Common Anti-Inflammatories Linked To Erectile Dysfunction

Men who regularly take pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin maybe at increased risk for erectile dysfunction, new research suggests.

Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) isassociated with erectile dysfunction (ED), according to the results ofa prospective cohort study reported in the April2011 print issue of the Journal of Urology.

Senior author Steven J. Jacobsen, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist anddirector of research for Kaiser Permanente Southern California in SanDiego, said in a news release:

“We went into this study thinking we would find the opposite effect:that NSAIDs would have a protective effect… the next step is to dive abit deeper to understand the underlying physiology of what might behappening with these drugs.”

Beginning in 2002, the California Men’s Health Study enrolled an ethnically diverse population of 80,966 men aged 45 to 69 years old. A questionnaireevaluated ED, and automated pharmacy data and self-reported use allowedevaluation of NSAID exposure.

The study found that men who took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs three times a dayfor more than three months were 2.4 times more likely tohave erectile dysfunction compared to men who do not take those drugsregularly.

Even after the scientists controlled for age, race, ethnicity, smoking status, diabetes,hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol and body mass index, they found that ED was still 1.4 times more likely to develop in regular NSAID users.

“These data suggest that regular NSAID use is associated with ED evenafter extensive adjustment for age and potentially confounding factorsor comorbidities,” the study authors write.

 

Emed’s Comment:

When we are in pain, the first thing we think of is pain relief.

The most commonly prescribed pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids.

Unfortunately, some pharmaceutical treatments, whilst often effective in relieving pain, may also be associated with side-effects (erectile dysfunction adding to the list).

The great news is that there are natural alternatives. Scientificresearch has found natural anti-inflammatory pain relievers thatprovide quick relief without the nasty side-effects.

Click here to see Emed’s Best Acute Anti-Inflammatories.

Click here to see Emed’s Best Fish Oils. Research has shown that EPA is the main anti-inflammatory component of fish oil.

 

What else can I do?

Inflammation is the normal response of our immune system to all sortsof challenges, such as injury, infection, and toxicity.  But if it goeson too long, for instance because the body is tired and depleted ofnutrients and is unable to heal properly, then inflammation produceschemicals which lead not only to pain, but also to tissue damage anddisease.

If it hurts, you can be fairly sure inflammation isinvolved.  In many cases, however, you can have inflammation in yourbody without those familiar indicators – which is why inflammation hasbeen called “the silent killer”.

A typical example of this type ofinflammation is the underlying processes behind much heart disease andclogged arteries – often the first sign of this sort of inflammation isan unexpected heart attack!

Such ‘silent’ inflammation is also afundamental contributor to conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronicfatigue syndrome.

Chronic inflammation needs to be addressed. Longer term supplements may be needed, which differ from the ones listed above (used more for acute relief).

Kaprex contains a powerful combination of natural anti-inflammatory herbal extracts that have been shown to help relieve inflammation, such as pain and swelling. The formula is suitable for long term use with reduced risk of causing irritation to the stomach.

UltraInflamX is a medicinal food, which can be used to support the health of the digestive system and reduce inflammation. It contains a range of nutrients that are beneficial for normal healthy digestion and immune function.

Research has also shown that there are several dietary components that consistently reduce inflammation. These include fruits and vegetables, and good fats from fish and nuts.

Foods that increase inflammation include high sugar foods, heavily processed foods that are high in colours, flavours and other artificial ingredients, and foods that are high in certain fats, such as many processed and fast-foods.

Click here to read about Eating to Reduce Inflammation.

 

Further Reading:

 

Reference:

Joseph M. Gleason, Jeffrey M. Slezak, Howard Jung, Kristi Reynolds,Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, Reina Haque, Virginia P. Quinn, Ronald K.Loo, Steven J. Jacobsen. Regular Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use and Erectile Dysfunction. The Journal of Urology, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2010.11.092