Vitamin E and PDE-5 inhibitors

[Flavio]

A recent study has shown that vitamin E can improve the efficacy of PDE-5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra). I found this article on a reliable urology website - UroToday - Home - and it may be a very useful information for those of you that didn't respond to PDE-5 inhibitors.

Here's a copy of the article:


Salvage Therapy Trial for Erectile Dysfunction Using Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors and Vitamin E: Preliminary Report - Abstract


Friday, 27 February 2009
Department of Urology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan

urokon@hyo-med.ac.jpThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Salvage therapy trial for erectile dysfunction using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and vitamin E: preliminary report We report our initial experience with salvage therapy for low responders to PDE-5 inhibitors by adding vitamin E. Of 89 patients with ED who visited our clinic between January 2004 to August 2006, 9 were unable to obtain a full response to a PDE-5 inhibitor and included in the present study. After providing informed consent, each was given 300 mg per day of alpha-tocophenol at least 1 month and completed IIEF-5 questionnaires to assess its efficacy while also taking a PDE-5 inhibitor. With alpha-tocophenol administration, the average IIEF-5 score increased from 13.8 +/- 3.2 to 17.1 +/- 3.6. Four of seven patients who completed the questionnaire each time showed improved IIEF-5 scores, with a maximum elevation of 9 points. Further, eight of the nine patients experienced favourable subjective changes, the majority being increased penile rigidity. The present clinical trial results are, to our knowledge, the first known to show the effects of vitamin E for enhancing the efficacy of a PDE-5 inhibitor.

Written by:
Kondoh N, Higuchi Y, Maruyama T, Nojima M, Yamamoto S, Shima H


UroToday - Salvage Therapy Trial for Erectile Dysfunction Using Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors and Vitamin E: Preliminary Report - Abstract

[Willie]

Great find, Flavio. This one slipped through the cracks of medicalnewstoday.com and they did not report on it.

I wonder what the most comprehensive thing to read is. Perhaps the International Journal of Impotence Research?

[Willie]

Does it sound like you have to take vitamin E over time, or just popping one vitamin E pill with a Viagra could help on that specific occasion?

[Flavio]

Does it sound like you have to take vitamin E over time, or just popping one vitamin E pill with a Viagra could help on that specific occasion?

Good question. I'm not sure, but it seems that vitamin E should be taken everyday: «After providing informed consent, each was given 300 mg per day of alpha-tocophenol at least 1 month»

[Willie]

I was reading a similar study on this effect from Vitamin E.

International Journal of Impotence Research - Effect of PDE5 inhibition combined with free oxygen radical scavenger therapy on erectile function in a diabetic animal model
"...circulating levels of nitric oxide (NO) may be enhanced through delivery of adequate concentrations of free oxygen radical scavenger molecules such as vitamin E. Higher levels of NO, theoretically, should produce increased penile blood flow with the potential for a synergistic effect when combined with a PDE5 inhibitor."

So it says vitamin E helps increase NO levels. This is how most of the supplements we've sound work (such as L-arginine and Pycnogenol). So theoretically, any of the supplements that raise NO levels could also help Viagra work better.

[KUser]

I tried 400iu of vitamin E + Viagra (taken at the same time) twice and on both occasions i noticed a big boost in its effects. I'd say it almost doubled the effectivenes of Viagra, but i am still skeptical and look forward to trying it out a few more times before im convinced. I also tried L-arginine but wasn't impressed with that at all.

[Willie]

I tried 400iu of vitamin E + Viagra (taken at the same time) twice and on both occasions i noticed a big boost in its effects. I'd say it almost doubled the effectivenes of Viagra, but i am still skeptical and look forward to trying it out a few more times before im convinced. I also tried L-arginine but wasn't impressed with that at all.

That's great man!

Anybody else had similar luck with vitamin E? I might try vitamin E along with the pills. It's cheap, easy, and has data to show it helps.