Cialis is an erectile dysfunction drug. Could it also help you live longer?
npr.org60 points by brandonb 3 hours ago
60 points by brandonb 3 hours ago
Sildenafil [0] was synthesized to treat high blood pressure. Erectile disfunction was a side effect that raised much more interest.
Tadalafil [1] followed the path of Sildenafil about the phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) enzyme inhibitor.
Help to live longer was the main objective since the beginning.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sildenafil#History [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadalafil#History
I invested heavily in ICOS when they launched, they had Bill Gates money and were looking for ways to extend lifespans and solve inflammation.
And all we got was another boner pill.
Quanity and/or quality of sex shows correlation with longer lifespan. Maybe this is a roundabout way to get there...
I do admire the fact that someone with a sense of humor at ICOS named the molecule TADA-lafil.
Lifespans and inflammation are ironically harder problems.
Yes, but we don't want medical science to go soft by focusing on the easy problems.
During your extended lifetime, wouldn't you like to be able to have a boner, though?
There was also just last week this study, which indicated a link to a higher risk of glaucoma: https://www.thepharmacist.co.uk/clinical/mens-health-clinica...
FYI, before reaching for PDE5 inhibitors, please be aware that these seem to be ototoxic in some way. Common side effects are tinnitus and to a lesser extent hearing loss.
When taking these, you should track if there are changes to your hearing and cease immediately if you notice something. The damage seems cumulative and based on dose, and may resolve quickly, over months, or not at all. You should also look into any other medicines you take to see if they are ototoxic.
Study link and/or source?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ototoxic_medication#Other_exam... has some sources. Worth noting NSAIDs like aspirin are also listed there.
That’s a helpful reference. If accurate, the method of action here is simply nasal congestion (a common side effect).
Suprised this article doesn't mention nitric oxide or vasodilation? Is that how it works. It boosts nitric oxide signaling, acts as a vasodilator, and improves endothelial function. Beet juice, exercise, and eating nitrate-rich vegetables are some non-pharmaceutical ways to have a similar effect.
I thought nitrates were dangerous with regard to cancer. (?)
They can be when they are converted into nitrosamines, which appears to happen in the absence of plants. In the presence of phytonutrients, nitrates are converted to nitrites, which have several health benefits. In the absence of phytonutrients, nitrates can be converted into nitrosamines, which are a potent carcinogen.
Not quite the same thing despite sounding very similar: https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-to-know-about-foo...
(And good gracious, HN, how about answering the person’s question instead of downvoting it?)
Not sure what the parent comment is referring to exactly or if they are also conflating things but:
Nitric Oxide = NO
is not the same as common carcinogens in foods like
Sodium Nitrite = NaNO2 or Potassium Nitrate = KNO3
The weirdest thing I read about was weightlifters taking viagra to increase their blood flow when working out at the gym. Hopefully they shower at home.
L-Citrulline supplements are also commonly used.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/l-citrulline#uses
Just an FYI, these drugs don't actually cause erections or sexual excitement. They simply make erections easier.
Now, if someon is mildly excited by other bodybuilders but usually not enough to make it known, yes Cialis could cause 'movement' as George Costanza put it.
But if you're not into what's in front of you, Cialis isn't going to change anything.
>weightlifters taking viagra to increase their blood flow when working out at the gym
The weightlifting community moved off of Viagra years ago due to Cialis having a much longer half life.
It’s the hardcore version of beet juice powder, which athletes often take to…increase blood flow. As a user, I can’t say whether it helps with Viagra’s advertised purpose.
If that's the weirdest thing you've heard of weightlifters doing, you are lucky.
Check your blood pressure regularly.
Every time I read about a drug reducing dementia risk or increasing longevity I look it up to see if it lowers blood pressure. Never fails.
Cialis does.
Maybe not longer, but definitely harder.
As usual, without double blind studies, this is playing with fire… maybe the people taking it have better health because of the extra exercise that goes with an active sex life.
Maybe the extra sex is the main benefit?
Monkey paw wish - you will live longer, but you will be constantly erect.
similar monkey paw in TW3 sidequest: https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/Goodness,_Gracious,_Great_Ba...!