New study examines the effect: Does Viagra reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by almost a fifth?

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Most people only know Viagra as a sexual enhancer. Men suffering from erectile dysfunction often turn to blue pills. But the drug appears to be able to do much more than previously thought. A new study hypothesizes that the drug could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by almost 20 percent. The results are encouraging.

Scientists from University College London examined data from 270,000 men. They were on average 59 years old and suffered from erectile dysfunction (erectile dysfunction lasting more than six months). 55 percent of the group took the drug and 45 percent did not.

At the beginning of the study, none of the men had any signs of Alzheimer’s. Five years later, researchers looked at how many people in both groups were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

18 percent lower risk

The results show that men who took Viagra and the similar drug Cialis had an 18 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The scientists took into account factors such as age, smoking status and alcohol consumption. The link was strongest among those who received the most prescriptions during the study period, according to the study. This gives additional impetus to the study results. The results were published Thursday in the journal “Neurology.”

Drugs like Viagra were originally developed to treat high blood pressure. They act on a cellular messenger that may also be linked to memory and have a protective effect on the brain. This may be very important in the development of Alzheimer’s disease because the sexual enhancer can stop pathological deposits in the brain.

But the authors also warn against drawing conclusions too early. More clinical studies are needed to determine causality. “More research is needed to confirm these results,” says study leader Ruth Brauer. But the results are quite motivating.

“New treatments are needed to delay the disease”

Because: Developing new drugs that work against deposits in the brain is extremely complex and expensive. “Although we have made progress with new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease that break down deposits in people’s brains in the early stages of the disease, we need new treatments that delay the development of the disease.”

Independent experts think the same way. Leah Mursaleen, head of Alzheimer’s research at the British Science Media Centre, said: “The ability to repurpose drugs already approved for other health problems could significantly accelerate progress.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. According to the Federal Office for Public Health (BAG), one person contracts this disease every 16 minutes in Switzerland.

Source : Blick