Can Stem Cell Therapy Viably Treat Erectile Dysfunction?
Do you suffer from erectile dysfunction? You’re not alone. Roughly 12 percent of men under the age of 60, and 22 percent of men aged between 60 and 69, have difficulty maintaining an erection, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases.
The good news is there may soon be help beyond the temporary relief of Viagra and other medication. Early test results of a new clinical study suggest that stem cell therapy may provide effective regenerative medicine in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
The stem cell treatment involves injecting stem cells from the patient into the erectile tissue of the penis.
More than ⅓ Saw Positive Results
Within 6 months of the procedure, 8 of the 21 men treated were able to engage in spontaneous sexual intercourse, lead researcher Dr. Martha Haahr, of Odense University Hospital in Denmark found after conducting the study. The results were maintained for at least a year, indicating potential long term benefits. Sexual function was recovered only in men who were continent.
None of the 21 men reported significant side effects over the trial period, or in the following year.
Treatment without Viagra
“What we have done establishes that this technique can lead to men recovering a spontaneous erection – in other words, without the use of other medicines, injections, or implants,” Dr. Haahr said when presenting the study before the European Association of Urology last year. “We are now beginning a larger Phase 2 trial to better evaluate its effectiveness and confirm its safety.”
The study is an early phase one study that primarily addressed safety and dosage concerns.
“We are pleased with the preliminary outcomes, especially as these men had previously seen no effect from traditional medical treatment and continue to have good erectile function after 12 months follow-up, indicating that this might be a long-term solution,” Dr. Haahr reported. “This suggests the possibility of therapeutic options for patients suffering from erectile dysfunction from other causes. But we need to remember that this is a small trial, with no control group. We’re still some time away from a clinically available solution.”
A New Beginning
The results are promising, but just the beginning. Nevertheless, it is clear that stem cell therapy offers great potential as regenerative treatment not only for erectile dysfunction, but a host of ailments, including urinary tract incontinence, back pain, shoulder treatment, and more.
“This is interesting and novel research looking into the future. The study by Haahr and co-workers is preliminary and more research is needed on the topic,” Jens Sønksen (Herlev, Denmark), Commenting Professor member of the EAU Scientific Congress Committee said. “But there is no doubt that stem cell therapy will become an important tool in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.”
We offer stem cell therapy and other regenerative treatments at our clinic in Cincinnati. Talk to your doctor to see if this approach might be right for you.
