Viagra and Testosterone Levels
Viagra – the famous blue colored oral pill, is widely recognized and frequently used pharmaceutical agent that is available in the market for the past 30 years. It is advised to treat the temporary impotency and erectile dysfunction in males. Yet, like most things, Viagra and Testosterone Levels are affected.
The active ingredient of Viagra is the chemical preparation – Sildenafil that acts as a powerful PDE-5 inhibitor. There is no doubt that sildenafil can do wonders for men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction due to low testosterone levels. Once consumed, Viagra helps the tissues of penis to relax and regulates the flow of blood towards the penile tissue
Besides regulating blood flow towards penis during sexual activity, Viagra has also been known to improve serum testosterone levels in males.
Sildenafil- a prescription to boost testosterone:
Viagra benefits are not only limited to penile muscle relaxation and blood supply. Some new research studies have proved that Viagra is a powerful testosterone booster. It is no secret that testosterone is the most important and potent male hormone that help in the regulation of various functions in the human body, like building muscle, keeping and maintaining penile erection, enhancing sex derive, promoting bone strength etc. Therefore, if testosterone level decline in males, there are several repercussions.
Research work regarding impact of Viagra on testosterone:
Various research studies suggested that Viagra has tremendous benefits in the management of erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism in males.
According to a new laboratory experiment that was conducted on interstitial cells of Leydig in isolated rat subjects, researchers discovered that sildenafil has the ability to increase testosterone levels by increasing the production of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) levels. It is imperative to mention that Leydig cells are responsible for the testosterone production; whereas, cAMP act as a messenger and essentially helps in providing intracellular signals for a large variety of hormones and cells. With the rise in the cAMP levels, testosterone levels also improve instantaneously.
As part of another study conducted by Matthew Spitzer and his team, a group of 140 males with a history of low testosterone levels (around 330n/dl) and erectile dysfunction were enrolled in a study. Spitzer and his team prescribed these individuals an optimal dose of sildenafil i.e. Viagra. These men were divided into three groups. First group who had a history of Alpha Blocker use, were advised 25 mg dose of sildenafil. Second group with no history of previous Viagra us, was prescribed Viagra in a dose of 50 mg and third group with a prior history of Viagra use was advised 100mg dose. The research team observed these study participants for a period of 3 to 7 weeks and discovered following:
- Total testosterone levels increased by up to 40 percent in the study participants.
- Free testosterone increased by up to 50 percent.
- DHT (dihydrotestosterone) also increased significantly
How sildenafil increase testosterone levels:
According to Mathew the increase in testosterone with sildenafil occurred because of reduction in the level of serum luteinizing hormone (LH). This reduction lead to an increase in the testosterone level directly. The reduction in LH levels has also established that the testosterone elevation is not due to the fact that couples had sex more frequently during the study period.
Conclusion:
Various studies and researches have established that Viagra helps boost the serum testosterone levels in hypogonadal males. Low testosterone levels not only impact males physically but also mentally and sexually. In poorly managed cases, males lose their confidence and may also develop depression. Viagra has proven to reduce these problems by improving male sexual health.