Resveratrol treatment may preserve erectile function after radiotherapy

[FCoffey]

This paper was published in July in the International Journal of Impotence Research. The full text is available at

nature.com/articles/s41443-...

The authors note that about 40% of men who undergo radiation therapy (RT) experience erectile dysfunction. The PROTECT trial reported that erectile function decreased from pre-treatment baseline to 22% in the radiotherapy group by the 6th month.

This new study was in rats, not people, so it needs confirmation. The results were quite strong; treating rats with resveratrol after RT reversed several of the measures of damage from radiation they examined.

The authors conclude that

Resveratrol, due to its strong antioxidative effects, was able to preserve the important metabolic pathways involved in erectile function and also provided functional protection as demonstrated with ICP (Intracavernosal pressures inside the penis) measurements.

Resveratrol, a potent antioxidant, can potentially be used as a supplementary agent in patients who undergo radiotherapy in order to protect the erectile function caused by the concomitant RT-induced oxidative stress. Nevertheless, these results should be reinforced with further clinical studies.

While a clinical study would be nice, many men here are facing the prospect of RT in the very near future, or may have just begun or completed a round of RT.

Resveratrol supplements have been around for a while. They are unlikely to hurt you. This study shows that there are good reasons to think resveratrol will protect and preserve the ability to get and maintain erections.

So, small chance of harm, unknown but probably much larger chance of real benefit. If you don't mind the cost, it seems like an easy choice.

I take Longevinex brand. No financial interest, just a satisfied customer. They fund some scientific research and make a good case that their product is better protected against oxidation and degradation than most competitors.

longevinex.com/

[FCoffey]

I'm not sure how one would tell the difference. I like the papers and information provided by Longevinex enough to spend the extra $ on their product.

[AlanMeyer]

A word of warning here.

The x-rays in radiation therapy damage the DNA molecules in tumor cells by driving electrons away from them, effectively oxidizing them and causing them to react with other atoms. That damages the function of the DNA and, over a period of time, will kill the tumor cells. The period of time might be days, weeks, months, or potentially even longer (my own PSA nadir occurred more than 5 years after my radiation treatment.)

Will antioxidants reduce the effectiveness of radiation?

I googled to find the answer to this but my limited searching produced no results. Some experts and some studies say antioxidants are bad for radiation therapy and some actually say they're good.

So what should you do? I certainly don't know but I thought I should at least alert everyone to the issue.

Alan

[Hidden]

I can tell you what worked for me. Besides nerve endings, blood is the key. Erections defend on the flow of blood. Radiation and surgery destroy capillaries. Capillaries can be repaired by a supply of blood. Viagra, 10-20 mg a week will cause blood to flow.....

Gourd Dancer

[FCoffey in reply to Hidden]

20 mg of viagra every night will restore nocturnal erections, which keeps the organ healthy. Without nocturnal erections, the corpora cavernosa atrophy and develop scar tissue, which leaks.

Any doctor can prescribe 20 mg sildenafil (Viagra) pills. They are used to treat pulmonary hypertension, but it is perfectly legal to prescribe them off-label. Unlike the 50 mg and 100 mg Viagra, 20 mg sildenafil is out of patent and relatively inexpensive. I pay about $22 for a 1 month supply.