A new 'breakthrough' erectile dysfunction treatment that works within 10 minutes has been launched in the UK.
Experts say that the treatment can be used by men who suffer from mild to severe erectile dysfunction (ED), but cannot use Viagra due to other health reasons. The product is called Eroxon and does not require a prescription.
As reported by the Mirror, Eroxon was discovered by accident as it was used as a placebo in trials for another gel treatment which could be used for ED.
Dr Hilary Jones says: "The word 'breakthrough' is often used in health headlines, but new treatments which are truly groundbreaking come along far less frequently.
"Eroxon is an innovative therapy which has the potential to change the lives of millions of men with erectile dysfunction."
The gel was developed by Futura Medical, a UK pharmaceutical company, as they were investigating whether ED could be treated with an angina medicine which increases blood flow.
Medicines such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, known as PDE5is can cause a wide range of side effects including migraines, nausea and dizziness. This is due to the fact they must be orally ingested which may dilate blood vessels throughout the body.
Dr Catherine Hood, a specialist in sexual health, says: "When they were launched back in the 1990s, PDE5i medicines were a game-changer, but they are not an option for many men due to pre-existing health conditions, interactions with their prescription medicines or simply because of the time they take to work."
Eroxon was actually used as a placebo in a clinical trial of the angina gel, but researchers were astonished to discover that the supposed placebo gel and the angina gel were both equally effective.
A patent was lodged for the DermaSys technology behind the new gel and was put to the test in a 12-week clinical trial in 250 men with mild to severe ED as well as a longer 24-week trial in the US.
Two out of three in the 12-week trial reported a significant improvement in their ability to achieve and maintain an erection, and in men with severe ED this climbed to 80 per cent.
In the 24-week trial, men with the most severe ED were most likely to benefit, with 87 percent reporting meaningful improvements.
Three in four men will experience performance issues at some time, and a third of men over the age of 40 have ED. But there has been a dramatic increase in the number of younger men who are struggling to perform.
The Mirror writes that one in four men newly diagnosed with ED is now under the age of 40. In some cases this can be due to the overconsumption of pornography.
The world-renowned Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction has even given this a name, PIED – pornography-induced erectile dysfunction.
Dr Jones comments: "I know it can be embarrassing, but it really is essential to speak to your GP, or another healthcare professional, if ED is more than an occasional occurrence."
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