Some of the most common over-the-counter medications are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Nsaids have long been effective in treating pain and they are one of the most commonly used types of medications in the United States. However, there is a potentially darker side to NSAIDs that has some clinicians wondering about the connection between NSAIDs and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Study Says ED Caused by NSAIDS

A 2016 Study published in BJU International sought to determine the connection between ED and NSAIDs. They cited prior red flags on these medications from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who said that people who use NSAIDs regularly are at risk of heart failure, stroke, or heart attack.

Ironically, heart disease and ED share one common vascular connection, it’s been surmised that NSAIDS may have a link to not only heart failure but the failure of sexual function in men. The delicate vascular structures of the heart are affected by inflammation, blood flow, and some of the same chemical mediators that affect the male erection. Not surprisingly, a prior study suggested there is a correlation between NSAID consumption and ED.

But researchers in the BJU International study sought to verify the findings of the prior study; ironically, they could not. What they surmised, instead, was that the chronic or even casual use of NSAIDs for common ailments such as headaches, chronic pain, arthritis, or cardiovascular disease are also linked to an underlying sedentary lifestyle or chronic inflammation disorders. They cited the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) findings that showed there is actually a smaller relationship between NSAIDS and ED than originally theorized.

The authors concluded that more research needs to be done, but their position was that In any link between ED and NSAIDS was likely due to the underlying condition, and not the medication. So men who take NSAIDs don’t need to worry that they’re causing ED.

Another study in Medicine from 2018 agreed, stating that, to date, only 12-Studies have been completed on the relationship between ED and NSAIDS. The authors pointed out that, of the 12-studies, one clinical research study and three basic studies have stated that NSAIDs are actually helpful for ED, potentially in place of Viagra or other medications. They also discarded four clinical studies with “irrelevant results” and cited three more as showing “irrelevant results.” The authors concluded:

The available research studies revealed that the association between aspirin or non-aspirin NSAIDs and ED is controversial. Considering the high frequency of drug use, further clinical and basic investigations should be conducted to clarify their exact relationship.

To date, NSAIDs have not been proven to reduce ED or cause it, but numerous studies show that Viagra is one of the more effective medications on the market today for treating ED. It’s been a lifesaver for men struggling with ED, a common ailment around the world. While more research must be done on the use of NSAIDs and how they affect our health, not just ED, men taking Viagra should always speak with a clinician about using NSAIDs or any other medication simultaneously.