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Men's Health
Erectile dysfunction drug may lower Alzheimer’s risk
- By Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
In the journals
If you take sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio) to treat erectile dysfunction or pulmonary arterial hypertension, here’s good news: the little blue or white pill may also be protecting you from Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers analyzed insurance claims data of 7.23 million people and found sildenafil users were 69% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s over a six-year period than non-users. The possible link? As part of the study, the researchers also examined brain cells from Alzheimer’s patients and found sildenafil users had more brain cell growth and slower formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, an early biomarker of Alzheimer’s.
It’s important to note that the results showed only an association between sildenafil use and lower Alzheimer’s risk. Randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm the findings. But so far, it looks like sildenafil could have far-reaching health benefits. The results were published online Dec. 6, 2021, by Nature Aging.
Image: Rpsycho/Getty Images
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A Guide to Men's Health Fifty and Forward
This Special Health Report, A Guide to Men's Health Fifty and Forward, offers steps and strategies to lessen — or prevent — threats to a man's well-being and longevity. It provides a wide-ranging, clear-eyed look at the leading causes of death for men at midlife and beyond. It examines those factors that put them at risk for a variety of health problems and explains the important measures that can be taken to reduce risk and live a longer, healthier life.
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