Cholesterol lowering drugs: Statins increase potency

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MunichMany men take statins regularly to reduce their risk of heart attacks. Researchers at the American College of Cardiology have now found that this may have a positive side effect: the drug also strengthens manhood.

Previous studies have found that statins lower the amount of the male hormone testosterone. It was unclear whether manhood could also suffer as a result. John B. Kostis and colleagues got to the bottom of this hypothesis.

Erectile function improved by a quarter

To do this, they compared the results of eleven previous studies that looked at erectile dysfunction (erectile dysfunction). Statins were administered and cholesterol levels were measured in all studies. The result surprised the researchers: Statins consistently had a positive effect on the potency of men with high cholesterol levels. Overall, the drugs improved erectile function by an average of 24.3 percent. "That's roughly a third to half of what you can achieve with Viagra," says Kostis.

Even so, the researchers don't recommend statins for every man with erectile dysfunction. "This is an extra benefit for men who are given statins to lower their cholesterol," explains Kostis.Because other studies also describe negative effects of the drugs. For example, taking statins can reduce overall performance.

Attack on self-esteem

Around 18 to 30 million men worldwide suffer from erectile dysfunction. Men over the age of 40 are more likely to be affected. If the disorder occurs only temporarily, most of it cannot be upset straight away. But long-term erectile dysfunction has a significant impact on a man's self-esteem. Risk factors for erectile dysfunction are heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, depression and stress. (away)

Source: John B. Kostis et al .: The Effect of Statins on Erectile Dysfunction: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2014.

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