New Study Reveals Viagra's Surprising Benefits for Heart Health and Prostate Issues

Doctors are urging more men to take Viagra and Cialis after a new study, published in the World Journal of Men’s Health, found that erectile dysfunction medications have sweeping implications beyond the boudoir.

ED Meds Narrow Blood Vessels, Tighten Muscles

The encouraging study found that erectile dysfunction medication such as Viagra and Cialis can help to mitigate problems with urination as well as an enlarged prostate. There was also a correlation between the usage of ED medications and reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. Viagra and other similar medications are PDE5 inhibitors, which means that they block an enzyme which normally restricts the flow of blood. They do this by narrowing blood vessels and tightening the muscles around them, two things experts believe could play a significant and changeable role in cardiovascular health.

"In summary, the available evidence base is encouraging, bearing in mind the potentially pleiotropic effects of PDE5 and could be particularly relevant in the case of prostate cancer patients," according to the study. "However, because the evidence base is mostly generated from observational studies, these findings cannot prove a causal relationship.”

The Disease Is More Common In Men Suffering from Diabetes, Prostate Disease

The study also determined that erectile dysfunction occurs more commonly in men who suffer from diabetes, a condition that PDE5 inhibitors can help manage. Participants with an enlarged prostate who took ED medications reported a positive change in their urination, aided by relaxing the muscles in the bladder and prostate.

Erectile dysfunction impacts somewhere between 30 million and 50 million American men. Roughly 40 percent of men experience the condition after age 40; and 70 percent experience it by age 70. However, only around 24 percent of men who suffer from ED have reported taking any medication for the condition. Flaccidity is often the cause of hardened arteries, high blood pressure and/or cholesterol, and smoking — all of which cause issues with circulation.

“Sadly, too many men are missing out on simple treatments that could set them on the right track to getting their sex life back and, the evidence shows, could improve many other serious, life-limiting conditions they may face,” Sophie Smith, a senior specialist nurse with Prostate Cancer U.K., who was not involved with the study, told The Telegraph.

Other Studies Confirm the Recent Findings

There have been other scientific studies which determined similar results about ED medication and its help with mitigating other conditions. A 2024 study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch found that medications commonly prescribed for erectile dysfunction — tadalafil (Cialis) and sildenafil (Viagra) — are associated with significant reductions in deaths, cardiovascular disease, and dementia in middle-aged men.”

“These medications, such as Cialis and Viagra, are believed to offer cardiovascular benefits through improved blood flow, lowering blood pressure, enhancing endothelial function, and providing anti-inflammatory effects,” said Dr. Dietrich Jehle, Professor and Chair of UTMB’s Sealy Department of Emergency Medicine and the study’s lead author. “Additionally, the enabled sexual activity may contribute positively to mental health.”