At a time when millions of men rely on Viagra and other anti-impotence drugs to restore sexual function, researchers have found a less expensive, all-natural way for many of them to spice up their love lives: lose weight.
In a study of obese men who suffered from erectile dysfunction, doctors in Italy found that nearly a third regained their sexual ability after making lifestyle changes that included regular exercise and weight loss.
While physicians can treat erectile dysfunction - with medication, psychotherapy or, in some cases, surgery - this is the first indication that the condition might be reversible.
"This is the first compelling piece of evidence that changing lifestyle risks for erectile dysfunction carries with it a reasonable chance of sexual improvement," said Dr. Abraham Morgantaler, associate professor of urology at Harvard Medical School and author of The Viagra Myth, who was not involved in the study.
The findings, reported in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, could give men added incentive to lose weight - as if lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and decreased risk of coronary disease aren't enough.
"You have a concrete gain that you can see and use. It's not just a lower cholesterol number. You can have better sex in a month," said Dr. Michael Chancellor, professor of urology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
That might be just a bit of wishful thinking. The men who regained sexual function were part of a weight loss and exercise program that lasted two years.
Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, affects 15 million to 30 million men in the United States. Largely a quality of life issue, it has a variety of causes, including diabetes, kidney disease and vascular disease.
It also can occur as a side effect of surgery, be brought on by certain medications or be rooted in psychological issues such as stress or relationship problems.
For a long time, men were simply too embarrassed to discuss ED. Then came the mass marketing of the first anti-impotence pill, Viagra, which was approved in March 1998.
Suddenly, former presidential candidate Bob Dole was on television talking about the once-taboo issue.
Pfizer, the company that makes Viagra, claims that the small, blue triangular pills have helped 16 million men worldwide - and that nine tablets are dispensed every second. Two newer anti-impotence drugs, Levitra and Cialis, now offer men a choice.
