Painkillers May Increase Men’s Risk for Erectile Dysfunction
Statistics were recently released stating that a regular consumption of prescription painkillers can increase men’s risk for erectile dysfunction (ED).
11,000 men who were suffering from back were reviewed. Medical records indicated that if individuals were taking painkillers, they were more than likely receiving ED medication or testosterone replacement as well. Men in the age category of 60 or higher were more likely to be diagnosed with ED, but even in the other age brackets, if a man was taking high amounts of painkillers they were 50% more likely to be treated for ED. Richard A. Deyo, MD with the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research said, “Men who take opioid pain medications for an extended period of time have the highest risk of ED”.
Research to Understand the Body’s Natural Painkillers
Researchers from the University of Michigan recently conducted an experiment in order to develop a better understanding of the body’s natural painkiller system. They realized that the natural painkiller system was activated when the brain releases endorphins in order to block pain signals from the brain. It is believed that the release of endorphins can make one feel euphoria or pleasure.
The research was done on volunteers who willingly underwent pain by having an injection pumped into their jaw muscle. While undergoing this, their brain was scanned in order to reveal changes in its chemistry.






