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Highlights
- Epilepsy can cause erectile dysfunction by altering the hormonal balance.
- The illness triggers changes in the brain that alter epileptics’ attitudes toward sex.
- Some epilepsy medications can disrupt sexual function, though some may support it.
- Can a person with epilepsy take Viagra?
Epilepsy is a profoundly disruptive illness, and epileptic seizures affect the body on many levels. They can cause changes in sexual appetite, behavior, and attitude. Around two-thirds of epileptics suffer from sexual side effects, but only 13 percent seek medical help for these problems.
Does epilepsy cause erectile dysfunction?
In epileptic men, the negative sexual impact of the disease is multi-pronged and far-reaching. Epilepsy can wreak havoc on:
- Hormones. Epilepsy can upset the hormonal balance, dealing a blow to androgens, the hormones with the most significant role in male sexuality.
- The testicles. Epilepsy can cause shrinking testes. The testicles produce essential androgens in large quantities, and their atrophy contributes to the resulting hormonal imbalance.
- Sperm quality. Epileptic men have lower-than-normal fertility rates. The disease has a significant negative impact on sperm count.
Many people with epilepsy lose interest in sex or stop having sex for other reasons. The links between epilepsy and erectile dysfunction cause not only physical symptoms but psychological issues as well.
Fear can cause erectile dysfunction
We should never underestimate the power of fear in sexual matters. And epilepsy can be the source of plenty of fear and suffering.
- Epileptics may fear that a potential partner may reject them upon finding out about their illness. This fear may, in time, cause epilepsy sufferers to avoid seeking sexual fulfillment and intimate relationships.
- Epilepsy sufferers who already have a spouse or partner may shy away from intimate contact for the same reason. Over time, such fears may drive a wedge between partners and break up the relationship.
- It is not uncommon for people with epilepsy to see sexual intercourse as a possible trigger for a seizure. Those who develop such fears may condition themselves to avoid sex and intimacy, even though, according to science, sex is an unlikely cause for epileptic seizures.
Epilepsy triggers changes in the brain
Epileptic seizures cause damage to the temporal lobe, impairing some brain functions. The temporal lobe lets us recognize subtle social signals that allow us to develop relationships with others. Once this part of our brain sustains damage, we lose some of our social skills.
Although we do not yet know to what degree epileptic damage to the temporal lobe affects our ability to handle social situations, there is some evidence that the impact is significant. For example, some epileptics struggle to build social contacts and handle employment. What’s more, surprisingly few epileptics report having personal friends or being in relationships.
Epilepsy affects the entire body
The brain is not the only part of the body epileptic seizures affect. The illness affects behavior on every level, creating a web of interconnected triggers for sexual problems like erectile dysfunction.
People with epilepsy respond differently to external erotic stimuli than those who do not deal with this devastating condition.
Watching an erotic video increases the blood flow to the reproductive organs in healthy people. In epilepsy sufferers, however, this phenomenon occurs to a lesser degree.
Temporal lobe damage may be the culprit in this case as well, though other factors may contribute.
Some epilepsy medications can cause erectile dysfunction
In addition to the sexual problems epilepsy can cause, the medications used to treat it can also deal a blow to male sexual function.
Anticonvulsants, the drugs that help manage epileptic symptoms, work by calming the nerves. They do not treat the underlying condition but reduce the frequency and severity of seizure bouts.
There are several different anticonvulsants, and they achieve their nerve-calming effects in different ways.
- Some act upon the neuron cell membrane, altering electrical activity and reducing excitation.
- Others change the way neurons communicate by affecting neurotransmitters.
- There are antiepileptic drugs that work, but we don’t currently understand how.
A 2020 study analyzed the impact of three anticonvulsant drugs on sexual and hormonal function in epileptic men. The three drugs were:
- Sodium valproate (brand names Dyzantil, Epilim, Episenta, and Epival)
- Carbamazepine (best known as Tegretol)
- Levetiracetam (best known as Keppra XR)
The study considered various hormonal markers and the test subjects’ self-reported assessments of sexual function. It concluded that sodium valproate caused more frequent and more severe cases of erectile dysfunction than levetiracetam.
Levetiracetam is a better choice for epilepsy management than other antiepileptic drugs for epilepsy sufferers who want to be sexually active. According to the study results, instead of impairing sexual function, it improved it.
Other anticonvulsants that may cause erectile and sexual dysfunction are:
- Topiramate (best known as Topamax)
- Oxcarbazepine (best known as Trileptal). Specifically, oxcarbazepine may make it difficult for patients to achieve orgasm despite sufficient sexual stimulation, though other research found that, like levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine can improve sexual function.
- Phenobarbital (brand name Luminal). This compound affects hormone levels.
Epileptics who want to remain sexually active may have another option to preserve their sexual appetite, function, and quality of life. In addition to an anticonvulsant like levetiracetam, they may be able to use Viagra or Cialis to boost their sex life and stave off ED problems.
Can a person with epilepsy take viagra?
Unfortunately, the scientific jury is still out on this question. Evidence suggests that sildenafil, the active substance in Viagra, may interact well with some antiepileptic medications. And there is evidence that sildenafil citrate may cause seizures in some people.
In 2002, a medical report surfaced detailing the cases of two healthy men who experienced seizures a few hours after taking sildenafil. In both cases, doctors determined that the likely cause of the seizures was the anti-ED drug.
One of the patients took sildenafil three months after the incident and again had a seizure as a result.
However, a 2012 study looked at the interactions of sildenafil with five anticonvulsants — phenobarbital, ethosuximide, clonazepam, tiagabine, and valproate — in mice. It concluded that sildenafil did not hasten or delay the onset of seizures, and it actually improved the anticonvulsant effects of some of the drugs.
In proper doses, sildenafil is safe for most ED sufferers. You should seek medical advice, however, if you feel that your condition justifies it.
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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.