Written by: Centre for Men's Health
“Everybody thinks that Viagra is the panacea for all sexual problems. It’s not. If low testosterone is the problem, then Viagra, as well as Levitra or Cialis which are similar treatments, won’t be the answer,” said Dr Malcolm Carruthers, lead clinician at the Centre for Men’s Health and expert in men’s hormonal health. “Viagra, Levitra and Cialis will only work if there are sufficient levels of testosterone, so many of the men buying these treatments will be left disappointed and out of pocket if they don’t solve this underlying problem.”
He added, “Although levels of testosterone in men start to decline with age, some are affected much earlier than others. It can also be a symptom of an underlying health condition such as diabetes and heart disease, so it is crucial that it is properly diagnosed. Yet our research at the Centre for Men’s Health conducted with 10,000 men (1) over the age of 50 shows that only 1 per cent of men living with testosterone deficiency have been diagnosed and are on the appropriate medication. Studies show that many GPs have little knowledge of testosterone deficiency. I know from the thousands of patients we’ve seen at our clinics in London’s Harley Street, in Manchester and in Edinburgh that erectile dysfunction, together with loss of sex drive, are common and distressing features of testosterone deficiency, as well as circulatory and stress-related disorders.”
The typical symptoms of testosterone deficiency include tiredness, depression, mood swings, weight gain, night sweats, and insomnia, as well as low sex drive and erectile dysfunction.
Dr Carruthers concluded, “Our research has shown that in around two thirds of cases, treating the underlying hormonal deficiency can restore both libido and potency. In the remaining third, our studies have shown that combining testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) with erection enhancers, such as Viagra (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) brings our success rate with erectile dysfunction to over 95 per cent. For those few patients where erectile function is not fully restored by testosterone replacement in combination with erection enhancers, the Centre for Men’s Health can provide other erection inducing treatments.”
References:
1: Trinick T.R.,Feneley M.R. Welford H, Carruthers M. The Aging Male 2010 1-6 *International web survey shows high prevalence of symptomatic testosterone deficiency in men. A 10,000 Department of Chemical Pathology The Ulster Hospital Belfast, Institute of Urology & Nephrology University College Hospital London, Centre for Mens Health, July 2010 Informa healthcare