Exercise found to be nearly as good as Viagra in overcoming erectile dysfunction

Three medical researchers have found that many men experiencing erectile dysfunction can overcome much of their problem simply by doing aerobic exercise. In their research, report in Sexual medicine journalMohit Khera, Samir Bhattacharyya, and Larry Miller analyzed the results of 11 randomized controlled trials testing the effects of exercise and drugs such as Viagra to treat men with erectile dysfunction.

Previous studies have shown that many older men have problems achieving an erection when they want to have sex. In this new study, researchers reveal what some studies have shown is that erectile dysfunction is very often associated with cardiovascular health and associated conditions such as inflammation and narrowing and hardening of the arteries. I made it. They also pointed out that regular aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Because of this, they wondered whether such an approach might work for men suffering from erectile dysfunction.

To find out, researchers searched multiple databases for information related to erectile dysfunction research. They found 11 randomized controlled studies in which some volunteers with erectile dysfunction were given drugs to treat the condition, while others were prescribed exercise.

Researchers found that prescribing aerobic exercise was about as effective as prescribing drugs such as Viagra, but only if volunteers actually performed the prescribed exercise. More specifically, of the 1,100 men in the study, 600 followed an exercise plan that consisted of 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three to five times a week. An additional 500 volunteers served as a control group.

Researchers involved in the trial found that volunteers who participated in the exercise regimen improved their erectile function by five points. They also found that the more severe the symptoms, the greater the improvement. The researchers also noted that volunteers given Viagra or Cialis saw an improvement of 4 to 8 points, while volunteers given testosterone only saw an improvement of 2 points. did.

The research team noted that, unlike drugs, exercise has few negative side effects.