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You’ve probably seen the headlines saying “Viagra Can Make You Deaf!” One minute you’re basking in her moans of pleasure and in the next, she’s on mute! But how much do you need to worry?
A recent UK study reports on 47 cases of sudden hearing loss related to erection-enhancing drugs called PDE-5 inhibitors. There are likely more cases, considering that the study only recorded clinical trials and instances that were reported to pharmaceutical watchdog agencies.
How many more? The authors note that among 60,000 patients across four clinical trials for the class of drugs that includes Viagra, there were 17 cases of sudden hearing loss. Since 2007, there have been 23 cases that the FDA says are attributable to the drugs.
For comparison, consider that more than 20 million men in the U.S. and another 40 million worldwide have used Viagra. (The drugs have carried a warning listing sudden hearing loss as a side effect in their tiny print since 2007.)
As for more gradual hearing loss, PDE-5 inhibitors may also be involved. A 2010 study found that 17 percent of men with hearing impairment use ED drugs, compared to 2 percent of men with normal hearing.
What might be at play? Nitric oxide, which is known to cause hearing loss, could be the culprit. Erection-enhancing drugs intensify the effects of nitric oxide, which relaxes the muscles and stimulates erections.
Other researchers have examined this topic and noted that both ED and hearing loss are common conditions, and the connection could just be a coincidence. After all, ED is particularly common in older people—who are already susceptible to hearing loss.
For a stronger erection sans drugs:
- Eat a full cup of pistachios to boost your erections, as we reported in Eat This Erection-Boosting Food.
- If you’re not completely impotent, having sex once a week makes you half as likely to have ED, as we wrote in Having Sex Leads to More, Better Sex.
- Eat dark chocolate. It dilates your blood vessels, making eating it one of our 9 Rules for Stronger Erections.
—Kiera Aaron
A recent UK study reports on 47 cases of sudden hearing loss related to erection-enhancing drugs called PDE-5 inhibitors. There are likely more cases, considering that the study only recorded clinical trials and instances that were reported to pharmaceutical watchdog agencies.
How many more? The authors note that among 60,000 patients across four clinical trials for the class of drugs that includes Viagra, there were 17 cases of sudden hearing loss. Since 2007, there have been 23 cases that the FDA says are attributable to the drugs.
For comparison, consider that more than 20 million men in the U.S. and another 40 million worldwide have used Viagra. (The drugs have carried a warning listing sudden hearing loss as a side effect in their tiny print since 2007.)
As for more gradual hearing loss, PDE-5 inhibitors may also be involved. A 2010 study found that 17 percent of men with hearing impairment use ED drugs, compared to 2 percent of men with normal hearing.
What might be at play? Nitric oxide, which is known to cause hearing loss, could be the culprit. Erection-enhancing drugs intensify the effects of nitric oxide, which relaxes the muscles and stimulates erections.
Other researchers have examined this topic and noted that both ED and hearing loss are common conditions, and the connection could just be a coincidence. After all, ED is particularly common in older people—who are already susceptible to hearing loss.
For a stronger erection sans drugs:
- Eat a full cup of pistachios to boost your erections, as we reported in Eat This Erection-Boosting Food.
- If you’re not completely impotent, having sex once a week makes you half as likely to have ED, as we wrote in Having Sex Leads to More, Better Sex.
- Eat dark chocolate. It dilates your blood vessels, making eating it one of our 9 Rules for Stronger Erections.
—Kiera Aaron
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