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Highlights
- Eroxon Stimgel has been approved for over-the-counter marketing in the U.S. by the FDA as of 2023.
- Eroxon works similar to Icy Hot, quickly cooling before gently warming.
- Eroxon has no systemically active ingredients.
- The theory is that Eroxon stimulates the nerves through its cooling and warming action.
- Despite being cleared for marketing, Eroxon Stimgel isn’t currently for sale in the U.S., although importation may be legal now that the FDA has approved it.
Michael DiLeo, MD, has over 30 years of experience in clinical and academic medicine. Through medical school, residency, and private practice, he has functioned as both a specialist and a primary care practitioner. He has twice served as chief of staff of a large regional hospital. He is a published author on women's health for McGraw-Hill. Learn More
Two years after we wrote it up in 2021, Eroxon Stimgel, or MED3000 as it was originally called, has been authorized by the FDA for marketing as an over-the-counter product. This makes Eroxon the first ED treatment to be available over the counter.
So what does this mean for men with erectile dysfunction? How well does Eroxon Stimgel work?
What Is Eroxon Stimgel?
Developed by Futura, a small British biotechnology company, Eroxon Stimgel is a topical gel which is applied to the penis to produce a warming, then cooling effect, which is said to work by stimulating the production of nitric oxide, which enables better flow — and hence, stronger erections — into the penis.
On first glance, a topical product has some distinct advantages over oral ED medications. Compared to oral ED medications, a topical solution:
- Acts locally. Prescription erectile dysfunction medications are vasodilators; they open up the blood vessels to allow more blood flow. However, a potential issue is that they do this throughout the body, not just in the penis. This can cause problems for a small percentage of men — like those taking certain blood pressure medications.
- Contains less active ingredient. With topical applications, you can use less of the active ingredient, which makes it safer for ED sufferers who have other health conditions that prevent them from taking oral vasodilators.
- Has less potential for adverse drug interactions. Because they’re applied directly and enter through the skin, they have less potential to cause adverse drug interactions. Because you don’t have high concentrations interacting with each other in the digestive tract or the bloodstream, you’re less likely to experience drug interactions.
All of which sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, yes, if the topical product works as promised, which Eroxon may or may not do. Let’s look at the facts.
How Does Eroxon Stimgel Work?
Futura states that as Eroxon evaporates, it creates a cooling, then warming action that stimulates the glans of the penis, relaxing smooth muscles and increasing blood flow.
If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably used Bengay or IcyHot, common treatments for muscles suffering from low blood flow — using cooling to impede inflammation before applying heat to expand blood vessels to soothe it. That said, you shouldn’t apply Icy Hot to your penis, as some people have learned the hard way, so please don’t try it!
What’s the Active Ingredient in Eroxon?
There are no pharmaceuticals or other active ingredients in the current formulation of Eroxon.
Ironically, the original formulation of Eroxon contained nitroglycerin, which can’t be taken with most ED drugs. The two have different mechanisms of action, but they both lower blood pressure. The combination of any nitrate, like nitroglycerin, and a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (all prescription ED medications) can drop blood pressure to dangerous levels.
This explanation does require an important disclaimer, though; much of this is still theory. There have been no clinical trials examining whether topical applications of PDE5 inhibitors will interact with other drugs. This is part of the reason Futura removed nitroglycerin from Eroxon’s formula.
Futura’s scientists found that the nitroglycerin in the original formula promoted and supported erectile function when applied to the penis using a gel that uses the company’s patented transdermal technology. However, the company has admitted that the nitroglycerin performed only slightly better than placebo.
Now, of course, there’s no nitroglycerin in Eroxon. If you read the study closely, you’ll find that Futura Medical now states that it’s the warming and cooling effect of the gel itself — not any active ingredient — that gets the job done.
Eroxon Is Not a Medication?
No. Because it lacks an active ingredient, the FDA granted MED3000 a CE mark at the end of the trial, which classifies it as a medical device — not a medication. That’s important because in European markets, medical devices don’t have to show any sort of improvement in symptoms; they just have to meet specific safety standards.
In other words, the CE mark proves only that Eroxon is safe, not that it works.
What Are Eroxon Stimgel’s Side Effects?
The good news for Futura is that Eroxon Stimgel has gone through a wide range of trials in both the U.S. and Europe, which are summarized on its investor site, and has been found to have no significant side effects.
How Well Does Eroxon Work?
According to the FDA, Eroxon does work. In its study, it found that “MED3000 demonstrated a highly statistically significant improvement against baseline at 24 weeks in erectile function.” Participants included men with mild, moderate, and severe erectile dysfunction.
It also exceeded the standard the FDA had set for improvement using a standard measure of erectile dysfunction.
So, in the field, it seems to work with no side effects. But how?
Is This the Placebo Effect?
A major limitation of the phase II study is how it was structured. While it does have some fairly rigorous standards, including randomized selection and a “double-blind” structure, there is one very important thing missing: a control group.
To confirm that the evaporation of the gel is what’s working the magic, the study would have had to include a group that used a sham product, in this case, a gel that didn’t evaporate. As far as we can tell, that’s not present here, which most doctors will point out raises the question of the placebo effect.
To be approved as a medical device, the lack of a control group doesn’t matter. The phase III trial was testing safety, and that it worked was just a cherry on top in terms of regulations. Yet, it may potentially matter a lot to ED sufferers.
Doctors have known for decades that ED is rarely simply a matter of plumbing or wiring; there’s a powerful psychological component that many people with ED struggle with. That makes the placebo effect a distinct possibility.
The main question is whether it’s relevant. There are plenty of drugs that work, though we have no idea why. But decades of observation, research, and patient studies have shown that they do, and they’re generally safe, so it’s ethically sound to use them.
Eroxon seems to fall into this particular category. If you believe it works, and it does work, then you’re getting your money’s worth.
What Do Eroxon Reviewers Say?
That said, a quick look at Eroxon Stimgel reviews on Amazon’s U.K. website shows 54% of all reviews, as of this writing, are negative, with 22% giving the product five stars and very little in between. Users leaving one-star reviews consistently state it didn’t work for them.
The U.S. Amazon page has only five ratings as of this writing, four of which give only one star, though, admittedly, this is a very small sample.
Is Eroxon Stimgel Available in the US?
Currently, Eroxon Stimgel isn’t on the market in the U.S., although it is sold in the EU and UK and may qualify to be imported under FDA rules now that it’s been approved. However, we’d be leery of anybody claiming to sell Eroxon Stimgel on Amazon or that they have Eroxon for sale; pirated or counterfeit products are a serious issue, especially those offered in online store fronts.
If you are considering purchasing outside the U.S., be sure to check the price of Eroxon Stimgel in the market you’re importing it from. Even legitimate products can have a heavy mark-up, so we’d recommend following their consumer site to see where to buy Eroxon in the U.S. when it becomes available.
The Bottom Line: How Well Does Eroxon Work?
The answer to the question of whether Eroxon works well seems to depend on who you ask. According to Futura, Eroxon worked for 65% of participants, producing an erection within 10 minutes that was strong and lasting enough to have intercourse.
On the other hand, the available reviews aren’t nearly so positive, with only 22% rating it highly.
Reviews aside, whether Eroxon is a placebo, a novel application of an old idea, or something else entirely, so far, Eroxon has been shown to be safe and effective. Even if it’s all in your head, for ED patients, that’s excellent news, since the most important aspect of sex and intimacy is what’s happening in the brain.
But the only way to find out if it will work for you is to give it a try — when you can get it.
James West is a seasoned health and wellness writer with a focus on topics related to physiology, sleep, and men’s health. He has contributed articles on a range of subjects, from erectile dysfunction treatments and sleep aids to hair loss, providing well-researched insights to help readers make informed health decisions.