London - For chaps who are struggling with their cholesterol, here’s an incentive to get it in check.
Taking statins can give you a boost in the bedroom, according to a study.
Researchers said the cholesterol-lowering pills could have a similar effect to Viagra.
The American scientists now hope their findings will encourage men with high cholesterol to take their medication.
Erectile dysfunction is common in older men and especially among those with heart problems, who are often prescribed statins to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke.
Previous research had suggested that taking the drugs could negatively affect testosterone levels – but experts from the Cardiovascular Institute of New Jersey, at Rutgers University’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, have found the cholesterol pills may actually have a benefit between the sheets.
They collated and analysed the results of 11 previous studies into the effects of statins on men who also experienced sexual problems, and discovered taking the pills gave a statistically significant boost in the bedroom, the Journal of Sexual Medicine reported.
All of the studies were based on men’s own responses to a survey in which they rated their performance on a five-point scale, with lower values representing poorer sexual function. Overall, these scores rose by 3.4 in men who took statins – from 14.0 to 17.4, an improvement of 24.3 percent.
Lead researcher Dr John Kostis said: “The increase in erectile function scores with statins was approximately one-third to one-half of what has been reported with drugs like Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.
“It was larger than the reported effect of lifestyle modification. For men with erectile dysfunction who need statins to control cholesterol, this may be an extra benefit.” Dr Kostis believes that statins work in a similar way to Viagra by helping blood vessels dilate properly and improving vascular blood flow to the penis, which is restricted in men with erectile dysfunction.
He said that while statins are not recommended as a primary treatment for sexual problems in patients with healthy cholesterol levels, the added benefit may encourage more men who do need cholesterol-lowering drugs to take them as prescribed.
Dr Kostis added: “Rather than preventing the possibility of a heart attack in the future, the more immediate benefit of improving erectile function might improve adherence to statin therapy.”
Erectile dysfunction affects millions of men and occurs more often in over-40s. Causes include heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and stress. - Daily Mail