Cholesterol – Sexy?

Take your medication; have a better time in bed. So what are you waiting for? A new study has found that when men use statin medications to lower their cholesterol and protect them from heart attack and stroke, their erectile function slightly improves.

It makes sense, say the researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. After all, we know that sexual performance requires healthy blood vessels. “Erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction, an early stage of atherosclerosis,” points out lead investigator Dr. John B. Kostis.

But he says people aren’t always mindful of sticking to their medication if it treats a condition that doesn’t give them obvious symptoms. So if more men realize their cholesterol-lowering drugs can actually pump up their sexual prowess, they may be more likely to pop the pills. “They may perceive a benefit, as opposed to a lowering of the probability of a clinical event,” says Kostis.

So are statin medications the next Viagra? Not so fast. Kostis says if your cholesterol is fine, you should look into treatment geared specifically to erectile dysfunction. But if you do need statins, it’s heartening to know that a drug that’s protecting your ticker could also be helping your love life.

Zoomer magazine, April 2015