. Obese men were 70% less likely to have had more than one sexual partner in the same period and were two and half times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction"
• Link established between erectile dysfunction and calcified coronary arteries - Science Daily, 6/1/10 - "men with ED had a 54 percent greater likelihood of having a high-risk CACS than men without ED. The increased risk was similar to that of patients with a history of hypertension and smoking"
• Erectile dysfunction and increased dangers of cardiovascular disease - Science Daily, 4/25/10 - "men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone have a higher than normal risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Further work from the same research group shows that obesity is also associated with an impairment of blood flow to the penis, which in turn is also associated with cardiovascular disease in men with erectile dysfunction ... Low testosterone itself was not associated with major cardiac events, but those patients with the lowest testosterone who had a major cardiac event were significantly more likely to die than those with higher levels of testosterone (P<0.001; the risk is increased by a factor of seven ... In a second study (but using the same group of patients as above), the group showed that the degree of obesity, along with erectile dysfunction, were significantly and independently associated with cardiac events"
• Efficacy of testosterone gel in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in hypogonadal hemodialysis patients: a pilot study - Int J Impot Res. 2009 Nov 19 - "T administration significantly increased serum T levels to the normal range, and was associated with statistically significant improvements of the scores of the IIEF domains (erectile function from 7.6+/-8.0 to 12.8+/-7.8; intercourse satisfaction from 3.4+/-4.5 to 4.8+/-3.1; orgasmic function from 4.8+/-3.1 to 3.4+/-2.9; sexual desire from 3.4+/-2.9 to 4.4+/-0.6; overall sexual satisfaction from 2.6+/-1.3 to 3.8+/-1.0). But scores of the IIEF did not normalize. Frequency of weekly sexual intercourse increased from 0.4+/-0.4 to 1.1+/-0.8 (P<0.05) after 6 months. There were no adverse effects" - Note:  One problem with testosterone administration is that it increased estradiol by about the same percentage.  I'm 60 years old and my testosterone was above the limits just by taking a half tablet of letrozole per day.  I've cut it to a quarter tablet but haven't had it rechecked.  Letrozole has been shown to double or triple testosterone and lower estrogen at the same time.  Some studies indicate that you might want to keep estrogen around 25 for men.  See letrozole at OffshoreRx1.com.  See:
  • Androgel prescribing information - androgel.com - "Serum estradiol (E2) concentrations increased significantly within 30 days of starting treatment with AndroGel 5 or 10 g/day and remained elevated throughout the treatment period but remained within the normal range for eugonadal men"
  • High, Low Estradiol Levels and Mortality in Men With Systolic HF - Medscape, 5/19/09 - "Both low and high serum levels of estradiol, compared with mid-range levels, are significantly and independently associated with increased all-cause mortality in men with chronic systolic heart failure"
  • Short-term aromatase inhibition: effects on glucose metabolism and serum leptin levels in young and elderly men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 Dec 2 - "Ten elderly and nine young healthy men were randomized to receive letrozole 2.5 mg daily or placebo for 28 days in a crossover design. Results: Both in young and elderly men, active treatment significantly increased serum testosterone (+128 and +99%, resp.) and decreased estradiol levels (-41 and -62%, resp.). Fasting glucose and insulin levels decreased in young men after active intervention (-7 and -37%, resp.) compared to placebo. Leptin levels fell markedly in both age groups (-24 and -25%, resp.), while adiponectin levels were not affected by the intervention. Lipid profile was slightly impaired in both groups, with increasing LDL-cholesterol levels (+14%) in the younger age group and 10% lower levels of ApoA1 in the elderly. A decline in IGF-1 levels (-15%) was observed in the younger age group. No changes in weight or BMI were observed in either young or old men"
  • Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended"
  • Comparative assessment in young and elderly men of the gonadotropin response to aromatase inhibition - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Oct;90(10):5717-22 - "As assessed after 28 d of treatment, letrozole lowered E2 by 46% in the young men (P = 0.002) and 62% in the elderly men (P < 0.001). In both age groups, letrozole, but not placebo, significantly increased LH levels (339 and 323% in the young and the elderly, respectively) and T (146 and 99%, respectively) (P value of young vs. elderly was not significant). Under letrozole, peak LH response to GnRH was 152 and 52% increase from baseline in young and older men, respectively"
  • Letrozole normalizes serum testosterone in severely obese men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005 May;7(3):211-5 - "Six weeks of treatment decreased serum estradiol from 120 +/- 20 to 70 +/- 9 pmol/l (p = 0.006). None of the subjects developed an estradiol level of less than 40 pmol/l. LH increased from 4.5 +/- 0.8 to 14.8 +/- 2.3 U/l (p < 0.001). Total testosterone rose from 7.5 +/- 1.0 to 23.8 +/- 3.0 nmol/l (p < 0.001) without a concomitant change in sex hormone-binding globulin level. Those treated with Letrozole 17.5 mg per week had an excessive LH response"
• The effect of chronic antipsychotic drug administration on nitric oxide synthase activity and gene expression in rat penile tissues - Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2009 Nov 13 - "Antipsychotic drug treatment may be associated with common and problematic sexual dysfunction, especially impotence, which can diminish quality of life and lead to treatment noncompliance. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is an important cellular modulator of erectile function. We have therefore investigated the effect of antipsychotic drug on activity and gene expression of NOS in rat penile tissues. The activity of constitutive NOS was significantly suppressed below control by a 21days administration of 1mg/kg haloperidol, which also significantly decreased expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neural NOS mRNA. Risperidone at 0.5mg/kg also reduced eNOS mRNA expression. Haloperidol or risperidone did not change gene expression and activity of inducible NOS (iNOS). Quetiapine significantly increased activity and mRNA expression of iNOS with 20 and 40mg/kg doses"
• Study: High Bisphenol A ( BPA) Linked to Sex Problems in Men - Science Daily, 11/11/09 - "Compared to the unexposed factory workers in the study, BPA-exposed workers were four times more likely to report erectile dysfunction, low sexual desire, and less than optimal satisfaction with their sex lives. They were seven times more likely to report problems with ejaculation ... BPA has been used for more than three decades to make plastic bottles and other products shatter resistant and clear. It is also used in the lining of many canned foods and a wide range of other commercial goods"
• Erectile function in men with diabetes type 2: correlation with glycemic control - Int J Impot Res. 2009 Sep 17 - "the level of HbA(1c) is significantly higher with declining degrees of potency (P-value=0.003). Also, there is an association between potency degree and glycemic control (P=0.002). We conclude that glycemic control is independently and inversely associated with ED in men with diabetes type 2"
• Link Between Erectile Dysfunction And Obesity Explored In Obesity And Weight Management - Science Daily, 8/25/09 - "Obese men are at increased risk for erectile dysfunction (ED), likely caused by atherosclerosis-related hypertension and cardiovascular disease, as well as hormonal changes associated with obesity"
• alpha-Blocker Use Is Associated With Decreased Risk of Sexual Dysfunction - Urology. 2009 May 8 - "Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) ... alpha-Blocker use was associated with a decreased risk of sexual dysfunction across all domains for men >/=50 years old (age-adjusted hazard ratio 0.53-0.69). A decreased risk of erectile dysfunction and low libido remained significant only among those using alpha-blockers who also experienced an improvement in LUTS (P = .01)"
• The relationship of serum and salivary cortisol levels to male sexual dysfunction as measured by the International Index of Erectile Function - Int J Impot Res. 2009 May 7 - "testosterone (T) and cortisol (F) ... (Total-T, Free-T, Bioavailable-T, Total-F and Bioavailable-F) and salivary hormones (Saliva-T and Saliva-F) ... International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) ... Free-T and Bioavailable-T showed significant inverse correlations with age (P<0.01). In the group not taking antidepressants, the levels of Bioavailable-F and Saliva-F showed significant inverse correlations with a portion of the IIEF score (P<0.05). However, reductions in Bioavailable-T and Saliva-T showed no association with the IIEF score. In the group taking antidepressants, these hormone levels showed no correlation with IIEF"
• Major Statin Study Reveals Several Important Findings For Reducing Prostate Cancer And Disease - Science Daily, 4/26/09 - "non-statin users were three times more likely to develop prostate cancer, suggesting statin use may prevent development of prostate cancer ... Overall, statin use was not significantly associated with a decreased risk of developing ED. However, statins were associated with a decreased risk of ED among older men (>60 years). Men in this age category who used statins were less likely to develop ED, compared to older men who did not use statins. Additionally, men who took statins for a longer time were more protected against developing ED. For example, men who took statins for nearly nine years or more were 64 percent less likely to develop ED, while men who took statins for less than three years had about the same risk of developing ED. compared to men who did not take statins" - See atorvastatin at OffshoreRx1.com.
• Tadalafil Response in Patients With Erectile Dysfunction Is Androgen Dependent - Doctor's Guide, 3/23/09 - "Testosterone gel therapy significantly improves the response to tadalafil in nonresponding patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) -- but only if they have total testosterone levels of less than 3 ng/mL or bioavailable testosterone levels of less than 0.6 ng/mL"
• Statin study: Lower cholesterol, diminished joy of sex linked - USA Today, 3/5/09 - "In the study, sexual pleasure sank along with LDL levels ... Some studies have found that statins improve sexual function, probably because the pills can improve blood flow to the genital area, Golomb says. But she says the drugs also may reduce Coenzyme Q10, a nutrient that helps cells convert oxygen, blood and glucose into energy. "Orgasm is a high-energy activity," so losing the nutrient could weaken sexual pleasure, she says" - See ubiquinol products at Amazon.com.
• Obesity Linked To Hormone Imbalance That Impacts Sexual Quality Of Life - Science Daily, 3/3/09 - "In our study population, we found that lower testosterone levels and diminished ratings for sexual quality of life were correlated with increased BMI ... Subjects who lost weight through bariatric surgery experienced a reduction in estradiol levels, an increase in testosterone levels and an increase in ratings of sexual quality of life" - See my aromatization page.  Another way to increase testosterone and decrease estradiol is with letrozole.  I take a quarter tablet every other day.
  • Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended" - See Femara (letrozole) at OffshoreRX.
• Sex Is In The Brain, Whether It Be Lack Of Sexual Interest Or Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder - Science Daily, 3/2/09
• Younger Men With Erectile Dysfunction At Double Risk Of Heart Disease - Science Daily, 2/2/09
• Association of Sexual Dysfunction With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms of BPH and BPH Medical Therapies: Results From the BPH Registry - Urology. 2009 Jan 21 - "The severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has correlated with erectile dysfunction (ED) and ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD) ... The alpha(1A)-subtype nonsuperselective quinazoline alpha(1)-blockers alfuzosin, doxazosin, and terazosin appeared to be associated with better ejaculatory function than were the alpha(1A)-subtype superselective sulfonamide alpha(1)-blocker tamsulosin, 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, and alpha(1)-blocker plus 5alpha-reductase inhibitor combination therapy"
• Testosterone Gel Monotherapy Improves Sexual Function of Hypogonadal Men Mainly Through Restoring Erection: Evaluation by IIEF Score - Urology. 2008 Dec 30 - "After 3 months of testosterone gel therapy for the hypogonadal men, the most beneficial effect on sexual function was erectile function, with sexual desire and orgasmic satisfaction insignificantly affected. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study have shown that transdermal testosterone gel treatment for hypogonadal patients can improve their sexual dysfunction mainly through restoring erectile function"
• Sexuality and the management of BPH with alfuzosin (SAMBA) trial - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Dec 11 - "Alfuzosin for the treatment of patients with BPH is effective in improving sexual function, as well as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) and quality of life, and is well tolerated"
• Testosterone Gel Addition Benefits Men With Erectile Dysfunction Who Do Not Respond to PDE5s Alone if Testosterone Levels Are Low - Doctor's Guide, 12/10/08 - "Addition of testosterone gel to improve efficacy of the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor tadalafil in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) shows significant improvements for those with a serum testosterone level <=3 ng/mL at baseline"
• Erectile Dysfunction in Men With Congenital Heart Disease - Am J Cardiol. 2008 Dec 15;102(12):1728-1730 - "beta blockers ... Men on BB were 3.13 times more likely to report ED"
• Early endothelial dysfunction as a marker of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction in young habitual cannabis users - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Nov-Dec;20(6):566-73 - "We conclude that early endothelial damage may be induced by chronic cannabis use (and endocannabinoid system activation); insulin resistance may be the hallmark of early endothelial dysfunction and may concur to determine vascular ED in the absence of obesity"
• Obesity Linked to Erectile Dysfunction - WebMD, 10/31/08 - "conditions related to obesity, particularly hypertension (or high blood pressure), are the most significant causes of obesity-related erectile dysfunction. Abnormal penile blood flow was found to be linked to high blood pressure"
• Erectile Dysfunction Lower In Men Who Have Intercourse More Often - Science Daily, 7/2/08
• Effect of irbesartan on erectile function in patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Jul 3 - "Erectile function increased significantly (P<0.0001) after 6 months of treatment with irbesartan, irrespective of dosage and independent of additional treatment with hydrochlorothiazide. Prevalence of ED declined to 63.7% from 78.5% at baseline, along with a significant increase in orgasmic function (P<0.001) and intercourse satisfaction (P<0.001). Treatment with irbesartan alone, as well as in combination with hydrochlorothiazide is associated with an improvement of sexual desire, frequency of sexual contacts and erectile function in hypertensive patients with the metabolic syndrome. These results suggest a beneficial role of angiotensin receptor antagonists in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, and ED" - Note:  I've been suggesting telmisartan (an ARB) for some time as the first line treatment for hypertension.  See telmisartan at OffshoreRX.
• Testosterone Gel Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Sexual Function in Hypogonadal Men With Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome - Doctor's Guide, 6/20/08 - "Among patients with type 2 diabetes with or without metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance as measured by HOMA-IR improved from baseline in the testosterone-treated group compared with placebo at 6 months (testosterone: -0.62, placebo: +0.16; P = .049) and at 12 months (testosterone: -.58 ... Patients receiving testosterone also achieved more than a 5-point improvement over placebo-treated patients on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) at 6 months (P < .05) and more than 6 points over placebo-treated patients at 12 months"
• Low Testosterone May Cause Health Problems That Lead To Erectile Dysfunction - Science Daily, 6/16/08 - "It is becoming clear that obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and erectile difficulties are intertwined, and a common denominator is testosterone deficiency"
• Erectile Dysfunction May Signal A Broken Heart - Science Daily, 5/20/08
• Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for erectile dysfunction in men with adult-onset diabetes mellitus - Urology. 2008 May;71(5):897-900 - "Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) ... those with HHcy had 5.2 times the odds of vasculogenic ED compared with men without HHcy"
• Erectile Dysfunction in Patients with Hyper- and Hypothyroidism: how Common and Should We Treat? - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Feb 12 - "ED was more prevalent in patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism compared to controls ... ED is extremely common in males with dysthyroidism. Treatment of the latter restores erectile function"
• Erectile dysfunction is associated with low bioactive testosterone levels and visceral adiposity in men with type 2 diabetes - Int J Androl. 2007 Nov;30(6):500-7 - "ED is associated with low bioavailable and free testosterone levels, age, visceral adiposity and hypertension in type 2 diabetic men"
• Epilepsy Drugs May Cause Sexual Disorders - Science Daily, 10/29/07
• Erectile Dysfunction Linked To Smoking - Science Daily, 7/27/07 - "An estimated 22.7 percent of erectile dysfunction cases among Chinese men might be attributable to cigarette smoking"
• Inflammation, Metabolic Syndrome, Erectile Dysfunction, and Coronary Artery Disease: Common Links - Eur Urol. 2007 Aug 13 - "Increased circulating levels of inflammatory and endothelial-prothrombotic compounds are related to the presence and severity of ED"
• The prevalence of newly diagnosed hyperlipidaemia in men with erectile dysfunction - BJU Int. 2007 Jun 6 - "This study shows the high prevalence of undiagnosed hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia in men presenting with ED"
• Erectile Dysfunction and Hypertension - Medscape, 5/24/07
• ED Drugs May Treat Urinary Problems - WebMD, 5/23/07 - "Sexual performance in men seems to decline as their prostate enlargement becomes more severe, experts have begun to notice ... A once-a-day dose of Cialis helped men with erectile dysfunction and moderate to severe urinary tract symptoms due to an enlarged prostate improve sexual functioning" - See tadalafil at OffshoreRx1.com.
• The role of nitric oxide in erectile dysfunction: implications for medical therapy - J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2006 Dec;8(12 Suppl 4):53-62 - "Impaired NO bioactivity is a major pathogenic mechanism of erectile dysfunction" - See my nitric oxide page for ways to increase it.
• Testosterone use in men with sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials - Mayo Clin Proc. 2007 Jan;82(1):20-8 - "Testosterone use in men is associated with small improvements in satisfaction with erectile function and moderate improvements in libido"
• The effects of quinapril and atorvastatin on the responsiveness to sildenafil in men with erectile dysfunction - Vasc Med. 2006 Nov;11(4):251-7 - "International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire ... Compared to placebo, quinapril (p < 0.01) significantly improved symptoms of ED as measured by the IIEF-5 questionnaire. There was a trend toward a significant improvement in IIEF-5 with atorvastatin" - See atorvastatin at OffshoreRx1.com.
• Getting to The Heart Of ED - washingtonpost.com. 3/13/07
• Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Association with Erectile Dysfunction Among Urologic Patients: Metabolic Backgrounds of Erectile Dysfunction - Urology. 2007 Jan 30 - "waist circumference (WC) and triglyceride (TG) ... MS was strongly associated with ED. Fasting blood glucose levels, hypertension, and WC are the most significant risk factors predicting the risk of ED. A more pronounced increase in ED risk in the presence of abdominal obesity, together with altered TG and HDL cholesterol levels, may indicate a special metabolic background of ED regarding lipid metabolism"