Health Alert 295
Your doctor probably won’t tell you this when he prescribes it, but there are over 200 prescription medications that cause erectile dysfunction (ED). In fact, some of the most popular medications have strong and direct links to ED.
You may be one of the 30 million men suffering from this most common problem.(1) I see it daily in my practice. It’s particularly troubling to me when these men are so surprised when I tell them their medication is causing the problem.
Sadly, most of these men don’t need the drug to begin with. And few would have opted to take it had they been informed of the side effect in advance.
Today, I’ll give you some insight into the connection between the most damaging medications and your sexual performance.
Drugs cause more than 25% of all ED. The biggest offenders are antidepressants, beta-blockers, cholesterol lowering medications and cold medicines like Benadryl.
Popular statin drugs, like Zocor, have proven links to ED. Recent studies in Europe and Australia show that men taking statins experience a lack of sexual performance and desire.(2)
In spite of drug makers telling you that your cholesterol levels should be lower and lower, you could not live without an abundant supply of cholesterol in your blood. The basis of all your hormones – including the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen – depend on cholesterol.
Considering that statin drugs prevent your body from making cholesterol, it’s not hard to see why ED becomes a problem. Without enough testosterone, you won’t feel manly – in the bedroom or anywhere.
Nicotine is another drug to avoid. Smokers have more trouble with ED than just about any other group I know of. Smoking constricts your blood vessels and damages their sensitive lining. And you know what decreased blood flow means…
Here are the most common culprits of drug-induced ED:
|
Class of Drug: |
Used to Treat: |
Common Examples: |
| Beta-Blockers | High Blood Pressure | Lopressor, Norvasc |
| Statins | High Cholesterol | Zocor, Lipitor |
| NSAIDs | Pain and Inflammation | Advil, Motrin |
| Antidepressants | Anxiety and Depression | Prozac, Zoloft |
| Antihistamines | Cold and Sinus | Benadryl, Dramamine |
| Muscle Relaxants | Joint and Muscle Pain | Norflex |
| Antiulcer/GERD Agents | Ulcers | Zantac, Pepcid |
| Alcohol | Recreational | Beer, Wine, Liquor |
| Street Drugs | Recreational, Abuse | Cocaine, Marijuana |
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
(1) Gaines KK. “Recently approved drugs for erectile dysfunction.” Urol Nurs 2004; 24(1): 46-48.
(2) Rizvi K and others. Do lipid-lowering drugs cause erectile dysfunction? A systematic review. Family Practice 19 (1):95-8, 2002