Will Viagra Work with Low Testosterone?

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS

Men can suffer from ED due to variety of causes. Testosterone is responsible for sperm production and sex drive, therefore, low testosterone levels can cause erection problems.

Viagra is a popular symptomatic medicinal remedy to improve potency. But is there any point in taking sildenafil with insufficient production of the male hormone?

Testosterone Level and Erection

Testosterone is one of the most important androgenic-anabolic hormones. It is produced in the testes and adrenal glands. Sperm production is impossible without this hormone. Proper concentration of this androgen in the body ensures a healthy sex drive. This naturally affects the ability to have a high-quality erection.

In addition, testosterone affects nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism. This means that the male hormone is partly involved in the process of erection, because nitric oxide is responsible for increasing the concentration of cGMP during sexual arousal.

A low testosterone level or its lowered ratio in relation to estrogens is associated with problems in sex life. However, the quality of erection is not so much important, as a decrease in libido and interest in sexual activity.

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT in short) is available for men with this problem. It can be used as a gel for topical skin application, intramuscular injections, long-acting pellets (for subcutaneous use), patches or tablets.

Using Viagra with Low Testosterone

Obviously, sildenafil was not developed as a medicine to increase testosterone levels. This substance cannot cure underlying causes of erectile dysfunction. Viagra helps to have an active and full-fledged sex life during the treatment of diseases that reduce potency.

Thus, it may be appropriate for a man to undergo testosterone replacement therapy and supplement it with Viagra for a high-quality erection.

However, recent research has shown that combining sildenafil and testosterone may not provide desired results. During the experiment, it was found that the quality of sexual function in men who had low testosterone levels, but were limited to taking Viagra, did not differ from those who ‘doubled the effort.’

Erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels are intercorrelated, but these are still problems of a different nature. Therefore, therapy to normalize the level of the male hormone may not result in cure of ED, but it can return interest in sex and make a patient more sexually active.

If the level of androgen allows one to have more or less sufficient sex drive, then Viagra can be quite effective, because the pharmacodynamics of the active substance triggers the processes of increased blood supply to the tissues of the penis. What’s more, studies have shown that sildenafil is able to naturally increase testosterone levels. For example, according to a study by American scientists M. Spitzer, S. Bhasin (Andrology, 2013), sildenafil administration was associated with increased testosterone rates likely ascribable to a direct effect on the testis. This is not enough to treat hormonal imbalances, but a positive result is significant for a comprehensive solution to the problem of low libido and poor erection.

However, the exact causes this effect of PDE5 inhibitors on hormonal levels have not been established. However, clinicians have enough reasons to believe that erectogens have some effect on adrenal steroidogenesis and testicular function.

However, such a favorable scenario is rather a rarity. Concomitant diseases and their root causes play a huge role. Sometimes the key task is a course of treatment that has nothing to do with ED. In addition, Viagra only boost blood inflow to the penis. It cannot arouse sexual desire or make a man love or want his partner.

So, if testosterone levels are insufficient for adequate libido, taking sildenafil may not produce desired results. Such cases are not uncommon and do not indicate the ineffectiveness of the PDE5 inhibitor. This may mean that Viagra therapy has been started prematurely and can be repeated after normalization of hormonal levels and return of sex drive

Dr. Philip Schein MD

I’m an Oncologist and Hematology Specialist primary located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. I have over 55 years of experience in the medical field and more than 20 years of practice. I’m skilled at the treatment & diagnosis of a large array of ailments & diseases in adults.

Board certifications

• American Board of Internal Medicine Certification in Internal Medicine
• American Board of Hematology Certification in Hematology
• American Board of Medical Oncology Certification in Medical Oncology