Diabetes is one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction. Scientists have been researching whether stem cells can be used to possibly reverse this and restore normal erectile function. The research is positive, but still unproven, so for now you’d be better off managing diabetic ED with medication or these helpful tips from eDrugstore.com.
Erectile Dysfunction Medications are a Temporary Solution
Erectile dysfunction drugs are great for helping men with ED have better erections and better sex. Unfortunately, like all drugs and medications, they eventually wear off as the body breaks them down and flushes them out.
Some drugs, like Cialis (tadalafil), have been designed to be more resistant to being metabolized, allowing them to work for up to 36 hours. And while that’s great, in the end it’s still just symptomatic treatment that only temporarily relieves ED. And for men with nerve damage from diabetes or injury, these drugs might not be enough to cut it.
It’s no surprise then that scientists are interested in developing ways to treat erectile dysfunction permanently. One way to do this may be regenerative medical treatments that use stem cells to correct the underlying “kinks in the hose” that prevent enough blood from flowing to the penis.
A Promising Erectile Dysfunction Treatment for Men with Diabetes
In particular, one study looked at the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat erectile dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. MSCs aren’t the same as the embryonic stem cells you read about in the news, which can turn into any cell in the body. Instead, they’re found mainly in bone marrow and fat and can turn into a variety of different cells that give our bodies structure, like bone, cartilage, muscle, and fat.
The basic idea behind this research is that these stem cells can be injected near a damaged area of tissue and will migrate to the damage and repair it. This study was a small phase 1 clinical trial, phase 1 meaning that it was a test to see if the treatment is safe and tolerable before being tested in larger groups of patients.
Researchers looked at four patients with diabetes and erectile dysfunction that hadn’t otherwise responded to treatment. They took MSCs from each patient’s bone marrow and injected them intracavernosally … that is, into the shaft of the patient’s penis.
We’ll pause a moment while you finish wincing.
Despite the intrusive delivery mechanism, the procedure was well-tolerated, and no significant adverse effects were reported. Patients experienced improvements in several measures of erectile function used, including the International Index of Erectile Function-15, or IIEF-15, and the Erection Hardness Score. Improvements were also experienced in measures of sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, and overall satisfaction with treatment.
It’s important to note that this was the first trial of this kind of treatment for ED in humans, and it only included four patients. Unfortunately, additional research into this area is lacking, so there’s a lot more work to be done to determine if this is a viable treatment for unresponsive erectile dysfunction.
In the meantime, we have readily available medications to manage erectile dysfunction that work just fine for most men. eDrugstore.com has them in stock and ready for discreet delivery right to your doorstep, so check out their selection today! And if you have diabetes and want to reduce your risk of erectile problems, we have some more helpful advice for you right here.
Randall is a medical writer with years of experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. After earning his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, he worked as an infusion and specialty pharmacist, where he discovered his passion for making trustworthy healthcare information accessible to everyone.